The Arkadelphia Board of Education will make a decision Tuesday whether to purchase a pair of metal detectors for Arkadelphia High School.
AHS has a metal detector at the entrance. The early November arrest of a student with a gun on his person prompted regular use of the metal detector. Prior to that it had been used randomly. Since Nov. 6 school leadership and security officers have been scanning “every student, every day” upon entry to the school, Superintendent Nikki Thomas said.
Since the incident with the firearm, the metal detector line has slowed the process for students getting to their first-period class. School officials say that process has improved as students have grown accustomed to what should be removed from their bags and pockets prior to passing through the detector. The new detectors should further expedite the morning routine.
The school district received a quote of $37,761 from Opengate, which touts its weapons detection system as the most efficient for crowds of people with backpacks, purses and bags. Designed for faster screening, the Opengate is a “fully open, active walk-through detection system.” CLICK HERE to see Opengate’s estimate.
The detectors cost $16,691 apiece; also included in the estimate is $2,500 for training.
Should the school board approve the purchase, it would take an estimated 8-10 weeks for delivery of the detection system.
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School board to talk budget
The proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year includes the following expenditures, with the 2024-25 fiscal year expenditures in parenthesis:
Salary fund, $15,051,113 (2024: $14,466,660)
Instructional expense, $2,479,640 (2024: $2,383,352)
Maintenance and operation, $623,481 (2024: $599,270)
Pupil transportation, $473,564 (2024: $455,175)
Other operating expense, $3,121,734 (2024: 3,000,514)
Non-bonded debt payment, $104,399 (2024: $218,845)
Bonded debt payment, $1,880,838 (2024: $679,063)
Building fund, $7,500,000 (2024: $15,000,000)
The school board meeting takes place at 5 p.m. at Dawson Building #3, 700 Clinton St. The meeting is open to the public.