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BCSS Family,
On Thursday, the Barrow County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the immediate purchase and implementation of the OpenGate Weapons Detection System at the county’s three high schools.
On Monday, January 13, 2025, there will be a Digital Learning Day for Apalachee High School students. This will allow our staff time to familiarize themselves with the new devices and the procedures needed to ensure a smooth and successful implementation. AHS teachers will contact students through Remind and/or the Canvas Learning Management System with expectations for Digital Learning assignments. Breakfast and lunch will be available with regular pricing/eligibility for pick up at AHS from 8am-8:30am and 11:30am-12:30pm.
WHAT ABOUT WBHS & BASA?
Winder-Barrow High School and Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy will also have a Digital Learning Day when devices arrive for those schools. We will share that information with families as soon as we have those dates.
WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT AFTER IMPLEMENTATION?
We know the addition of these devices raises some questions. Here’s a brief overview of what to expect.
- Everyone should be prepared to walk through the devices. In addition to entrance screening, we will conduct various random location screenings throughout the day.
- We ask student drivers and car riders to arrive 15 minutes earlier than usual for the first weeks of implementation. (Many districts with similar devices note the entry time lessens each day as staff and students become better acquainted with the process.)
- Students and staff will pass all Chromebooks/laptops, three-ring binders, and metal water bottles to a staff member standing on the side of the devices, which will help expedite the screening process.
- If the device beeps and shows a red light, the person must step aside for additional screening.
- Find additional FAQ concerning the devices.
WHAT ABOUT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS?
This is the next phase in our ongoing efforts to continuously improve security measures. This won’t be the last step. Safety is about layers. We will continue to engage security experts, our school leaders, our community, and public safety partners about additional measures.
Thank you to our school staff who have volunteered to be the first to help with the process at their school. OpenGate representatives will also be here for guidance. Also, please be aware there may be additional law enforcement at our schools over the coming days for added support.
We sincerely appreciate the engagement, patience, and cooperation of our Barrow BOLD community through this change.
Dr. Dallas LeDuff, BCSS Superintendent