This school year, Clover Hill was met with a new level of security measures; metal detectors referred to by administration as the weapons detection system.
They came as a county wide initiative to increase security and reduce the chance of a violent incident, and are present at all middle and high schools in Chesterfield County. All students and visitors must pass through a metal detector on their way into the building, and this has been met with some delays especially in the morning.
To accommodate this hold up in the mornings, Clover Hill’s staff has had all hands on deck. Teachers without 1st block classes are put on duty at door 11, checking bags and wanding students who set off the detectors. The systems are from a company called OpenGate, and they cost the county $2.7 million. Because of the delay, the morning announcements now come on about 5-10 minutes after the 8:30 bell.
The school has already adapted greatly to the new routine, and from what Principal David Altizer said over the announcements near the start of the year, Clover Hill got off to a much better start than other schools in the county. Many of them had delays of up to 20 or 30 minutes until class would start which cuts into instructional time.
Some students and staff have expressed that they feel like this extra step is inconvenient, but with the rise of security incidents in schools across the nation, they still see the need for this safety measure. Senior Liam McCandelich feels safer knowing that these systems are preventing unnecessary and potentially dangerous items from entering the school.
“I think a general sense of safety emerges from having the metal detectors,” McCandelich said.
This new weapon detection system means that students and teachers are now guaranteed a step towards safety during school, which is important for a successful learning environment. Baseball Coach Brett Mooney recognizes that some students find the process inconvenient, but he thinks that the positives of these metal detectors outweigh those negative feelings.
Individuals should be aware of which items trigger the metal detector’s alarms. If students take all the necessary belongings out of their bags before they walk through, there would be less stops needed to be made. Some of these items include metal water bottles, three ring binders, Chromebooks, umbrellas, eyeglass cases, sports equipment, and instruments.
“There’s a lot of things that we need every day that set them off. We just have to find a way to keep those things moving in the system so that they don’t slow down the lines. As long as we’re aware, we will catch a rhythm like anything else,” Mooney said.
