Oconee school board approves purchase of one weapons‑detection set for random screenings

The Oconee County School Board on Monday voted 5-0 to purchase one set of portable weapons‑detection units and begin random screenings at secondary schools in the fall.

Board members said the purchase is intended as a pilot so the district can test logistics and staffing before deciding on permanent installations. The board discussed two purchase options: a full deployment for all secondary campuses at an estimated $810,000 or a smaller mobile approach with one set (about $120,000) that can be moved among schools. A board member who made the motion described the single‑set option as a way to “see how it's gonna work, more so than going crazy.”

Administrators said a single set typically includes six detectors and can be moved to multiple schools in one day, allowing random screening at high‑traffic events, peak days or selected mornings. District staff noted setup is “user friendly” but acknowledged that permanent installations would require additional daily staffing to manage bag checks and maintain flow through multiple entry points. Officials said a typical school front office design — with staff seated behind glass or at a desk — could complicate staffing for daily permanent screening.

Finance staff and board members discussed operational and capital impacts. The devices are capital purchases; a full district deployment would come from the capital plan and could push other projects back. The board directed staff to pursue available grants — including the state school safety grant and the federal Stop School Violence Prevention Grant, which can fund metal detection equipment — and to start with a mobile/random pilot while applying for outside funding.

A district official said vendor lead time was about six to eight weeks and the vendor provides on‑site training the first day units are used. Board members and staff said they would schedule training and pilot deployment so operations and Wednesday PLC (professional learning community) schedules are not unduly disrupted.

The motion as approved directs staff to purchase one set of detection units for randomized screening and to begin implementation in the fall, pursue grant funding for further units and return to the board with an implementation plan and grant updates.