RVRHS Unveils New Security Vestibule Funded by Freeholders

Mt. Holly, N.J. – Just over a year ago in June 2018, the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced from the steps of Rancocas Valley Regional High School (RVRHS) a $20 million grant program to improve safety and security at county public high schools. On Tuesday, Sept. 17, county freeholders stood at that same entrance to unveil the first project completed with that funding: a security vestibule at the entrance of RVRHS.

Rancocas Valley Regional High School District was awarded a $1,001,000 grant in the fall of 2018 through the freeholders’ groundbreaking School Safety Program, which offered $20 million in grants to 21 eligible public high schools in Burlington County.

RVRHS used its funding to construct a security vestibule at the front entrance of its High School Campus. The district moved quickly upon receiving the funding to set plans in motion and ensure completion of construction over the summer to minimize disruptions during instructional time.

“Our Vision 2020 Strategic Plan, which was approved by our board in 2017, helped us prioritize projects and other action items to make our school environment safer and more secure for our students and staff,” said RVRHS Superintendent Christopher Heilig, Ed.D. “The grant from the Burlington County Freeholders has allowed us to complete one of those high-priority security enhancements to keep our school community even safer. We greatly appreciate the freeholders’ financial support, as well as their recognition of the great responsibility we, as school administrators, assume to keep our schools safe.”

“In 2018, the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders appropriated $20 million dollars in grant funding to our county high schools to make safety improvements. Rancocas Valley Regional High School was the place where we announced this innovative program, so it’s fitting that this is the first school to complete the construction of their planned improvements,” said Burlington County Freeholder Dan O’Connell. “We are excited to acknowledge the hard work of the staff who pulled this project together quickly so that parents can have peace of mind sending their kids off to school again.”

The grant awarded to RVRHS funded a new security vestibule at the school’s entrance with a transaction window, electronic door controls and glazed windows; an ADA-compliant sidewalk and entrance; improved exterior LED lighting; exterior door lock upgrades and replacements; main entrance signage; and upgraded existing and new digital security cameras.

“The safety and security of Burlington County children and staff at our schools is of tantamount importance. The Board of Chosen Freeholders has made a substantial investment to ensure that necessary improvements were made in the schools so that everyone has a safe environment away from home,” said Freeholder O’Connell. “Here today, we have seen our first great success in funding a lasting improvement to RV.”

RVRHS has made ongoing security enhancements using a combination of grant funding and responsible management of its annual budget, in addition to out-of-the-box thinking. To gain access to emerging weapon-detection technology, the district serves as a test site on nights and weekends for Zero Eyes, which was developed by former Navy Seals. The innovative technology integrates into the school district’s security cameras to detect firearms the second they become exposed, and then it notifies, in real time, school security and local law enforcement about the threat.

To further enhance security and improve school climate, RVRHS has proposed a bond referendum on Sept. 24. The referendum would fund significant capital improvements needed for finalizing action steps in its Vision 2020 Strategic Plan, many of which are tied to safety and security. The district sees these projects as a fiscally responsible way to continue making swift progress to better protect students and staff, because all projects qualify for 40% State Aid - the maximum amount of aid available for projects funded through a referendum. State aid is not available for capital improvements funded through the regular operating budget.

Among the critical projects the referendum would fund is the replacement of all windows at both the High School Campus and the Annex, which houses RV PREP and FLIP, with a more secure, energy-efficient product. The district would pair that improvement with climate control, because only through that combined effort can it create secure campuses.

“We need to ensure that windows always remain closed and locked to prevent access to our buildings through them,” said Heilig. “When the weather heats up, our windows go up, creating additional entry points to our buildings, especially on the first floor. That’s why climate control is a necessary component of our overall school safety plan.”

Additional security improvements included in the referendum proposal include construction of a vestibule at the Annex entrance and the reconfiguration of offices frequented by school visitors at the high school. This new office configuration would help the district complete its vision for visitor management, because it would contain guests in one main area once they clear the new security vestibule.

RVRHS is asking the community to vote on its proposed $21.7 million bond referendum on Sept. 24. State Aid, which is only available through a voter-approved bond referendum, would reduce the local share to about $13 million. To learn more about all proposed projects in the RVRHS Vision 2020 Referendum, visit www.rvrhs.com, or e-mail OurStudentsNow2019@rvrhs.com.

Photo Caption: Rancocas Valley Regional High School (RVRHS) District School Board President Chip Miller (left) and Burlington County Freeholder Dan O'Connell (right) cut the ribbon on the new security vestibule at the entrance of RVRHS, which was funded by the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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