Controlling access to all of Warsaw's public schools to improve security and safety was approved Monday by the school board.

Based on last year's pilot program at Washington and Harrison elementaries, the policy will limit access to one door per school after students have arrived. The open door will be the one closest to each school's office or the one easiest to monitor.

WCS business manager Rande Thorpe said some schools use visitor badges and sign-in logs, and those practices will be standardized across the school corporation. Future use of such security measures as card readers and cameras also is being studied, he said.

School board president Gordon Vanator questioned the need to restrict the public's access to public schools.

Thorpe said two years ago he tested security by going undercover into each school building and found he could go wherever he wanted to go, without being challenged. "It was too easy to do things that were improper," he said. "It's almost negligent on our part" if the school corporation does not restrict access.

School superintendent Dr. Lee Harman said the administration will try to minimize inconvenience, but "we think it's important to be on guard and be alert."

Harman said parent education is the most important part of the policy, and no parents complained last year at the pilot programs.

The school board also heard from energy manager Dan Wray that the energy education program so far has saved the school corporation more than $300,000 in two years.

The savings, which Wray classified as cost avoidance, have come through more conscientious use of electricity and heating equipment, Wray said.

"We found that we could maintain or enhance comfort without using as much energy," he said.

The school corporation contracted with Energy Education Inc. in 1995, and the consulting company guaranteed that WCS would save at least $3 million in utility costs over the next seven years if EEI's program is followed. Wray said that goal would be reached.

Savings in utility costs will be a help when the school board looks at the 1997-98 budget more closely at the Aug. 11 meeting. The public is encouraged to attend to review the budget and ask questions or make comments.

In other business, the board:

• Recognized 38 straight-A high school students. Fifteen of the students were present to receive plaques from the Community Foundation for Public Education.

• Heard from WCS technology consultant Dennis VanDuyne that two grants for technology were received: $196,700 from the Indiana Department of Education and $512,779 from the Dekko Foundation. The grants will fund technology education, equipment, training, software and technical support.

• Unanimously approved the 1997-98 strategic plan, which was developed by a committee of staff, administrators, parents and business representatives.

The school board's next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 11. [[In-content Ad]]