Safety Upgrades For Verner Elementary Considered

Verner Elementary School might undergo safety renovations over the summer months.

During the Riverview School Board meeting Monday, district architect Dick Jaynes, who works for Axis Architecture, presented a plan that would add doors to classrooms and a vestibule between the entrance and the school's main office—features that both Tenth Street Elementary and Riverview High School have.

Verner was built as an open plan school, according to Jaynes, and none of the building's classrooms had doors. In 2003, the school was renovated and doors were installed in some classrooms.

Another portion of the project includes upgrading the existing doorways in the school building.

"It's just another level of protection," he said.

Jaynes added that schools all over the nation would be performing similar work, so it would be best to move quickly. Officials said they would review the plans and hopefully make a decision to move ahead some time next month to get the work done over the summer.

Board member Lisa Ashbaugh said officials have been discussing the safety changes for years.

"We need to proceed with this," she said.
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