Albert Gallatin to consider improvements to high school entrance
YORK RUN — The Albert Gallatin Area School District will consider options for a reconfiguration of its high school entrance to improve security and install metal detectors.
The district recently hired Eckles Architecture and Engineering of New Castle to conduct a study of the existing space and design several options for a potential renovation.
Mark Scheller of Eckles said the firm will examine existing infrastructure and look at ways to attach the vestibule to the main office before presenting two or three options to the board with cost estimates in July.
“The meat of our study is going to be exploring options (and) making sure that we tie into your existing systems that won’t set you back from what you’re doing in the future,” Scheller said.
Eckles and the district will have to determine how the newly acquired metal detectors fit into the plans.
As part of a series of enhancements to district security, the school board recently approved the purchase of three Garrett walk-through metal detectors from Markl Supply Co. at a cost of $3,400 each. The cost was covered by a donation made by district residents Bill and Sharon Layhue.
While initial plans were for one metal detector to be installed at each of the district’s three secondary school buildings, Superintendent Chris Pegg said all three devices will instead likely be installed at the high school, but the board will await strategic proposals from Eckles.
“Right now, we feel the precedence is to have the high school evaluated to see what we can do (with it),” said Pegg.
Pegg said the purchase of additional metal detectors and other security equipment to be utilized at other school entrances is likely.
“Our hope is to have the equipment in the high school for the start of the school year,” Pegg said. “It depends on how in-depth the board wants to get with renovations with the front foyer, or if we’re just going to best utilize the equipment without reconstruction at this time.”
Scheller said Eckles has extensive experience in school renovation. He said the firm completed a comprehensive infrastructure project at nearby Laurel Highlands High School in North Union Township between 2009 and 2013 that included reconfiguring the school’s vestibule to its main office and installing metal detection capability.
Eckles will assemble and manage a team with various domains of expertise, Scheller said. He said the firm is accustomed to working with outside consultants if the district desires to hire security expert for the project, as at least one board member as publicly voiced.
Charity Grimm Krupa, who along with school director Ryan Porupski voted against the hiring of Eckles, said the district should more aggressively pursue the immediate hiring of a security consultant to provide a detailed evaluation of the district’s security needs in all buildings.
“I don’t want to be in a position where we pay for an architect or an engineer to tell us to do one thing without consulting a true security expert,” said Krupa.
The district hired Eckles at a fee of $4,000, with an additional fee of $2,500 if the district opts to competitively bid the project in lieu of using the state’s cooperative purchasing program.