Story By Katie Hightower
On May 21, Steve Livingston and Mike Kirkland visited Scottsboro City Schools in recognition of the implementation of the Centegix security system and to award grants to help fund the school safety measure.
The Centegix system was designed to enhance security for the schools through a wearable badge system for school faculty and staff members.. The badges will have buttons with built in tracking sensors on them. Should any emergency arise, including medical emergencies or active shooters, staff members can push the buttons on the badges. Then authorities will be alerted about any emergencies. In January, the Scottsboro City Schools Board of Education approved the purchase of the Centegix system in a group of school safety purchases.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to student and staff safety, Scottsboro City Schools is proud to announce the launch of Centegix, a safety alert badge system,” said Amy Childress, Superintendent of Scottsboro City Schools. “It enables real-time communication with school administration and local emergency services in the event of an emergency need. This system is currently being installed and will be fully implemented beginning with the 2025-26 school year.”
The five-year commitment to Centegix, paid for by ATF funds, cost $294,600. Each year on the anniversary date, SCS will have to pay nearly $50,000 to continue the service. Livingston and Kirkland awarded grants to assist with the funding of Centegix.
“This was a way to contribute to make sure our teachers and our students in our school systems are safe,” Livingston said.
“I am a proud advocate for the safety and well-being of our children; I strongly believe that every student should feel secure in their learning environment. Our schools must be equipped with the necessary resources to prevent tragedies, protect our children and provide peace of mind for parents, educators and students alike,” said Mike Kirkland, House Representative. “I am committed to supporting security in our schools and was proud to partner with my colleague, Majority Leader Livingston, to do so in Scottsboro City Schools recently. Our children deserve nothing less than the utmost commitment to their safety and I will continue working to ensure that the safety of our schools remains a priority.”
“This Centegix program is going to be fantastic for all the students, faculty and staff,” said Childress. “Scottsboro City Schools appreciates the community service grants awarded from State Senator Steve Livingston and House Representative Mike Kirkland for presenting Scottsboro City Schools with these awards that will assist in providing this system. We appreciate their support for continued school safety and their ongoing support of Scottsboro City Schools.”
