IT’S TIME TO BUY THE SUPPLIES. PACK A LUNCH AND SEND THE KIDS BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM. SCHOOL IS THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE TONIGHT. KOCO TACKLING THE ISSUES IMPORTANT TO EVERY PARENT. SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ALL OF OUR STAFF. PLUS, DOES YOUR SCHOOL HAVE THE MONEY AND STAFFING IT NEEDS? THERE ARE SO BUSY. THEY HAVE SO MANY HATS TO WEAR, SO MANY THINGS GOING ON AND THE HELP YOU NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE ONES YOU LOVE. HOW CAN PARENTS KEEP UP WITH WHAT’S GOING ON? YOUR KOCO CHRONICLE BACK TO SCHOOL GUIDE STARTS NOW. HI, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR OUR BACK TO SCHOOL GUIDE. I’M JESSICA SCHAMBACH. I’M EVAN ONSTOT. AND OVER THE NEXT 30 MINUTES WE ARE DIVING INTO SOME OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN OKLAHOMA CLASSROOMS. I KNOW FOR MANY OF US PARENTS, WE KNOW SAFETY SITS AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST. KOCO ZACH RAEL TALKED TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE METRO ABOUT KEEPING STUDENTS SAFE. THIS SCHOOL YEAR AS STUDENTS SPEND TIME AWAY FROM CLASS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE METRO USE THAT TIME TO REEVALUATE EXACTLY HOW THEY CAN KEEP YOUR CHILDREN SAFE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SCHOOL IS IS COVERED BY ALL OF OUR BASIC SECURITY MEASURES. WAYLON CUBIT IS THE MAN IN CHARGE OF SECURITY FOR OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE SAYS THE DISTRICT’S SECURITY MEASURES ARE EXTENSIVE AND VAST BECAUSE OF OKC APS SIZE FOR MAKING SURE THAT LOCKS AND CAMERAS WORK TO REEVALUATING ACCESS POINTS AT ALL OF THEIR BUILDINGS IS WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT IS WE’RE REALLY, REALLY LARGE. AND SO IMPLEMENTATION FOR US, WHEN WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT TAKES A LOT, A LOT OF TIME. ONE NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE AT CPS THIS YEAR WILL BE THE DISTRICT’S NEW WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEM. PUTNAM CITY SCHOOLS PUT IN A SIMILAR SYSTEM LAST SCHOOL YEAR. WE’RE IMPLEMENTING A NEW WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEM THAT WILL MAKE COMING TO SCHOOL AND ENTERING THE SCHOOL A LOT FASTER, A LOT SMOOTHER AND A LOT LESS INTRUSIVE THAN THE TYPICAL METAL DETECTORS. OTHER DISTRICTS ARE IMPLEMENTING NEW TECHNOLOGY ELSEWHERE TO MAKE SURE PARENTS KNOW THEIR KIDS ARE SAFE ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL. CHOCTAW NICOMA PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GIVING PARENTS THE TOOLS TO TRACK THEIR KIDS ON THE WAY TO CLASS WITH A NEW FLEET OF BUSSES. THIS NEW TRACKING SYSTEM IS GOING TO ALLOW PARENTS TO KNOW IN THEIR STUDENTS ACTUALLY GET ON THE BUS. IT’S GOING TO LET THEM KNOW WHEN THEY GET OFF THE BUS. TEN NEW BUSSES EQUIPPED WITH CARD READERS. AS STUDENTS GET ON, THEY WILL SCAN THEIR PERSONALIZED CARD. AND THEN AGAIN WHEN THEY GET OFF, THIS WILL WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE SURE WE GET STUDENTS OFF AT THE RIGHT STOP AND IT WILL ALERT THE DRIVER IF THEY END UP AT THE WRONG STOP. WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY, OFFICIALS SAY PREPAREDNESS IS KEY. THAT’S WHY TRAINING SESSIONS AND DRILLS ARE SO VITAL TO SCHOOL DISTRICT SECURITY PLANS. AND THAT INCLUDES PRACTICING FOR WHEN A SITUATION ACTUALLY DOES HAPPEN. WE CAN NEVER BE TOO TOO COMFORTABLE IN OUR PRACTICES FOR AN EVENT THAT A TRAGEDY ACTUALLY DOES TAKE PLACE. MID DALE PARTNERS WITH DIFFERENT CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS TO SERVE AS REUNIFICATION SITES TO GET STUDENTS RECONNECT WITH THEIR FAMILIES. BUT THIS YEAR THEY REALIZED THEY NEEDED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES. WE’VE HAD PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PAST. THIS YEAR, WE’VE REALLY REEVALUATED SOME OF OUR LOCATIONS TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DISTANCE FROM OUR SCHOOLS. THE DISTRICT HELD SEVERAL MEETINGS OVER THE SUMMER WITH THEIR SITES SERVING AS REUNIFICATION CENTERS TO GO OVER HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. ONCE WE ARRIVE AT THAT LOCATION, IT WOULD BE SET UP FOR US, WHETHER THAT BE CHECK IN TABLES IS REALLY TO HAVE OUR OUR STUDENTS GO AHEAD AND BE IN A SAFE SPACE. AND THEN OUR FAMILIES WOULD BE NOTIFIED OF WHERE THAT LOCATION WOULD BE. THIS PLAN, WHILE MAINLY TAILORED FOR SCHOOL SHOOTING THREATS, ALSO WOULD BE USED FOR OTHER TRAGEDIES LIKE A TORNADO. THE SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, AND WE REALLY DON’T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IS IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING KIDS SAFE. IT’S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ALREADY HAVE THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN AND KNOWING, YOU KNOW, THE NAMES WITH THE FACES SO THAT WHEN AN EVENT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO TO GO TO TO GET INFORMATION ON. THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR MIDWEST CITY POLICE SAYS THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES SEVERAL SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT PATROL CAMPUSES. THOSE RESOURCE OFFICERS HELP BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS WHICH CAN LEAD TO THEM BEING COMFORTABLE, COMING TO THEM FOR HELP. IT’S MORE OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. THEY GET TO KNOW THE KIDS, THE KIDS GET TO KNOW THEM. THEY CAN SEE THAT THEY’RE HUMAN BEINGS AND HAVE FAMILIES. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME THING. EVERYONE ELSE GOES THROUGH. THEY HAVE THINGS IN THEIR PAST THAT THEY DEAL WITH JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. SO IT IT IT JUST SHOWS THE COMMUNITY THAT, HEY, WE’RE HUMAN, TOO, AND WE’RE HERE TO HELP. BACK AT OKC, THEY HAVE A SIMILAR MINDSET ABOUT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD JUST APPROVED A CONTRACT WITH OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE TO PROVIDE SROS TO THE DISTRICT. HUBERT SAYS ALL THE SECURITY MEASURES IN THE WORLD WON’T MAKE UP FOR THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT STUDENTS HAVE AT HOME. HE ENCOURAGES PARENTS AND GUARDIANS TO TALK TO THEIR KIDS AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WATCHING THEIR THEIR STUDENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND TO LET US KNOW IF THEY BECOME AWARE OF ANY THREATS THAT COME THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY FEEL LIKE IS UNSAFE OR MAY BE A THREAT TO SCHOOL SAFETY IS TO SAY SOMETHING ZACH RAEL KOCO FIVE NEWS. WELL, SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR. SOME SCHOOLS ARE LIMITING WHAT KIND OF BACKPACKS STUDENTS CAN BRING WITH THEM. KOCO ABIGAIL OGLE HAS A LOOK AT SOME OF THE RULES NOW IN PLACE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN OKC. APS. ABBY. MOST MIDDLE SCHOOLS WITHIN THE OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE NOW REQUIRING CLEAR OR MESH BACKPACKS. WE TALKED WITH DISTRICT OFFICIALS WHO SAY THIS IS JUST AN EASY WAY TO MAKE SURE NOTHING UNSAFE IS BROUGHT ONTO CAMPUS. WE HAVE CURRENTLY METAL DETECTORS AT ALL OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AND WE’RE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW WEAPON DETECTION TECHNOLOGY. AND THIS IS JUST A WAY FOR THOSE LINES TO MOVE QUICKER. SO HERE HERE’S A LOOK AT WHICH SCHOOLS WILL REQUIRE WHICH BACKPACKS. JOHN MARSHALL, ROGERS AND TAFT ONLY ALLOW CLEAR BACKPACKS WITH CLEAR OR MESH AT MOON SOUTHEAST AND WEBSTER MIDDLE SCHOOL. ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL NOT ALLOWING BACKPACKS AT ALL. ONLY TRAPPER KEEPERS. OKAY. CPS SAYS SOME SCHOOLS WILL HAVE BACKPACKS FOR SALE. ABIGAIL OGLE. KOCO FIVE NEWS AND A BIG PART OF RETURNING TO THE CLASSROOM. THE TEACHERS IS TEACHING IS. IT’S A BIG JOB. IT’S DEFINITELY NOT JUST A NINE MONTH JOB. AND IT’S CERTAINLY NOT A 9 TO 5 KOCO KYLIE WALKER CHECKED IN WITH ONE TEACHER THROUGHOUT THIS PAST SUMMER TO SEE ALL THAT GOES INTO GETTING READY FOR A SCHOOL YEAR. NINE. ARE YOU HAVING FUN? RIPPING OUT WEEDS AND SPREADING MULCH? YARD WORK IS NOW SCHOOLWORK FOR THIS GROUP OF OKLAHOMA CITY STUDENTS. THEIR LAST DAY OF SUMMER SCHOOL SPENT TENDING TO SCISSORTAIL PARK. THE GREENS GOT TO GO FELIX LINDEN BY THEIR SIDE AND MINE TELL ME WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU. WELL, I JUST BELIEVE SERVICE IS PART OF WHAT WE’RE HERE TO DO ON EARTH. SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO STUDENTS. SO THEY HAD TO WRITE THEIR NAME AND THEN THEY HAD TO PRESENT IT TO THE CLASS. SO DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, FELIX TEACHES LANGUAGE ARTS AT MOON, AND THIS SUMMER HE SPENT FOUR WEEKS AT NORTH CLASSEN WHERE WE SAT DOWN TO TALK. YOU’RE TEACHING RIGHT NOW FOR SUMMER SCHOOL? YES, RIGHT. YEAH. SO I’VE TAUGHT SUMMER SCHOOL. I THINK THIS MIGHT BE MY 10TH YEAR. I LOVE TEACHING. I JUST LOVE WORKING. HONESTLY, I THINK THAT’S PART OF MY COUNTRY UPBRINGING. JUST GET UP AND GO TO WORK. ONCE THAT LAST DAY OF SCHOOL IS OVER, WHAT DOES THE NEXT DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU SLEEPING IN? LET’S START WITH THAT. ACTUALLY. JUST HONESTLY, I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT NEVER STOPS ANY TYPE OF THING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL OTHER TEACHERS ABOUT HOW TO GET COMMUNITY SUPPORT. ALWAYS DIGGING. FELIX LOOKS TO RAKE IN NEW GRANTS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. WELL, I THINK AGAIN, TEACHERS JUST NEED TO BE BOLD. THAT’S MY MESSAGE THIS YEAR, THAT MONEY, HE SAYS, WILL GO BEYOND PENS, PENCILS AND NOTEBOOK PAPER. WELL, I THINK WHAT I WANT TO SUPPLY MY KIDS WITH IS WITH HOPE, BECAUSE I THINK HOPE IS THE ONE THING THAT CAN GIVE A KID THE INSPIRATION TO WANT TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL AND WANT TO KEEP COMING WHEN THERE MIGHT BE HARD AND WHEN THEY HAVE ACCESS TO HOPE, THEY CAN REACH ANY KIND OF LIMITS THAT THEY HAVE SET FOR THEMSELVES. AND WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET READY FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR? OH, WHAT DO I DO? SO A LOT OF IT I THINK WE TAKE TIME OFF HIS TIME TO RECHARGE HIS LATEST GETAWAY, HOLLYWOOD WITH HIS WIFE. THE JOB NEVER FAR FROM HIS MIND. I THINK I’M STARTING TO LEARN THAT THERE’S A BALANCE. I DO THINK I NEED TO SLOW DOWN, TAKE A BREAK, BECAUSE IF I’M REALLY TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT’S BOLD AGAIN FOR MY STUDENTS, I REALLY HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO FILL MY TANK FOR ANOTHER YEAR. FELIX RETURNING TO HIS STUDENTS AND READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WE’RE GOING TO SET THE EXAMPLE. WE’RE GOING TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. WE’RE GOING TO LEAD THROUGH THE FACT THAT WE’RE GOING TO GIVE KIDS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES. KYLIE WALKER KOCO FIVE NEWS. WHAT AN AWESOME EDUCATOR. WHAT AN AWESOME STORY! KYLIE. THANKS SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, US PARENTS, WE REALLY LIKE ROUTINES IN THE MORNING AND WE WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU MADE WAKING UP WITH KYLIE AND OUR ENTIRE MORNING TEAM PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE THIS SCHOOL YEAR. KYLIE SHELBY, ALEJANDRA AND JONATHAN, THEY ARE UP AND ON AIR AT 430 EVERY MORNING. BLESS THEM. AND THEN AFTER YOU DROP THE KIDS