District orders weapons-detection equipment and considers $476,000 Palmetto High fieldhouse bid

Superintendent Dr. Wilson told trustees the district has ordered weapons-detection systems — a camera-based AI screening system and mobile metal-detection units — and contracted defender services staff to operate devices and patrol school grounds. Staff said trainers and contracted personnel are former military or law enforcement, will be SLED-credentialed where required, and will not perform disciplinary roles reserved for school resource officers.

"We now can make sure that school now has those detectors at the entrances and nobody comes in those school doors without going through that detector," Dr. Wilson said, describing planned trial runs before full deployment in January and training for district personnel and contracted staff.

On facilities, administration presented a bid package for a Palmetto High School fieldhouse to address growing athletics needs. The low responsive bid was from Matrix Construction for $476,000; staff recommended award and proposed a construction timeline aimed at summer completion. Trustees asked about natural light, ventilation and how the facility aligns with other high-school complexes; administration said coaches and architects had weighed programming needs and that temporary arrangements are in place for spring sports.

Board discussion covered operational details, trial scheduling for detection systems, and next steps for contract awards and construction scheduling. The transcript records the bid amount and the staff recommendation; the meeting record does not include a final, recorded roll-call vote awarding the contract (board asked for a motion during the item and discussed next steps).