ECASD Security Update: School Police Officer Replaced; Vestibule Completion Delayed

In an effort to make Ellwood City Area Schools more secure, The Ellwood City Area School Board—during the spring and summer months—hired two armed school police officers for the 2019-2020 school year and also voted to improve security vestibules at North Side, Hartman, and Perry Lower Intermediate. Updates, new votes occurred during this week’s ECASB’s agenda and regular meetings:

School Police

In July the board hired Robert Lagoon of Zelienople and Brad Koscinski of Grove City as the first armed officers to serve the school district. During the board’s regular meeting on Thursday the board voted to accept the resignation of Lagoon effective July 25. The board then voted to hire replacement Brian Speer as a school police officer for the 2019-20 school year.

The officers were able to be implemented thanks to a $156,400 grant provided by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant will allow the district to employ the two officers for two years.

John Sovich, high school principle and the school district’s security coordinator, along with Superintendent, Joseph Mancini, were instrumental in securing the grant.

One officer will patrol the Lincoln High School site, which also includes Hartman Elementary. The other officer will patrol both North Side and Perry schools. The officers will serve during normal school hours. Other after school sports and activities will be covered by local police.

To read more about how the district plans to facilitate the officers, click here.

Security Vestibles

During Monday’s agenda meeting, Paul Pishioneri, district facilities manager said that the improvements to vestibules at North Side and Hartman were on schedule, but that some issues at Perry might cause a delay in completion causing construction to spill over into the school year.

The board hired Thomas Construction in May to make the improvements to the entrances at the schools to improve security.