Photo by Nic Pixler

The Evolv Weapons Detection System began scanning students and visitors Oct. 25.

The Evolv Weapons Detection system began scanning students and visitors on Oct. 25. On the first day, 3,683 visitors were scanned with a 19% alert rate, none included weapons.  

“We haven’t had any issues, no pushback, no one questioning,” Dr. Stephanie Bonneau, principal, said. “I was a little surprised by that.”

It takes a minimum of four staff members to work a machine: somebody who watches the screen, someone who works the search table, at least one person to hand around the Chromebooks and one person outside who monitors the door. Dr. Bonneau believes the biggest challenge is asking teachers to put in more duty time.

Students who arrive past 7:25 must enter through the front doors. Administrators will have tardy passes available to students held up at the search tables when the bell rings.

 “It’s hard for me as a mom,” Dr. Bonneau said. “I realize you were just two minutes late, but the teachers have to go back to class so you still have to go around the building.”

Mr. Shane Skinner, art teacher, arrived late to fifth period because he helped pass around Chromebooks during student arrival until 7:25. 

“For my classes, it’s not that big of a deal, but I could see for a teacher that had classes that need constant attention that being an issue,” Mr. Skinner said.

Students can only enter through the front and back doors. Originally, there were two Evolv systems in the back student entrance, but administrators moved one to the front.

“I appreciate [that] the district’s trying to make things safe for us,” Mr. Skinner said. “In this day and age, it’s one level of defense.” 

Junior Tommy Calk finds the system to be inefficient and inconsistent. 

“I feel it is necessary to ensure our safety especially as school shootings become dangerously more realistic,” Calk said. “But the systems are annoyingly inaccurate.” 

Senior Samantha Edgar believes the system is beneficial and important to the safety of the campus. 

“It provides another aspect of security [and] helps eliminate chances that [anyone] could be carrying something dangerous,” Edgar said. 

The goal of the system is to keep students and staff safe on campus. Dr. Bonneau works weekly with the administration to improve the efficiency of the system.

“I need to be reasonable with what I’m asking of people who have to work the machine. It takes a lot of people to man the stations and we just don’t have that many people without including teachers,” Dr. Bonneau said. “We’ve been fine-tuning. I think it’s going as planned.”