U-46 to expand weapons check program soon

A weapons prevention program will be rolled out to all Elgin Area School District U-46 high schools within a month, officials said Friday.

Under the plan, students will be randomly checked for weapons with a hand-held metal detector in six classrooms twice per month, district safety coordinator John Heiderscheidt said.

Hand-held metal detectors have been purchased for every high school and training provided to school administrators who will conduct the searches.

"There will be a maximum of two scans per month, unless a principal determines a need to do more," Heiderscheidt said.

Only Elgin High now uses a weapons prevention program, in place since a student stabbing occurred in 1992.

Heiderscheidt noted that since the Jan. 18 stabbing of Elgin High teacher Carolyn Gilbert, the school has not chosen to increase the frequency of their checks.

"I don't want to sound cold," Heiderscheidt said. "But at Elgin (since the incident), we're still evaluating best practices for security within the school environment."

In the following weeks, the district will communicate the plan to parents via its ConnectEd phone messaging system, along with sending letters home.

"After those pieces are complete, the plan will be implemented within the month," he said.

"Wanding" middle school students is a future option being considered, Heiderscheidt said.

The program is meant to demonstrate a proactive step "to prevent kids from believing these kids can bring items to school without consequence. Hopefully it encourages kids to report these things as well," he said.