Seaford Schools discuss security

More security guards will be added to monitor Seaford middle and high schools during weekday mornings and at the high school on Saturdays, as recommended by the district’s Security Guard Staffing Advisory Committee.

Prior to this, a guard was assigned to “roam” the school buildings on Saturdays.

These and other recommendations were presented to, and approved by, the Seaford School Board during a special Board of Education meeting at the high school on July 18.

Other recommendations brought forth by the District’s recently established staffing committee, dealt with security for outside organizations that use Seaford’s school facilities.

The committee, which was formed in June, has been meeting in response to security concerns raised by parents after the Parkland, FL and other school shootings.

Committee member Marie Donnelly, the district’s new assistant superintendent for business and operations, presented the recommendations to the school board in a PowerPoint presentation. Donnelly noted that there are 19 part-time security guards employed by the Seaford Union Free School District.

The committee suggested increasing security guard coverage for Seaford Middle School during the week, from 7:15 to 11:15 a.m., and for the high school from 7:00 until 11:00 a.m. during the week, and from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

District officials did not respond to questions about security guard coverage at the district’s elementary schools.

But at the Board meeting, Donnelly said the committee calculated that adding additional security to the middle and high schools would cost a total of $45,385. That’s $18,154 for an additional 20 hours at the middle school and $27,231 for the additional 30 hours at the high school.

The committee also recommended a partnership between Seaford schools and the outside organizations that use its school buildings, to help better protect the facilities.

“We want to make sure that everyone is safe and secure in the building(s) at all times,” Donnelly said.

The committee recommended the organizations familiarize themselves with school board policies, and review the various rules surrounding the use of school facilities.

When organizations use the buildings, the doors should always stay closed and locked for security, the committee recommended. An adult volunteer, 21 or older, should supervise the building’s entrance for as long as the organization needs to use the facility. The organization should be responsible for how the event’s participants and spectators conduct themselves and make sure that young people are under supervision consistently. A notice about emergency evacuation methods should also be announced before the event starts, according to the security committee.

Also, a representative from the organization using the school facilities should be required to attend a district Security and Facilities team’s training session, and then provide their own “turn-key” training. The applicant should be required to sign the rules and regulations form, as well as give a copy to the organization’s members who will be using the facility.