The State Office of School Safety and Security found some “soft areas” in a June 15 walk-through of Hennessey Public Schools, Hennessey School Superintendent Jason Sternberger told school board members during their Monday night meeting.

“They were very complimentary” when they came back July 6, and will make another inspection when school is in session, he said. That way they can see students passing in the hallway and going from class to class and building to building.

More security cameras

Sternberger said more security cameras will be placed in certain areas, along with a few more “visual door bells” and staff will have “key fobs.”

He also said the fence around the playground at the daycare center will be raised to six feet to keep someone from being able to reach in and pick up a child.

“But the inspection was not only about possible intruders,” he said during his monthly report. “We have some HVCA panels that are open and need fencing.”

Board President Luke Lough told Sternberger he assumed all teachers would be given the fobs and other new security measures before the start of school.

Sternberger said they will.

‘Heightened senses’

“What happened in Uvalde, Texas has heightened our senses of security,” Sternberger said.

However, an exterior door that failed to lock behind an employee and the lack of quick action by law enforcement were partly blamed for deaths of students and teachers at Uvalde, he noted.

“It takes a lot of partnering with local law enforcement and working together to make our students and staff safe,” he said.

HPS has had a full-time local police officer as its resource officer for the past two years, and will again this year when Officer Christian Solis will take on that role.

Teachers conceal carry

“We have the option to allow teachers who have a conceal and carry license to carry a gun on the school premises,” the superintendent said, “but you as school board members would have to approve that (policy).”

He said the board would have to vote to approve each individual who would carry a gun “and I believe you could discuss that in executive session.”

“Since we have a resource officer we’ll always have a gun on the premises,” Sternberger said.

No action was taken on the teacher carry issue, and couldn’t have been taken by open meeting law, because the item was not on the agenda.

Board members Dr. James Matthew Matousek and Cristopher Choate (vice president) said they’d like to see laws and policies that other schools use that allow employees to carry guns at school.

Present at the meeting

All board members were present at the July 11 meeting: Clerk David Tillman, Patrick Griffin, Lough, Matousek and Choate.

In addition to Sternberger, also present at the board table was Office Manager Timberly Jech who also serves as minutes clerk.

Staff in the audience were Principals Josh Faulkner (high school), Ricardo Tarango (middle), and Stacy Mack (early childhood). Other staff there were Todd Cameron, technology director, and Rae Fuksa, middle school teacher and tech assistant.

Phones in the classroom

Also present was Tina Gilliland, a parent, who spoke about the need for some students to have a cell phone in the classroom for medical issues.