RUMFORD – SAD 43 board members passed through the district’s new metal detector at their meeting Monday night at Mountain Valley High School.
The district has two of them, familiar to anyone who has flown on a commercial aircraft. In fact, Buildings, Grounds and Transportation Director Tim Gallant said the sensitivity of the new devices will be set at the same level as in an airport. The sensitivity level can be set anywhere from 0-99. Although it will be set at 50, which is the airport level, he said that setting could change depending upon the level of potential threat.
The district decided to buy the detectors soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The money for them, at $3,000 each, was approved in the 2002-2003 operating budget. Schools were low on the national priority list, Gallant said. The devices arrived a couple of weeks ago.
He said the New Jersey-made devices are 130 pounds so they can be moved when needed. For now, one will be housed at Mountain Valley Middle School, the other at Mountain Valley High School.
Most students won’t have a problem walking through the detector without setting it off, said Gallant, although boots and shoes with metal eyelets can sometimes set off the soft hum.
He said the devices could be used if a large community event is held at one of the schools.
Besides the two detectors, measuring about 7 feet by 3 feet, the district also owns six metal detecting wands.
Right now, Gallant is the only person trained to use the new metal detector. During the next teacher workshop, he said administrators will also be trained to use them properly.
In other matters, the board appointed Tammy Gallant to a language arts/mathematics teaching position at the middle school and Cynthia Bohren as the spring musical accompanist at the high school. Board Chairman Arthur Boivin was appointed as the legislative liaison.
Following the public portion of the meeting, the board met in two closed sessions to discuss the possible acquisition of a piece or property and to evaluate the superintendent.
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