Gilbert schools to roll out weapons detectors after recent campus threats; superintendent cites student suicide, teacher death

Dr. McCord, superintendent of Gilbert Public Schools, told the governing board on April 29 that the district will expedite installation of weapons detectors at all seven high schools after recent tip-led discoveries of firearms on campuses.

McCord said the district had planned a phased rollout but moved the timeline after recent incidents and in coordination with the vendor and Mesa Public Schools, which previously implemented detectors. "We have already rolled them out at Canyon Valley High on April 25," McCord said, adding that Desert Ridge, Highland and Mesquite high schools will have detectors in place on May 5 and Campo Verde, Gilbert Classical Academy and Gilbert High on May 7.

The superintendent framed the detectors as part of a broader safety response that also acknowledged two other recent, traumatic events in the district: the death of Highland High student Jude Flores and the April death of Town Meadows sixth-grade teacher Andrea Young. "These tragic and alarming events shake a school, a school district, and a community to the core," McCord said, and described existing suicide-prevention programming and staff training the district provides.

McCord told the board the district began studying detector options in November 2024 and that the governing board approved implementation in March 2025. He said the first days of rollouts will slow campus entry while students and staff adjust, and asked families to practice secure firearm storage at home: "If you own a firearm, please do all you can to lock up your weapons," he said.

The superintendent said GPS worked with its vendor and with Mesa Public Schools to identify implementation best practices and that training and communications to families will accompany the rollouts. He described the procurement and deployment as complex, thanking high-school administrators, security personnel, teachers, support staff and the vendor for the expedited timeline.

The board did not take a new vote during the April 29 meeting on detectors; McCord said the board previously approved the implementation in March 2025 and described the current remarks as an update to the community.

Looking ahead, McCord said the district will continue to implement the signs-of-suicide curriculum for grades 5–12 and to coordinate behavioral health team responses for students and families. He asked the community to keep the families affected by the recent deaths in their thoughts.

Details provided at the meeting included the detector rollout schedule and that Canyon Valley was already operating detectors as of April 25. School officials said the initial entry process will take longer before staff and students become familiar with the procedures.