The Upper Darby School District board on Oct. 8 reviewed follow-up work on the weapons-detection systems the board approved previously and discussed related policy changes the administration will pursue.

Board members were given a summary of the work done by the district’s education and pupil services and finance and operations committee on Sept. 24, which included a review of cost, implementation options, pilot possibilities, staffing, scheduling and policy implications. "The review included but was not limited to cost, implementation, possible pilot, additional personnel, scheduling considerations, potential number of searchers, and policy implications," the committee summary stated.

Why it matters: the district has already approved use of weapons-detection systems for the high school last month, and implementation will affect staffing, scheduling and existing facility-use policies. Neil Desnoyers, a board director who serves as a policy liaison, said the district will likely need to amend Policy 707 (use of facilities) and other policies to reflect how the detection systems will be operated and staffed.

Details: the Sept. 24 committee meeting—co-chaired by Damien Warshavich, Briteny Williams and Neil Desnoyers—received a presentation from Superintendent Dr. Daniel McGarry and Anthony Vaughn, the district’s director of public safety. The presentation examined potential numbers of searchers, scheduling considerations and costs; the committee provided next steps to the administration but did not adopt a new policy at that meeting.

At the Oct. 8 business meeting, Desnoyers told directors that several policies will be reviewed to "take into account the weapon detection systems," and said Policy 707 is likely to be discussed and "tweaked." No formal policy language was adopted at the Oct. 8 meeting; the board provided direction to staff to continue policy review and return with recommended changes.

What was decided: the meeting record shows the committee review and board direction only; the district will bring policy revisions back to the board for consideration. The board did not vote on any implementation details or adopt new policy language at the Oct. 8 meeting.

What’s next: administration staff will draft recommended policy changes—including revisions to Policy 707—and present them for board consideration in future policy readings and votes.