Promises kept: Every school in the Mehlville School District has a safer entrance
Posted on 04/02/2025
With the completion of the new security entrance at Trautwein Elementary School in March, every school in the Mehlville School District now has a safer entrance thanks to our community's support of Prop S.
Prop S, a zero tax rate increase bond issue, was approved by voters in April 2021 to fund projects to improve student safety and accessibility and complete deferred maintenance without increasing the tax rate. The promised work included making schools safer by renovating the front entrances of our schools.
In their previous configurations, visitors had immediate access to the entire school after being buzzed in through the exterior doors by office staff. In some cases, like Forder Elementary School and Oakville Middle School, staff didn’t have a line of sight to the front doors, and visitors could go down several hallways or access stairwells before ever speaking to a staff member.
That is no longer the case. After being buzzed in through exterior doors, visitors now enter a secure vestibule that includes a second set of locked doors. They must provide identification and be screened by a staff member before they can enter the rest of the building.
At schools like Hagemann Elementary School and Mehlville High School, the secure vestibule was created by adding a window and a locking mechanism to an already existing second set of doors. At schools like Rogers Elementary School and Oakville High School, a second set of doors was added to funnel visitors directly into the office. At Forder Elementary School, Bernard Middle School and Oakville Middle School, a new office was constructed at the front entrance. The office at Washington Middle School was moved to the lower level of the building to improve accessibility, while in one of the largest projects, the front entrance at Blades Elementary School was relocated to the opposite end of the building.
“The safety of our students is our top priority,” said Dr. Jeff Haug, Superintendent of Schools. “We are so thankful to have had our community’s support in making our schools more secure.”
In addition to security entrances, Prop S also funded heating, cooling and ventilation upgrades, restroom renovations and additions, roof replacements and other projects.
Only two items remain on the Prop S checklist. Construction is ongoing at Bierbaum Elementary School on a new library and four new classrooms. Bierbaum is the district’s fastest-growing school in terms of student population. This construction will allow the district to avoid the costly work of redistricting that would impact families across the district. This summer, crews plan to install an elevator at MOSAIC Elementary School. Individuals needing an elevator currently have to exit and re-enter the building to move between the first- and second-floors and do not have access to the building’s top floor.
Visit the Prop S section of our website to view progress reports and learn about completed projects.