Security Entrance Restrictions

Interdepartmental Memorandum
Denver Public Schools
Emily Griffith Opportunity School


To: EGOS Staff and Students
From: Les Lindauer
Date: March 6, 2008
Re: School Safety at EGOS


During the last few years, we have all developed an increased awareness of school violence. As a result, schools have implemented numerous security measures to enhance the safety of their environments including I.D. badges, sign-in desks, sophisticated surveillance systems, metal detectors, visitor’s badges, and limited access to buildings. Unfortunately, most of the commonly used measures are not a viable option for our school.

Emily Griffith Opportunity School was designed and built in an era when school safety was not a concern. Thirty-one exterior doors on our two buildings provide an example of our vulnerability should we have a safety issue. At the same time, we want to ensure that we provide top-notch customer service to our existing and potential students. Therefore, our challenge is to achieve a compromise between providing a safe environment for our staff and students and providing 5-star customer service.

With that in mind, I have decided to limit the access to our two buildings. Beginning Monday, March 10, the only three entry doors to the main building will be:

the stairwell double doors, closest to the security desk. (From the exterior, this is the second set of double doors from the corner of 13th and Welton.)
the ramp double doors, on the northeast side of the building and
the alley double doors, between GED and the mailroom.

The only entry doors to the Glenarm building will be:

the two corner entrances along 13th Street
the alley entrances and
the entry doors to the Auto Collision and Welding classrooms.

I am asking everyone’s assistance in helping us ensure the exterior doors stay closed.

I apologize in advance for any personal inconvenience this may cause, but I also feel comfortable in knowing that this strategy will provide increased safety for our students and staff. I think no one would argue that this is also good customer service for them. You should also know, it is very likely security measures will increase in late August during the Democratic National Convention.

Teachers, please share this information with your students.