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District describes new weapons-detection systems and student-monitoring software funded by referendum
Summary
Officials described investments in a layered safety strategy that includes county radio upgrades, weather radios, Gaggle monitoring on district devices and Open Gate weapons-detection systems for large events, and said door-lock upgrades and camera/access-control projects remain planned purchases.
Marion County Public Schools presented details of several referendum-funded safety initiatives the district is rolling out as part of a layered approach to school security.
"We continue to take a proactive and comprehensive approach to safety and school security," Mr. Dennis McFadden, executive director for safe schools, said as he described recent and planned purchases funded by the referendum. He listed restocked code-of-civility posters, upgrades to radio communications tied to the Board of County Commissioners system, weather radios in schools, and training and initial deployments of Open Gate weapons-detection systems at high schools and large events.
Mr. McFadden said the district is introducing the Open Gate systems this year for training and targeted use at graduations and after-hours events. He cautioned that the technology can be sensitive to everyday items (laptops, binders, eyeglass cases and, unexpectedly, eyelash curlers) and that staffing and vendor supply chains affect rollout speed.
On digital monitoring, he described Gaggle: district-owned devices or logins to the district network are monitored for keywords (for example, "suicide," "gun," "school shooting"). When the system flags a term it sends alerts, screenshots and user identification to a school response team and, where configured, law enforcement, allowing staff to intervene when a student appears at risk.
Planned purchases discussed include store-function door locks to prevent exterior unlocking from the outside during drills or incidents; Mr. McFadden estimated such upgrades could cost roughly $175,000'$180,000 per school and said camera and access-control vendors sometimes delay installations due to parts availability.
Committee members asked for further budget detail; presenters said some purchase services and capital outlay remain in the safe-schools budget, and staff will provide additional item-level information as available.
