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District plans to spend $136,535 to equip fleet with system to monitor students and drivers
By Katie Byard
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Apr 14, 2009
Akron's school buses will all be outfitted with digital video cameras.
The school board Monday approved spending up to $136,535 for more than 80 two-camera recording systems.
The cameras will allow the district to monitor students, as well as bus drivers, said Debra J. Foulk, the district's executive director of business affairs.
Bus drivers ''must focus on safe driving,'' Foulk said. ''They don't always know what's going on behind them.''
The district also wants ''to make sure our drivers are performing good customer service,'' she said.
The cameras should be in place by August.
Officials were inspired to outfit the entire fleet after purchasing four buses last school year that came with the video recording systems.
The district has another 20 or so cameras that are placed on buses at random or after a ''concern is raised'' by a parent or staff member, Foulk said.
With Monday's approval by the board, officials will buy 83 cameras from Gatekeeper Systems Inc. of Canada, allowing all of the district's 87 buses to be outfitted with systems that begin recording once the ignition is started.
In other business Monday, Laura J. Kepler, coordinator of the child nutrition services distribution center, told the board that participation in the district's breakfast program was up significantly. Free breakfast is available to all students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
The ailing economy is a big factor in the increase, Kepler said.
She said participation might be even greater if breakfast were served during the regular school day. Now, students must show up early to get breakfast.
School board President James Hardy suggested that school officials look into incorporating breakfast into the school day, as other districts have done.
Also Monday, board members agreed to be in charge of the following committees:
• The Rev. Curtis Walker Sr., personnel and staff relations.
• Amy Reeves Grom, community relations and customer service.
• Kirt Conrad, finance and capital management.
• Linda Omobien, school climate and student services.
• Sheila Smith, instructional policy and student achievement.
• Jason Haas, legal and board policy development.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Akron's school buses will all be outfitted with digital video cameras.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Wadsworth, Oh
Posted 10:35 AM, 04/14/2009
The writer needs to be honest here.... The camera's are needed to keep the Urban Youths in check, not to monitor the drivers.. Also the 83 camera's are being purchased from a Canadian company!!!!??? What about supporting our struggling American companies??!!
akron, oh
Posted 10:52 AM, 04/14/2009
Since the hustle scam of tax levy money can no
longer be applied to empty school bldgs,now the
con artist school board need to make up another
reason to spend our dough.And i'm afraid ask us
for another levy increase.I can see it now VOTE
for the new tax levy for shool bus transportation
its for the kids.And while we're at it loan one
to akron u they can use one two.
clinton, oh
Posted 02:49 PM, 04/14/2009
Oh no,not Akron U. Let all these charter schools that are taking our kids also use our busses. Yeah and then pay parents for driving their own kids to school. I used to be there!
Canton, OH
Posted 08:48 PM, 04/14/2009
Big Brother Is Watchin'. . . .
