LPOSD highlights facility upgrades, school safety improvements | #schoolsaftey #kids #parents #children

SANDPOINT — Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer shared several changes brought to the district Thursday, including an update on school safety measures, the Career & Technical Education Center, and Sandpoint Middle School renovations. 

The district’s strategic plan, which began in 2023 and will continue through 2028, is comprised of four priority areas, including facilities, student connection, quality staff and community connection. 

When Meyer was first hired, she was directed to seek community input for where the district could improve. 

“We did focus groups, surveys, all the stakeholders, we got lots of input on where we need to head as a district,” 

With the community’s feedback, the district created a strategic plan, and the district’s mission: “Every student, every day.” 

Meyer shared updates on the plan’s goal to improve facilities. 

At her first district safety task force meeting, Meyer said it was important to her that parents and staff felt safe. 

“Unfortunately, the world has changed, and school safety has to be our top priority,” said Meyer. “We had really open schools when I came. There were no locked doors. There wasn’t complete fencing. We didn’t have system surveillance or the raptor system to check people that came in.” 

Recognizing a need to implement safety measures, Meyer initiated several changes. 

The district has since appointed a safety task force, as well as law enforcement, first responders and armed guards that work with the district to maintain safe schools, said Meyer. 

Additional safety measures include entry pads that require access cards for staff, medical kits and AEDs in every classroom, fenced schools and monthly emergency drills. 

“Safety does not happen by accident; we’ve done a lot of intentional planning on this one,” said Meyer.

What remains on Meyer’s school safety priority list is installing bullet resistant window films on the front of school windows. 

Though Meyer acknowledged the heavy topic, she assured that being proactive is significant for sustaining safety in schools. 

The district’s 10-year facilities plan also seeks to increase CTE opportunities for students through its new career technical education facility building, said Meyer. 

The building, which opened its doors to students this fall, houses new and existing CTE programs that were offered at Sandpoint High School, including residential carpentry, sports medicine, computer network support and nursing assistance. 

“One thing that I don’t think the community realizes is that when people go through a CTE program, they have a better chance at graduating from high school and a better chance at graduating for college,” said Meyer. 

As Meyers has watched the program grow, she said it gives students an opportunity to explore their interests, helping them decide whether they want to pursue additional training or a higher education in that field.

“It really expands the opportunities, and I think the students are lucky that we have this option for them,” said Meyer. 

Meyers spoke to Sandpoint Middle School’s ongoing renovation project. 

“If you have been through the middle school, or have kids that have gone through the middle school or taught at the middle school, you know that renovation is well needed,” said Meyer. 

The school board received $18.2 million for the project through facility funding provided by House Bill 521 and House Bill 292. 

Meyer said the school will be renovated in phases with completion slated for fall 2027. 

The school will not be a “completely new building,” since rebuilding a school from scratch would cost roughly $50 million, said Meyer. 

However, major upgrades are still underway. 

Windows and dark hallways will see improvements, technology is being updated and classrooms will be the same size. 

The school gym will include new ADA compliant locker rooms and a cafeteria that will be able to seat all students comfortably. 

Before construction, half of the students had to eat on the stage, and the other half ate in the lunchroom, said Meyer. 

“Now, it’s going out into the courtyard, and there’s going to be a full-size cafeteria so people can eat together,” said Meyer. “It’s better for supervision, and also for socializing the kids.”