Gateway school safety meeting postponed
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A meeting about school safety scheduled for Jan. 17 at Gateway Middle School was postponed due to inclement weather.
Gateway posted to its website that the meeting — dubbed Safe School Community Presentation — would be rescheduled. As of Jan. 18, no new date had been announced.
The meeting will offer the community a chance to hear from district officials discuss how a state law will lead to district-wide safety updates like implementing metal detectors and other measures.
Lawmakers approved $60 million for the School Safety and Security Grant Program in June 2018. The funding is administered through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and is part of legislation that includes new school safety training guidelines for school staff; mandates the appointment of district-level safety and security coordinators; creates standards for school police, resource officers and security guards; and establishes a threat reporting program to be managed by the state attorney general’s office. All of the guidelines in the law, included in Act 44, are scheduled to be in place by the end of the 2018-19 school year.
Aside from updating parents on the new mandates, the meeting also will give them the opportunity to ask questions about the district’s metal detection pilot program, which is scheduled to roll out in March at Gateway Middle and High schools.
The high school will get six units while the middle school is slated to get four. The district made the $25,000 purchase through the School Safety and Security Grant Program, which was made available in December. District officials have said they plan to eventually use metal detectors in all buildings.
The Gateway school board also has placed an updated anti-bullying policy on 30-day public display. The policy includes a bullying/harassment incident form, which can be filled out by students, parents or guardians and school staff.
Members of the public can view the updated policy at district administrative offices at 9000 Gateway Campus Blvd.
Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Dillon at 412-871-2325, dcarr@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dillonswriting.