Perkiomen Valley SD reviews spring safety drills, fire-door access and state-level discussion on armed personnel

Perkiomen Valley School District staff reported this month that spring safety drills are under way at each building, clarified how recently installed access gates and magnetized fire doors function for emergency egress, and described a state-level discussion about possible legislative direction on armed personnel.

Miller, a district safety staff member, told the committee that “our spring safety drill schedule has commenced” and that each building will run individualized drills in the coming weeks as principals and safety teams refresh rally and reunification points. He said the district has reviewed the operation of new campus access gates with local fire personnel to make sure the fire department can gain after-hours access without damaging the equipment.

The update included a clarification about fire doors: those doors are magnetized so they stay open for normal circulation and automatically close when a fire alarm trips. Miller told the committee that the district discussed with the fire marshal whether these doors can be used for egress and said they received clarification that “fire doors that automatically close can be used in a matter of an emergency as egress, so long as the door closes behind a classroom.”

Why it matters: the district oversees three campus buildings and told the committee it is coordinating drills and equipment changes to maintain both life-safety compliance and practical evacuation routes.

District staff also reported a recent small-group meeting with Dr. Scott Curran, identified to the committee as the director of safety for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Miller said the group discussed several statewide safety concerns and one legislative concept that had been discussed in general terms by lawmakers: a requirement for districts to have armed personnel. In the small-group session, Miller said he suggested the state instead focus on ensuring each district has a dedicated safety-and-security professional, rather than assigning the function as an additional duty to an existing administrator. “When you pile on that responsibility to another administrator … it’s very challenging,” Miller said. He added that only a handful of districts in the county currently have a single person whose sole responsibility is safety and security.

The committee heard a related report on school police training. Chief Miller (School Police Chief) said that nearly all of the district’s school police officers have completed TASER training, with one final instructor still completing a rescheduled session. Chief Miller told the committee, “almost all of our school police officers now have had TASER training,” and that Officer Nabb will be “sworn in by the court on April 10,” bringing the unit back to full staffing.

Chief Miller described the TASER program and equipment. He said devices are issued on an opposite-side draw from the officer’s firearm, per manufacturer guidance, to reduce the risk of grabbing the wrong device under stress. He also described manufacturer improvements — two laser sights and a new projectile spool — and said the devices record usage data to an internal memory bank that is downloaded at charging stations.

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision: the committee received informational updates and clarified technical details; there were no formal motions or votes recorded on policy changes. Members asked for follow-up details about gate modifications, the timeline for any equipment changes, and how a dedicated safety coordinator role (if pursued at the state level) might affect district staffing.

What’s next: staff said they will continue drills and coordination with local fire officials, follow up on the topic of a dedicated safety coordinator with county and state partners, and complete TASER requalification and onboarding work during the next training cycle.

Ending note: staff invited questions and indicated they would return with further updates as the district completes spring drills and follows up on the Department of Education conversation.