District outlines $12 million intercom bid and prioritizes secure vestibules, panic buttons and cameras

District safety staff told the Davis County School District board on March 19 that improving communications and secure entry points across schools is a high priority but will require phased investment.

Staff said the district has an intercom upgrade bid estimated at about $12,000,000 and that the state has provided roughly $4,000,000 toward that work; the district will need to stretch that allocation and use district funds to phase upgrades for all schools. Staff described a prioritization approach that begins with high-impact areas such as secure vestibules and high-visibility glass between commons and front offices.

The presenters explained technology features planned or already in place. Several newer buildings have an audio-enhancement system tied to a teacher ‘teardrop’ alarm: when two buttons are pressed on the device it sends a silent alarm and, in some configurations, supplies GPS location information to help administrators locate the alert. The district also has a mix of wall‑mounted panic buttons and classroom‑integrated buttons; some schools present audible sirens and visual alerts in the principal’s office to accelerate response.

Board members asked about the drill schedule; district staff said standard response protocol drills rotate monthly across drill types (e.g., lockdown, secure, evacuation) and that some drills are state-mandated early in the school year. Staff also warned that completing all upgrades across the district will depend on funding availability and that several safety features currently have no dedicated state funds and must be covered from district revenues.

A board member referenced recent state legislation that included panic‑button requirements; staff said the district has implemented a mix of wall-mounted and audio-based teacher alarm systems (the Epic/audio enhancement systems in several schools) to meet those obligations in the near term.

District staff framed the plan as a balance of people, processes and systems: drills and adult presence are essential, but technology and facility improvements remain on a multi-year, phased timeline tied to funding.