001e good evening members of the community uh family members students parents and staff my name is rub Diaz and I am the proud superintendent for B of high school district and I'm here today um to inform our community about a project that we are looking into and hopefully to also get some information and some feedback from the members of the community um I would like to share regarding a cops gr um and that stands cop stands for Community oriented policing Services it is a sponsor by the US Department of Justice um and the office of community oriented policing Services um bab K UniFi School District looked into this grant um which is the result this particular funding was the result of an unfortunate event from Texas this is a a shooting that took place um
002in the state of Texas and as a result of that event the Department of Justice uh provided or channeled some funding so um the the communities can look into how to improve the systems in place to provide and increase the safety for our schools the one of the uh one of the areas that they focus is on critical response as well organiz organiz organizational assessment um the this proposal from bab K Unified School District it was requesting funding to purchase security cameras and access control regulations for um our campuses this will increase um the physical safety and protect our students Administration the families the community from violence death and exposure to weapons that threaten a security learning environment also as part of the purpose um or part of The Proposal um we want to clarify
003that these particular equipment that we're looking into the cameras will be kept away from the classrooms the lockers and the lavatories um the footage is also important to know that any footage that we get we can only keep it for 30 days um and after that it will get automatically deleted the reason we want to highlight and ensure that by increasing our our cameras and by keeping our cameras out of the classroom is because we we wanted to we want to continue to trust our teachers um in how they're going to teach our students and for them and for our students to feel that they can be themselves in the classrooms um part of the uh program once again um it one of the goals is to improve the security the schools in the school
004grounds through the implementation of evid evidence-based school safety programs and technology this is part of the technology component um of of this particular purpose and we want to make sure that um as part of we moving forward we want to uh let the community know we want to let our parents know uh for those that are here present and also for the ones that are joining us virtually we want to continue um to make our safety of our schools a priority um and this by implementing this technology it will give us also an upper hand in terms of the safety um a parenthesis regarding the safety safety is a set of layers the more layers that we implement the stronger the safety uh measures that we have safety involves multiple um layers of not only
005of collaboration but implementation and oversight um safety begins um in the homes by having those conversation with our students by double checking what is it that our students have access at home and the same thing for our school is by having and creating a a safe environment with the students they feel safe to share what's going on and um and giv preventing prevention um training in and prevention presentations on what we're trying to keep away from our schools um the grant is offering not only um technology but it's going to give us the opportunity to once again to look at our policies and see what additional policies we need to change to ensure the privacy of our students are it's going to be a priority not only the safety and also is going to um
006allow us to reorganize um the safety in terms of technology and what the technology is going to do and the capabilities that this technology is going to be able to provide in terms of equipment um we this grant is a matching Grant um it's it's we got a proof of half a million dollars to improve the hardware of our equipment and the what is going to allow us to do is replace the current cameras that we have right now we have about 80 existing security cameras around all the campuses in which 40 of them have already been damaged about 41 of them so what this this is going to allow us to to do not only to replace the current cameras but also Place some new ones in areas that we have um admin in
007this is one area that I want to make sure that I spend enough time and I also want to hear from the community um regarding um this particular component the technology or the equipment that we are purchasing it has some artificial intelligence integrated uh based on that um artificial intelligence analytics is going to be able to provide additional tools at the school site for instance if a student reports AI saw somebody with an object that was not supposed to be in school and the person has a blue backpack we will have the capability to enter in in the system find and identify all of the students with a blue backpack or if it says um a student just walked out of the class um a specific place and it looks suspicious um and we can
008say follow these students from this time to this time and we'll get the footage of that particular um student or if a person gets into the school that is not supposed to be in school or without permission we will be able to then identify we need to track this person and let us know and and follow that person so we know the location of that person at all times um the analytics it also gives gives us um um it has sensors so for example if there are um any chemicals detected in the restrooms or in particular areas or the Halls it will be able to alert Administration say hey there's a chemical that you may want to look at so it will alert uh the the the administration um of anything that either someone or
009it will alert it or any substances and it will make it easier for administrator and spend more time in the classrooms versus conducting major investigations by pulling too many students and also sometimes the students they they hesitant in making any reports um these will also allowed um that if there's any chemicals or any substances and the detectors perceive it um no student needs to report it because the system itself it will be able to alert the administrators hey something detected go check it out um the I believe I already cover all of the different points in how it's going to be able to bring an upper hand um but by using the artificial intelligent algorithm what that does once again it gives us the searching capabilities uh when we need it based on what we're
010trying to look for um the cameras or the artificial intelligence analytics it also detects sounds if there's any sounds that we know that may um require Administration to look into it further uh the artificial intelligent algorithms will be able to notify that and say there was a sound that is out of character in the school please go check it out uh the company the we will be um if if if we continue to move forward we want to be able to make sure that we pointed out the personal uh information to third parties and the use of this personal information information for any purposes other than which is originally collected or intended um it the the district is required and we will continue to have um we working on policy that will make the the
011our students um privacy a priority not only the safety but anyone um that will need access or this information part of our policy that we looking to roll out is if it will be it will be um requested but it will be need it will need the authorization either the board the go uh the superintendent or both um who will have access So based on these um capabilities like I said earlier it will provide different ways to organize our safety I'm going to use the TCH Tas shooting as an example um that event there was a lot that could have done if they would have had more information life in case of a a major emergency or in case of the need of uh First Responders bab K UniFi school district will have the capability
012to share life um the cameras so either the the respon the the our first respond closer to us will be able to have a close life s of what's happening in the school um and they'll be able to hear what's going on so that they can deploy the the the support needed uh based on all of the information they Gathering life um instead of coming in here and trying to then assess the situation and collect more information based on the people that are available um as soon as as we make the call we can then turn on the switch to let not you have now access to the cameras so you can begin assessing and deploying the support that you need us so we can um react faster and with better with um better response
013um support um another part that we want um part of Ed whatever investigation that first responding responders are conducting um I really sure about this um we will be have the capability to install the sensors um in restrooms not cameras there will be sensors inside the restrooms or specific targeted areas such as the halls but we'll have the capability to uh Place some of these sensors that will detect chemicals that are not supposed to be in School a couple of letters of support um when we submitted the grant um we needed to share it with uh some of the First Responders and we contacted that toono police department and we share the Grant and the purpose and they did share uh with us the the the support so we can apply for the grant um
014we also contacted Aton Aon Department of Public Safety and en Fire Department and we express hey we want to move into this technology it would require collaboration um and we want to know if you will support this upgrade on the technology and the collaboration they have also submitted a letter of support this is one of our internal um directors that at the time that we submitted uh the grant we needed to show what areas um we are concerned about and based on um our director of social emotional uh learning Services she also wrote a letter keep Unified School District then will be responsible for the contract and all the cost um this will be a total of 800 um over a little bit over $800,000 um and close to $900,000 I apologize to be able
015to move forward with this grant um what happens if if we decide not to um go with this grant um if we decide not to go with this Grant and use these monies that means that bab High School District then needs to find the funding somewhere else um to be able to replace the 41 cameras that now are broken but also everything else to we can bring it up to um nowadays uh equipment available um by moving forward what it does it allow us to use some subsidizing uh um with $500,000 that we can use in other areas um such as buzzing is one of the ones that we can instead of using that for cameras we can take advantage of this Grant and use a $500,000 and we can save those $500,000 for all
016the needs that we currently have in the district um at this point um I do have the honor to have a parent um and I have a staff member and a board member um but I also want to make it um available for anyone uh that is listening virtually um we will have another uh Forum I welcome you uh so you can express your your thoughts um but you can also email us um you can let us know what are your thoughts regarding um this particular um Grant um that is available and what are you thoughts or questions or what are you wondering about so we can then able to answer any questions that you may have um I will take advantage right now of one family member that is here if you would like
017to ask any questions or anything that you're wondering about I appreciate that question uh for those listening to us online the question is where what is timeline and what is that time frame um on the on the good end is that the grant was approved and now we need to move forward we already identify uh a company it was part of the gr we needed to identify who's going to help us what company will we are we going to be using and if we had the matching grants because we already did some of the homework uh The Next Step that we want to make sure that we do is build awareness with the community because this is going to be a change and this kind of technology is now being implemented in all areas um
018in a in the spirit of transparency we want to let our community members know um FYI we have some cameras half of them are not working do we have the opportunity to do it but you need to be aware that this one is going to have some um artificial int intelligent algorithms we want to be transparent in the area that we will be able to share with some first responder in terms of uh an emergency and that we can only keep the information for 30 days so to answer uh the specific question how long would it take our goal is if um there are not any major concerns from the community and we continue to uh answer any questions and within um our structure um and in between the governing board and the superintendent and
019any staff members um if everyone is in support we want to then roll this out before the next school year so it will be relatively quick did I answer your questions are there any other comments questions um or how do you feel about this and at this point I'm going to ask my support of my super my my board president to share the mic for those that are are listening to us virtually any of your thoughts will appreciate um the other other um question I would have also is maybe if you guys are trying to um utilize some of this funding towards you know specific um therapy you know per child know different kids um my background is disabilities you know I've worked in that profession for like 15 16 years I know it is
020a need especially with the younger kids to get them at an early age and I feel that that should be kind of utilized also for this grant to get more of the assistance for those kids within the classroom like you know like how you're uh using the AI you know that's great you know that they some of these kids they really enjoy you know computers and um that kind of G grasps their attention so is that maybe something that you guys are looking into also thank you so much not only for being here but also advocating for all of our students that they still need some social emotional support um we've been very fortunate that um within babuni School District our govering board mes so I will highly encourage anyone that is interested um in
021in those services and also um this year and part of H last year we've been providing social emotional support workshops in our district office the last Wednesday of every month that I want to encourage all of the members of the community to attend they're free you can attend in person or virtually um yes sorry I just want to be able to respond to the question you first kind of asked and then of course to this question uh specifically from the board standpoint I know that I think regardless of whether the nation like you mentioned is going to be prepared and able to move with us whether this project moves forward is really solely on the school district um so all of that equipment and everything else whether the board agrees to move forward which to
022me I really really want to be able to he from you all especially as a board member as we kind of get closer to making a decision but nonetheless I feel like a lot of the the the questions that I have have been answered thus far but I still want to be able to hear more more uh input so I'm hopeful we're going to continue to have these conversations but I want to be I think I want to make sure it's clear that our Our intention is to move forward we do have equipment that needs to be replaced anyway now for the school and it'll be F on the school district to to ensure it has that security line in place now whether the the nation is going to be ready or step up or
023have that capability that's really I would say on them because essentially what we're going to do is kind of make sure that we're shorted up on this end and I want to say speaking speaking specifically as a parent who will soon have a child at this campus it is it is important I think for us to be really mindful of what we're approving especially as board members but over all as a community um I've always had a a I still have a little bit of a reservation when it comes to Ai and and those types of systems but I but I'm grateful that we're putting in and talking about policy that's going to hopefully be able to kind of secure that a little bit more um and then specifically to the disability question I think
024that if it if it is at any moment or Point possible um and there's funding that we can maybe uh identify to specifically talk about the things that you're talking about when it comes to um special needs then I have no doubt that the staff and and the administrators and those that are currently working with those students do understand that as well because I know we sent some to certain specialty schools as well but again if we can do it here at home then that's all more better because rather than setting I'm on a bus another hour out of town that that's even know this one thing I wanted to touch on Mr Diaz if you can um I know you talked about some new cameras at transportation is that just specifically for the building
025or you talking about buses thank you thank you president wendia um thank you for for that information and your questions and I want to encourage once again all members of the community to reach out in order for for us to make better decisions is the more information that you provide it guide us at what direction we need to go um where to send the information my name is Ruben Diaz and I am your proud superintendent and my email is RDS buusd 40.org you can find it on our website or you can call our main number and you can um uh any any input that you can share once again will we share with our govering board members that way we know know how to proceed I did mention that some of the cameras or this
026technology is going to allow sorry this gr is going to allow us to expand the cameras right now we have very limited cameras in the Department of Transportation so what we looking into is to expand some of the cameras to survey uh the surveillance in the yard in our department um not necessarily in the buses all of the new buses that we've been purchasing our goal was to buy two buses every year so far we've had purchased four in one year with a support governing board um and those new um buses they come with already with the um technology of cameras um and also with something even more precious than the cameras they come with air conditioner and a heater for our students um I want to also one one once again remind that we
027are going to have one more Forum so if you miss this one um we're going to have another one on April 11th um at 5:30 at the Hanan kek Rec Center so I'm looking forward to see many of our members of the community to be able to be present um if you have any further questions concerns or Com or comments please don't hesitate to get it to us and at this point um I want to send all blessings to everybody um we are take doing we are doing testing we need every parent to make sure our students are well rested and make sure they come with a positive attitude and be here every single day I need all of my parents to make sure our students are here so we can have have a 100%
028attendance during our testing and encourage them to just do their very best everyone blessings to you and your loved ones have a great night