Committee reviews emergency drill, bus-stop enforcement and safety training grants

Perkiomen Valley School District’s Safety & Operations Committee received several safety updates at its Nov. 20 meeting, including an after-action note from a recent regional emergency exercise, declining bus-stop violations, and grant-funded staff training.

Committee chair summarized participation in the Nov. 18 Limerick nuclear tabletop exercise and said six evaluators (three from PEMA and three from FEMA) observed district practices during a hot-wash that ran about 90 minutes. The chair said a comprehensive report is expected from the exercise teams within 120 days and identified a practical shortfall: the district needs faster ways to get an up-to-date staff census during an incident because staff assignments change during the day.

On public-health preparedness, a committee member asked whether schools are required to keep potassium iodide (KI) tablets on hand. The chair said the district has chosen not to participate in the KI program and that parents may obtain free tablets through the county if they wish to provide them. "We would not be participating in that," the chair said, noting prior concerns from nursing staff over mandatory medication administration.

Transportation safety figures showed a high incidence of stop-arm violations when bus-patrol enforcement began in April, with the volume of incidents declining over the first five months. Chair emphasized that the effort was intended to protect students rather than generate revenue.

On staffing and training, the district will run two MCIU-funded programs including safety training for supplemental staff (first aid, CPR, Stop the Bleed) that would cover about 90 personnel at a roughly $7,600 cost under the IU grant. Chair also reported budgeted part-time safety hires — an additional school police officer and a school security guard — with candidates undergoing background and reference checks; staff said successful hires would be recommended for board approval in December.

Finally, facilities staff provided an estimate of about $19,058 for window blinds and door coverings districtwide; committee members agreed the item should be brought to the December agenda and noted the district can reimburse that expense if it meets the IU grant flow-through rules.

Next steps: staff will provide the drill report when available, bring the window and door coverings item to the December agenda for approval, and return with candidate recommendations for the part-time safety positions.