Cell phones donated to promote safe schools

Fifty Las Vegas schools are getting a potent new weapon for safety: telephones.

AT&T Wireless Services is donating 100 cellular phones to Las Vegas schools -- 2 apiece -- as part of its National Safe Schools program.

"The phones will help the schools to keep children safe," said Alma Vining, principal of Lake Elementary School. "We have a very open campus, and people can come in from all sides. We've had drive-by shootings, so anything that improves the safety for the children is welcome."

Vining, whose school is at 2904 Meteoro St., just west of Valley High School, said that the phones will be used by those monitoring the lunchroom, by security patrolling the grounds and by teachers when they take students on field trips.

"Field trips is a good example, because if a bus is late, the teacher can call the school to make sure parents know that the bus will be late getting back," Vining said. "For the parents, the most important thing for a school to do is to maintain the safety of the students."

AT&T will pay the monthly bill on the phones up to 160 minutes.

The program started in Washington D.C. and now is in 20 cities. Las Vegas is the national launch site as five more cities are added this year, said AT&T spokesperson Sylvia Schnopp.

The program has been successful in Sacramento, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta, Denver and Dallas, Schnopp said.

The Clark County School District is finalizing the list of 50 schools that will divide up the 100 phones that were officially donated to the school district at Lake Elementary this morning.

Some of the schools on the list include Jydstrup and Gragson elementary schools, Smith and Swainston middle schools, and Clark and Rancho high schools.

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