Corbin Board of Education discusses security cameras

When completed, the new Corbin Middle School will have roughly 95 surveillance cameras monitoring hallways and immediate outdoor areas, with possibly more that could be added in the future.

Members of the Corbin Independent Schools Board of Education briefly discussed the camera system during its regular monthly meeting last Thursday at The Corbin Center.

Questions regarding the system arose following the submission to the board of a written technology report by school system Network Analyst Kasey Gosser.

Board member Carcille Burchette asked if the server that stores video from the cameras was at maximum capacity.

Gosser said another “blade” could be added to the server to increase storage for more cameras.

The new CMS will have the most surveillance cameras of any school in the district. Gosser said Corbin High School has 70 to 80 cameras currently and Corbin Primary School has about 60. Corbin Elementary School and Corbin Intermediate School don’t have as many cameras.

Corbin Schools Superintendent Dave Cox said none of the cameras installed at the new middle school currently cover the athletic fields or track area.

Following discussion about the system, the board also approved installation of a $210,000 lighting system for the track, football and soccer fields. He said lighting for the baseball field at the school would not be installed at this time.

Cox informed the board that the company providing and installing the lights, Musco Lighting, recommended use of smaller, more efficient lights for the track area that could be put on a timer.

School officials anticipate everyday use of the facility by the community.

The lights will cost $210,000, an increase from an estimate received a year and a half ago of $188,000. Cox said the price increased because of the passage of time, and because of the extra lighting for the track. He said it would take six to eight weeks to have the lights delivered.

In other business, the board:

• Approved a contract with the city of Corbin to continue operating The Corbin Center for the remainder of the year. Cox said he’s been meeting with Corbin Center Director, Susie Hart, to restructure some fees and other policies regarding use of the facility, and planned to report back to the board on that in the near future.

• Approved a non-resident student agreement with the Knox County School System for the 2018-19 school year. The agreement would reduce the number of students, from 387 to 370, who live in the Knox County School System, but who want to attend Corbin schools, to do so tuition free. Cox said Knox School System leaders asked for the reduction so that it mirrored a similar agreement currently in place with Barbourville Independent Schools.

• Heard an update from Cox regarding progress on construction of new classrooms at Corbin Primary School to accommodate third grade students. He said construction is currently underway.

Corbin School Board chair Kim Croley said the school district’s current plans call for Corbin Primary to house grades Preschool through second grade, and for another school, built nearby, to accommodate third through fifth grades. Construction, she said, should be complete by December or January.