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Patchogue-Medford updates security and technology: weapons-detection, visitor screening and device rollouts
Summary
District leaders reported progress on athletic‑field construction, visitor‑management (Raptor), weapons‑detection at secondary schools, and large-scale device and network deployments, while acknowledging arrival backups caused by detection alarms.
District operations staff briefed the Patchogue-Medford Board of Education on facilities and technology upgrades on Sept. 15, describing near‑completion of a high‑school multipurpose field and a range of security and IT investments rolled out over the summer.
The district said Bay Elementary’s wing addition is entering final stages and work on the high‑school athletic multipurpose field is nearing completion. Operational staff also described two new refrigerated food trucks purchased from food-services excess funds to support satellite buildings.
On technology and security, the district said it configured and deployed more than 1,000 K–1 iPads and prepared roughly 1,200 laptops for grades 6–8, upgraded wireless controllers and core switches, refreshed phone systems, and completed public‑address and audio upgrades in elementary gyms and cafeterias. The district also implemented the Raptor visitor‑management system to screen entrants against databases, and reported deploying weapons‑detection systems at the high school and middle schools for daily arrivals. Leadership acknowledged that detectors are triggering alarms for benign objects such as keys and belt buckles, which can delay student arrival, and said administrators are testing ways to speed screening.
The district also announced infrastructure measures for emergency resilience: FirstNet cell phones in main offices so staff maintain cellular communications if Wi‑Fi or phones fail.
When asked whether K–1 iPads will travel home with students, staff replied that the devices are intended to remain at school and charging carts will keep devices on site; students may be permitted to take them home for in‑home instruction on an as‑needed basis.
The board did not take formal votes tied to these operational updates during the meeting.
Quote: “We’ve implemented weapons‑detection systems… We’re noticing though that the alarms frequently go off for benign objects such as keys, laptops, belt buckles,” the operations presenter said, noting staff are working to reduce delays.
