Strategic fencing plan raises questions for the community

PHOTO: Fencing at Davis High

By Maya Malinowski

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

In November 2018 Davis voters passed Measure M which gave $150 million to schools for safety and 21st century learning. After using this budget to finance a new robotics building and a new STEM building, among other projects, the district wants to use $3 million for what it calls “strategic fencing.” The HUB went to school and district officials to get answers to your questions.

What is strategic fencing? 

Strategic fencing is a plan to build fencing at intervals around Davis High, as well as at other public schools in the Davis Joint Unified School District. The fence will not surround the full perimeter, only certain areas, hence the ‘strategic’ part. 

When will it be built? 

The tentative plan is for the first part of the fencing to be built this spring, once the STEM building is finished. The timeline for the rest of the fencing depends heavily on the construction happening on campus, mainly the pool, as fencing cannot be built on soon-to-be construction zones. 

However “no (official) implementation schedule exists at this time,” said David Burke, Executive Director of Capital Operations (the department of DJUSD which is in charge of planning and building the fences). 

Why is it being built? 

Strategic fencing is meant for “increasing our awareness and our responsiveness as a school to any community members that are not a part of our school, within school hours,” principal Bryce Geigle said. 

It is not to keep dangerous people out, rather to keep community members from disrupting students, and creating more potential for problems for campus security. “We just don’t want people who don’t belong on campus,” Campus Safety Coordinator Timothy Groth said.

In addition, the fencing will “limit the number of entrance and exit points on our campuses so that visitors with legitimate business on the campus will be more easily directed to the school office,” said Laura Juanitas, Associate Superintendent of Student Services. 

Where on Davis High’s campus is it being built? 

That has not yet been decided, as DJUSD staff members are giving feedback to Capital Operations on which entries and exits they think would be best closed off. 

Students and community members also have the opportunity to give their own feedback as to where the fencing should go, at community outreach meetings which will happen in February. Official dates will be sent out via email from the Blue Devil Portal.

What kind of fencing is being built? 

“There is no direction at this time,” Burke said. However, possibilities include chain link and/or ornamental fencing, which would be between four and six feet tall. Gates may be padlocked or have a crash bar.

How can students give their own opinions on strategic fencing? There will be public outreach meetings in February that students can go to (final dates will be sent via gmail through the Blue Devil Portal), which last about an hour long. “Students (are) encouraged to attend (and express ideas or concerns),” Juanitas said.

The meetings will include school staff and whoever else is there (mainly parents and students). Most of the time will be spent discussing which areas should be fenced off. There will also discussion about the type of fencing, signage to redirect foot traffic, types of gates (padlocked or crash bar), etc. 

Feedback from those meetings then goes to a Facilities Subcommittee. In addition to that, Geigle has met with the Student Coalition and will be meeting with the Davis Student Union to discuss strategic fencing with student leaders. 

Who will be making the final decisions on strategic fencing? 

The final decisions on where the fencing will be built, what type of fencing it will be, etc., will be made by the DJUSD Board of Education. 

“Insights from (the public outreach) process will inform the board’s discussion and eventual decisions on strategic fencing,” board member Joe Dinunzio said. “I am confident that this is a thorough and thoughtful process to inform an important set of decisions.”

How will fencing accommodate for emergency situations, like evacuations? 

All gates will open outwards when pushed from the inside, and crash bars on certain gates will also make fast exits easier. DHS administration will “update emergency plans and establish updated evacuation procedures as needed once the fencing is in place,” Juanitas said.

If there will be gates, how will students get inand out during the school day? 

The gates will be opened at the start and end of the day (before first and after seventh period for sure), as well as during lunch. DHS will remain an open campus. “Whatever fencing happens, I don’t want students to feel trapped,” Director of Student Support Services Cara Messmore said.

However due to the varying schedules of students, there has not yet been a plan made for exactlywhen these gates will open and close (e.g. after firstperiod, fifth pertuiod or sixth period).

Not every entry/exit will be closed off by fencing,so when gates to main walkways are closed, students and/or parents will have to go through theareas that do not have fencing.

What is funding strategic fencing? 

Funding comes from Measure M, a bond program that gave DJUSD $150 million. $3 million isbeing used for strategic fencing. Measure M is alsofunding the STEM building and the pool.

What is Measure M? 

Measure M is a bond program passed in 2018 byvoters. The money for Measure M can only be usedby the district for improving facilities on schoolcampuses and 85% of the money had to be committed by the end of 2023. Measure M is not related tothe parcel tax.