By Taylor J. Hale

Staff Writer

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – City Times staff sat down with Superintendent Craig Broeren to stay up to date with school updates and events. This month, Broeren touched on additional band uniforms at Lincoln High School, new security updates and more.

Wisconsin Rapids Schools to work with authorities

Broeren said that the district is working with local law enforcement on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), allowing officers to watch real-time surveillance footage of area schools. The MOU would enable officers to gather real-time information during a crisis situation inside of a school.

“In the event there would be some kind of crisis, Wood County dispatch can log into our camera system and see what’s going on,” Broeren explained.

Broeren and his peers hope the MOU gives law enforcement more insight during dangerous scenarios.

Funding for surveillance systems in the district come from two rounds of 2018 Department of Justice school safety grants, totaling about $500,000.

The MOU should be finalized in several weeks. Officers will be able to access the surveillance systems once the MOU is finalized.

New band uniforms at Lincoln High School

Students at Lincoln High School received roughly 30 new band uniforms. School leaders purchased the outfits with money from district fundraisers.

“The money was raised at events in 2018,” said Broeren.

The bulk of the new uniforms are in additional sizes that the school didn’t have, according to Broeren.

Holiday cheer fills schools

Broeren noted that schools around the district are hosting holiday events. A Grove School Choir concert will be held on Dec. 18 at 4:30 p.m. at the Arborwood Lodge. Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School (WRAMS) holiday concerts also kicked off Dec. 10 in the WRAMS Auditorium, with the sixth grade orchestra performing on Dec. 19. For more info on holiday events and performances, visit https://www.wrps.org.

Follow the Wisconsin Rapids City Times for monthly district updates.