Board highlights safety and infrastructure upgrades, including Syntegix rollout and $250,000 camera grant

Orange County Public Schools administration told the board Dec. 9 that multiple safety and facilities upgrades are either complete or in progress.

The superintendent said the Syntegix safety platform has reached "substantial completion" of onboarding and that staff tested connectivity with the 9‑1‑1 center across sites; the superintendent added that staff have already used the system for medical emergencies. He also said the division received a $250,000 Virginia School Safety Equipment Grant and is supplementing those funds with capital line dollars to replace the camera system at Locust Grove Middle School.

Administration described plans to overhaul the high school public‑address system and to integrate future CTE buildings with the PA system for seamless emergency communications. The division also previewed Perry Weather alerts to support athletics and outdoor events.

The administration credited staff, a blue‑ribbon panel and partner vendors for the technology rollouts and said the work was completed with minimal impact on taxpayers. Board members and staff said they have received positive feedback from school staff about the new systems.

Next steps: completion of remaining camera work, continued training and system testing, and integration planning for the high school PA overhaul and future CTE facilities.