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School board OKs contract security after debate over staffing, weapons detectors
Summary
The Isle of Wight County School Board voted unanimously to let the superintendent contract private security to staff weapons-detection points and expand school security coverage for the 2025–26 year, approving an estimated $305,000 contract that equates to seven security positions.
The Isle of Wight County School Board voted unanimously Sept. 11 to allow the superintendent to contract private security services to fill staffing gaps for school security officers this school year.
Superintendent Dr. Kramer told the board the division will identify funds for the current year and that the administration will report back on the source of those funds. "We are committed to identifying the funds for this current school year. So we will find the funds," Dr. Kramer said during the meeting.
School administrators and safety staff described gaps in staffing that limit the district's ability to run weapons-detection systems and conduct secondary screening without taking classroom staff away from instruction. The division sought a contract that would provide seven full-time-equivalent security positions — including a division-wide lead — supplied through a vendor so the district can staff schools during the eight-month school year without adding permanent salaried positions immediately.
"We're looking to add 7 school security officers to our division," a district safety staff member said in the presentation, describing proposed coverage at both high schools and several middle schools and a floating "ROVE" lead who could cover absences and training needs.
Administration presented a vendor estimate of about $305,000 for the contracted service for the remainder of SY 2025–26, described in discussion as roughly $40,000 per officer and $60,000 for the lead position. The board discussed whether to treat the expenditure as a one‑time contractual cost this year and to include any ongoing funding requests in next year’s budget process.
Board members pressed for assurances on training and consistency. Administrators said the county had vetted vendors that provide Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) school-security‑officer training and that vendors would be asked to provide consistent officers so students see the same faces day to day.
"We don't need to have one security officer there one day and somebody completely different the next day," a district official told the board, noting that continuity helps officers build relationships with students.
After the presentation and a short discussion, Board Vice Chair Wooster moved to allow the superintendent to engage the contract; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call with all five board members voting yes (Kolick, Cunningham, Perkins, Wooster, Marsh).
Board members and administrators said the contracted approach is intended to be interim: the vendor would supply trained staff quickly (administration said roughly 30–45 days to background check and training) while the division continues recruiting and while the FY27 budget and a compensation study are completed.
The board also discussed operational details such as scheduling so contracted officers avoid peak arrival and dismissal windows when possible and battery life for portable weapons-detection equipment. Administrators said detectors in use have been lasting about two days per charge and that SSOs are responsible for monitoring battery status.
The motion approved the superintendent's request to execute a contract for security services for the 2025–26 school year; administration will report funding sources and contract details to the board as they are finalized.
