District lists school safety measures in aftermath of Fla. shooting

Parents not satisfied; remain concerned

Prior to 2013, anybody could walk in and out of any North Allegheny school at any time.

Now, there are captured vestibules, where visitors need to be identified by the office before being buzzed in. Visitors must also have their driver’s license scanned to make sure they are not on a sex offender database.

Those were two safety enhancements made after a 2013 “vulnerability study,” said superintendent Robert Scherrer. Other enhancements were made inside the buildings, and staff was trained to react to a variety of situations.

But the moves were not enough to calm the fears of some parents after the recent shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Parents have urged the school board at the two meetings following the Feb. 14 shooting to approve more safety measures, including metal detectors, school resource officers and staff training.

Secondary students are concerned as well, and are planning a walkout, with district approval, on March 14. The walkout will take place from 10 to 10:17 a.m. – 17 minutes of silence for the 17 victims in

The North Allegheny school board has hired an architect to oversee the renovations at Franklin and McKnight elementary schools.

But the potential to expand Franklin drew opposition from two residents who spoke at the Feb. 28 meeting.

The district hired VEBH Architects Inc., at a cost not to exceed $2.2 million, to prepare the plans and specifications and provide construction oversightfor the projects.

McKnight and Franklin both were renovated in 1999, along with Hosack, Ingomar and Peebles elementary schools.

The idea of expanding Franklin came about because elementary enrollment was growing ahead of schedule, and “we should expect substantial amounts of new home construction in the northwest portion of the district,” said board president Kevin Mahler.

Demographer Shelby Stewman told the district last week it should expect to absorb 336 more elementary students in the next 10 years – “afigure almost equivalent to the size of a small elementary school,”Mr. Mahler said.

Enrollment also is growing in other elementary schools, he added.

“Having additional capacity should mean that we are not forced to redistrict as often as when we push our buildings to the limit – and that we can maintain our commitment to controlling class sizes at the elementary level,” he said.

Mr. Mahler said expanding Franklin is the most practical solution, since Marshall already is a large school, and Bradford Woods and Ingomar are landlocked. The remaining three schools are not located in areas that are expected to grow, he added.

Resident Tripp Shubert said the district should “more evenly distribute some of that expansion” and not put it all in Franklin.

Loren Reich said he is against potentially doubling the capacity at the school.

“That is a gem of a school we have right there. Expansion could compromise that,” he said. “Expansion, to me, could take away the intimate aspect.”

In other business, the board accepted the resignation of Brendan Hyland, principal of the intermediate high school, who was named superintendent of the Plum School District.

“I think that he is an amazing person. I think he truly, truly cares about all of our students. I think he has poured his heart and soul into North Allegheny,” said board member Libby Blackburn. “I do think that Plum is very lucky to have him. He will be greatly missed at North Allegheny.”

Theboard also accepted the retirements of staff members with a combined 538 years of serviceto the district.

“We certainly have a big task ahead as far as replacing some talented people who are retiring,” said board member AndyChomos.