Safety measures for U.D. schools get update

UPPER DARBY >> School safety was the dominate talking point for the Upper Darby School Board’s finance and operations committee Tuesday night as it updates district policies and security systems.

District Supervisor of Procurement Services Joe McGilvery updated the board and public about a $2.2 million school safety grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency that will be used for interior and exterior building surveillance cameras, access control to the secondary school buildings and a restorative safety practices program called Safer Saner.

McGilvery said live demonstrations were provided to the district Director of Public Safety Lou Gentile and Director of Technology Bob Hilinski by the security firms Genetec, Lenel and Avigilon to see about compatibilities with the district’s current security system programs. The district already uses Avigilon for surveillance cameras. The district seeks to expand its access control centers in the high school and middle schools and incorporate IP access cameras at the elementary schools for security personnel to get access to the video feeds from any computer.

Recurring costs were associated for using Genetec and Lenel, so McGilvery said Avigilon would prepare a request for proposal for the access system installations while using state contracts through COSTARS and PEPPM to secure the purchase of the cameras. A third-party vendor is expecting to install the cameras to surveil all exterior doors on district buildings. This work should begin immediately according to McGilvery.

District parent Alex Brown inquired about constant monitoring of the cameras, but Solicitor Kyle Berman interjected in the conversation to hold off on the board or administration from revealing any potentially sensitive information about its security practices and details.

Additionally, the district will work to reconfigure the main entrances at the high school and Drexel Hill Middle School, plus the high school gym entrance for an air lock system like is similarly used at Beverly Hills Middle School. McGilvery said this would allow the security team to review visitor/staff credentials and permit or deny access to the buildings.

The district also looks to partner with the CrisisGo Safety App to allow discreet communication between the staff and administration during an emergency situation. Interboro and Southeast Delco school districts currently use the app.

The board gave consent to push five policies to a final reading at their January meeting that alters the language on school-related safety matters to confirm with state laws.

The following policies will be voted on by the board: Policy 705 (facilities and workplace safety) has updated language for better clarity and removes fire and safety drill language because that is addressed in district policy 805; Policy 709 (building security) includes the delegation of responsibilities to the district’s director of public safety and not the legally defined title of school safety and security coordinator and clarity about each building having one main entrance after the start of the school day;

Policy 805 (emergency preparedness) is being “substantially revised” to provide definitions for school security drill and school safety and security assessment, updates for emergency planning, and for the district to provide mandatory training in at least seven different areas; Policy 805.1 (relations with law enforcement agencies) will allow officers from local police department to participate in district training relate to subjects to enhance the understanding of and build positive relationships with students; and Policy 805.2 (school security personnel) is a new policy that leaves only school security guards as security personnel in the district (definitions for school resource officer and school police officer have been removed because the district does not employ them), and leaves in language that school security personnel shall carry weapon if authorized by the board.

Board member David Neill inquired about the statement in policy 805.2 allowing for armed security personnel and what that means to the district. Superintendent Dan McGarry and Berman both answered that it requires that firearms will only be allowed if the school board puts it in a policy to authorize such weapon procurement. The board has yet to authorize any district personnel to be able to carry a firearm for security purposes. They did, however, pass a resolution in March 2018 forbidding teachers to be armed.

Policy 316.1 had been entertained by the board last year to arm school security personnel, but it was pulled from their Oct. 9, 2018, meeting when it was set for final adoption. That policy has not yet come back for further consideration.

The board also pushed through a policy from another committee meeting, Policy 333 (professional development), to allow onehour of required training for trauma-informed care to certified administrative and professional employees. Traumainformed care is one approach school districts have been using to promote better mental health in the wake of numerous mass killing events in schools around the nation.

All six policies are set for a vote by the school board on Jan. 14.