School security project a good investment

Members of the Medford School Board made the right call last week when they voted to move forward with design work on a proposed project to expand and renovate the high school.

The $1.1 million project will address not only office space needs but also significantly improve building security by limiting direct access from the outside to the main corridors of the school and instead will have that foot traffic funneled through the office.

Reconfiguring and adding spaces to the main office will free up educational space in other portions of the building for its intended purpose. It will also greatly improve student confidentiality when students have to meet with counselors, law enforcement or for other purposes. With a shortage of dedicated office spaces, other areas of the school building have been pressed into service for these needs. While efforts are taken to provide confidentiality, they fall short, creating a risk of private and legally protected information being overheard in hallways and adjoining classrooms.

The best part of the district’s plan, is that they are looking at doing it at no additional expense to district taxpayers. This is good news as area taxpayers begin receiving property tax bills in the next few weeks.

Medford, like other school districts, received federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds to help with technology upgrades and for educational recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Medford Schools were already making sizable investments in these areas within the district’s operating budget and were able to utilize the federal funds in these areas, freeing up school budget money for other long-term needs.

The district leadership wisely recognized that one-time funds should be used for one-time projects rather than creating future budget holes. Administration proposed the office expansion and renovation work as a way to chip away at known building needs.

Prioritizing projects and biting off chunks as money is available demonstrates sound fiscal responsibility on behalf of the board and school administration team. Beyond this it also shows a responsiveness to the concerns of voters who rejected previous referendum attempts for being overly broad and lacking focus. Voters demanded the district live within its budget and the district is doing just that, while also continuing to make long-term improvements to the school.

Going forward, the district will not have the ability to use federal grant dollars to free up budget dollars, and will need to go to voters for their support on projects. Board members must not be gun shy about asking for voter support for projects, provided they follow the advice of board member Kurt Werner and bring projects that are focused and are able to demonstrate a need.

Going to voters more frequently with comparatively smaller, more focused projects that can be paid off relatively quickly without saddling the district with mountains of long-term debt is an effective strategy that should be explored as a tool to make improvements to the school by addressing identified needs as they arise. When you are working with a relatively shallow well of resources, it is necessary to make several smaller trips rather than fill up all at once.

The Medford School Board should move forward with the office and security upgrade project and at the same time begin planning for and prioritizing the next part of the building needs to be addressed.

Members of The Star News editorial board include Publisher Carol O’Leary, General Manager Kris O’Leary and News Editor Brian Wilson.