Ellwood School Board Names Barb Wilson to Chair Security Committee and Hires Security Firm

At its regular meeting on Thursday, March 8, the Ellwood City School Board appointed board member Barb Wilson as chairwoman of an ad hoc security committee and arranged for a security firm to provide an assessment of the district’s four buildings.

The committee is a response to the Florida school shooting on Feb. 14 and follows visitor concerns expressed at the agenda meeting on March 6. Wilson, who has security experience in her position as a director for a Jewish center in the Pittsburgh area, volunteered for the position and was unanimously appointed.

“Congratulations, you have yourself a job,” board president Mike Neupauer said as visitors applauded the decision.

The committee will include administration as well as police and fire department personnel.

In addition, Superintendent Joe Mancini presented an offer from C&C Security of North Beaver Township to complete a security assessment this week. Mancini said the company provides security for UPMC and Mohawk School District and comes with a high recommendation from Mohawk’s superintendent.

For no more than $1,500, C&C will spend two days observing the school buildings. The assessment includes an initial meeting with the administration, an evaluation of the inside and outside of each building, a written report identifying any issues, recommendations to improve security inadequacies and a presentation of results.

Initially, the proposal was met with skepticism by Wilson and board member Renee Pitrelli.

“We should get our committee of local people together first and look at many options and maybe find a better firm,” Pitrelli said.

Neupauer expressed concern that a committee could take weeks to form and felt C&C could provide the committee with a starting point.

“Its a small price to pay for data and gathering the intel to move forward,” he said.

“They aren’t doing anything we haven’t already done,” Pitrelli countered.

According to Mancini, the company provides the gamut of security protocols. Board member LeRoy Cortez added that security standards have evolved since the last firm was brought in several years ago.

With the understanding that the committee could hire additional companies later, the board approved the proposal.

Closing up the security conversation, board member Norman Boots asked about the next emergency response first aid training and Mancini answered that a full day for training is scheduled in August.

At the close of the meeting, visitor LeeAnn Houk thanked the board for hearing concerns.

“I pray for my kids and the administration everyday when I drop them off for school,” Houk said. “I’ve raised concerns to previous boards and walked away feeling I’d fallen on deaf ears.”

Visitor Samantha DeJoseph asked Mancini about automated attendance calls. Every evening, the district sends an automated call to each household if a student was absent, tardy or had an early dismissal. DeJoseph wanted to know if a call could also be sent in the morning.

“My child could be across state lines by the time I realize they’re not at school,” DeJoseph said.

Mancini answered that the process is already underway, following a matching inquiry by Pitrelli during the agenda meeting. According to Mancini, the only complications are arranging appropriate codes to match with attendance logs so that the calls are properly sent out.