I have no patience for that. And so, uh, that's why you see more expulsions as a governing board. We're not tolerating that type of behavior. I have students that are here to learn. You listen to two girls tonight who are obviously well-rounded academic kids. Those are the kids that I'm protecting every single day. And, uh, we have to continue to do that. And we have to make sure that if we have resources available to do that and sometimes we have to rep prioritize those resources. And I think this is a good place to put that to just give our kids a chance on our campuses to make sure that they're in the very best environment possible. I just kind of have a kind of a question to some of the points. Um, and I'm not sure if we have this information, but for the schools that have recently implemented um similar weapon detection systems, have they seen like, you know, have they seen an impact?
Have they been able to prevent, you know, um any occurrences of anything? Do they have like have they um have they deemed it like, you know, useful? I think I'm sure Mesa probably has some statistics. I don't know if you have any of those stats, Al. Um, so they don't have the Net ID anywhere software, so they don't have the ability to to compile data like we're wanting to do. Um, but in a response to a comment uh President Thompson made, you said if we stopped one weapon, it was worth it. Mesa Public Schools upon implementing these within the first week caught one handgun on a school day one. They had the videos, they had everything and it was you're just like, "Oh, you must have missed that video." Um, but day one and um, you're right. It's it's I think we always use this in academics, right?
This this phrase, are we lucky or are we leading? I think we've been lucky. I want to lead. I want to lead when it comes to not just academics, but I want to lead in the East Valley when it comes to safety and security. Uh because um it's really hard to educate kids when students and families don't feel safe where they're getting educated. So go ahead. You know, I think um you know, I attended Guild public schools and during my time in high school, there were some horrific things that have happened in public schools um across the nation during that time. And you could feel the difference uh during our um our safety drills and stuff like that. You could feel the difference um of how we felt as well as you could feel your peers. And so making sure kids feel safe or even just a little bit safer in their schools, knowing things that are in place to protect them even more, the things that you maybe are more able to see, I think is a big benefit.
I I appreciate the the high level and and philosophical. Can I bring back down to specifics? Sure. So you went through that that list. Is this like a package deal? like are we getting better pricing because we're doing all of it? Are we implementing all of these things immediately? Can we purchase some of them now, some of them in four to six months? Like is can you trust we would purchase all this now? But with this package deal that's included in that price, right? But if we were to to not purchase all that, would we get the same pricing on the other things? Are we getting a better pricing because we're doing all of it? That I don't know. um because the RFP wasn't placed out that way. So, this is kind of like best and final offer based on what we requested for we had we put out for bid 304 requests for bid.
I think we got like 12 non-bids and we had four or five people that actually bid and this is what we came up with. If I could if I could add um that was one of the reasons why we did the RFP so that we could get the best deal possible given the list of items that we wanted to buy. Sorry, just having seen the demonstration I don't really think we can do this without having all the pieces in place. this really needs to be um and I I think you've been very thoughtful in the RFP and and what has been put in there, but to do this well and to do it safely, we need tables so that backpacks can be searched. We need guidance so students are funneled into these places and um I think it's I think it would be less effective and productive if we tried to peacemail it.
So, I don't know if I answered your question or not. Yeah, I I guess the only thing I would ask is all all the equipment and I again I I wasn't there for the presentation, so I'm not familiar with all the equipment. Are we implementing all of that before the end of the school year on each campus? Yes. Based on what they need? So, like at GCA, small campus, I think they only have two detectors. Three. Three. Okay. and Canyon Valley did we end up with three three three Highland High seven seven so based on population based on need and so that's where all those things are structured throughout but there's not things on this list that it's like okay we'll use these in August for football games but we're not using them until then. No. No. So, I I have some thoughts I want to share before we um bring this to a vote.
Um so, I was elected in December of well, I was elected in November of 2012. So, um I was attending the first my first ASBA annual conference and I didn't have a cell phone at that time. I was a late getter of a cell phone. Uh but I could hear a murmur in the room at that conference and it was because the news was coming to all these people in public schools that there had been that shooting in Connecticut where six teachers and 20 students were killed. Now, school shootings are the most rare way that um gun violence happens. It's it's very rare. Our schools are very safe, but it does happen. Um and at that point when I learned about the um Sandy Hook shooting um I realized that being a school board member, it's not just about academics and curriculum. It's about people's lives.
It's about being safe and and helping our community to be safe. And um I was fortunate that because that happened, ASBA did do a lot of training about school shootings and and I was able to attend some of those trainings and um they even went back to the Coline shoot shooting. they had the person that studied that and tried to figure out what went wrong. Um, and he came and spoke and um, his conversation was the best way to prevent a school shooting is to provide a school culture where people feel like they belong, where we have a positive school culture and kids feel good about going there. And I feel like here in Gilbert public schools, we have worked on that for years. We do a a really good job of trying to be the school, the high school, the junior high and the elementary where people feel included.
They feel like it's a great place to be, where they're learning and their needs are met. And so we have to continue that work because that's extremely important that students feel that um in in their schools and the staff feels that and people feel supported. Um so I think that's really important but also um as we have gone through things I think it's I think students are to the point where they will appreciate having that screening as they come into school. I do remember a couple of years ago uh I think it was Gilbert High School homecoming dance or a dance and some balloons popped and students got very very upset thinking it was a shooting. So there's already that concern among students. So I think to to number one show that we're we're serious and do things that will be a preventative. I mean we've we've done the nobody's mentioned that we've hardened all those high school entrances.
Um there was a time when the we talked about putting entrances like that and the community they weren't ready for that. But there hasn't been a peep from anybody about those high school entrances. I have not had one email for anyone complaining that we've done that. So, I think this is the time and as we explain to our community, I don't I don't want our schools to be like prisons. They're not prisons. They're gathering places. They're community places, but they're also places that we want people to feel safe. And I just think we are at that point. We've got the culture. We're working really hard to make sure that students are kind to each other, that we have that um acceptance and belonging for everyone there. And I um I I hope that at some point our new board members will have the opportunity to maybe when we start putting these in place, maybe go down and watch or just get a little bit more of a demonstration.
I was able to go to the demonstration. I thought that was very helpful. Um, but it's also something where we're spending a great deal of money, half a million dollars on security. And it's it's an expense that won't happen every year, but it will have to happen again from going forward. It's going to have to be a part of our budget, replacements or such things. Um, and I think we just have to be aware of that that we don't have the means to address the source of the problem. The source of the problem is that we have a lot of guns in our country and we need better enforcement and we need better um all we need to address this as a public health issue. That's not within our realm as a school board. But being able to make sure that kids feel positive about coming to school, that they feel safe, and that they can focus on academics.
I think that's totally within our realm. And I very much favor this and I appreciate the hard work that our superintendency has done. Um because Shane McCord in hiring Al McCain, Al Kaine and making this a priority has been a huge drive for the last eight years. Um starting with things like getting fencing in place so that we don't have open access to our schools and to the doors in our schools. So, I really appreciate the hard work that's been put in on this and I think this is the next step and this is the right time for it. Unfortunately, um I think all of us wish that things could be different but this we can control and there are other things that we don't have control over. To uh maybe um piggyback a little bit on what Dr. Roberson was asking, do we do we need to buy 32 metal or weapons detectors all at once, or can we buy can we buy 16, maybe two or three for each campus to start and scale up from there.
So, it's not such a big expense all at once. We can do anything, but um I wouldn't recommend it. If we're going to do it, we got to do it right. And in order for our schools to function, in order for to get those kids in in a timely fashion, this is what we task our high schools to do. And so that's why um I would rather bring the whole lot to you as opposed to um peacemealing it. So, okay. Is there any other discussion by the board on this topic? Okay. Then I'll bring it to a vote. Uh all those in favor of uh approving the weapons detection systems request for proposal September 30th, 2025, say I. I.
Any opposed? And that passes. Moving on to 8.02 uh fiscal year 2025. Thank you, uh Mr. Kaine. Thank you, sir. Uh 8.02, 02 fiscal year 2025 budget revision number two. Is there a motion to approve fiscal year 2025 budget revision number two? So moved. Thank you, Mr. Briner. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. Robersonson.
Uh, is there any discussion on this? Well, I I want to say thank you. I think there's been a lot of hard work put in on this, too. And I I know I I do want to say um I know we talk a lot about the budget. It's very very important. I appreciate the academic spotlight that we have and I know it makes our meetings longer. This is one of our longest meetings that we've had in a while, but um I think it's both are very beneficial and I just really appreciate that we're on a good solid financial footing and um that's been a endeavor of seven years to to make sure we're in a good position and I really appreciate it. So thanks. Go ahead. Sorry. All right. Uh, if there's no other discussion on 8.02, we'll call for a vote. All those in favor of approving fiscal year 2025 budget revision number two, say I.
I. Any opposed? And that passes. And that's the one that we have to stay afterwards to sign, right? Okay. Okay. So, don't forget, don't leave uh before you get a chance to sign that. Agenda item number nine, any requests for future agenda items. Do uh do any board members have anything that they would like to add to a future agenda? Okay. Then we'll move on to our board reports. Uh the audit committee. Uh, I don't have anything to report except that the my first meeting will be this Thursday at 11 o'clock. I'm excited about that. Uh, Town of Gilbert leazison, Dr. Blake Robersonson. Anything to report? Yeah, nothing to report on the Town of Gilbert. Um, I did just want to uh quickly uh mention that I I was able to attend the community event this morning at Highland and and was such a such a great event.
I think that um really I'm I'm glad it's called a community event. Like I think that that is one of the best ways we can build community in the town of Gilbert is through our public schools. And um I was impressed with everything that the schools are doing. And really I think it's great that the things they're looking to do and they have first the students in mind and the teachers and the staff in mind foremost, but but really have the community in mind and some amazing projects that I think would be um really great for the community. So, I would encourage those those millions of people watching um to get involved with their local schools. Um there's there's many ways to be involved um including fundraising um that um some great projects that would really be uh beneficial to to students as well as to the community as a whole.
So, I really enjoyed uh participating this morning. Thank you. Uh Gilbert Education Foundation, Mr. Briner, nothing to report. Thank you. Uh, Miss Shaina Murray's not here tonight, so we'll skip the city of Mesa. Uh, report legislative representative and employee benefit trust, Miss Humphre. Well, the employee benefit trust, we did our work last meeting, um, when we approved our benefits for next year. Um, legislative representative, I just wanted to share a little bit. Um, I know there are a lot of people talking about the federal government and the department of education. Um, in all the things I've read, this was from the uh Justin Rice, who's the executive director for the Arizona School Board Association, and what she said, I think best explains it. Um she says it is important to recognize that while the president has significant executive authority, the complete dissolution of a federal department would ultimately ultimately require congressional act action.
Um and then she goes on to say, "We remain committed to working with education stakeholders at all levels of government to ensure that Arizona students receive the highquality education they deserve." And I think that really explains that um we just have to work and wait and see what happens. So um just that as a legislative representative, but also I was able to attend the event this morning and um it was really I think we're getting better at the school connect events and um the first one was great, the second one was great and they just get better and better and I really appreciated all those in the community. the that attended. And if people are interested, certainly reach out to their principles, the Highland area, and those the junior high and elementary schools there. And I know any elementary school or junior high or high school would be excited to receive support and interest from their community on what their needs are or what that what is going on and uh support them and help them to do better.
That's the end of my report. Thank you, Miss Humphre. Uh, agenda item number 11, meeting dates. Dr. McCord. Thank you, Mr. President, governing board members. Our next meeting is April 8th, which is a board work study and brief board business meeting. April 14th is a board policy committee meeting at 4:30 p.m. in this room. And then April 29th is a board business meeting. I will be sending something to you for our June um board meeting dates. I'm um we'll be requesting a change basically to move them back for a week uh each one and that is due to budget and when I say that uh there are certain things that need we need in place before we can actually act on it as a board uh and um never know when the state legislature is going to come out but I will shoot those dates to you and hopefully they will work out um for everybody on the board and again that's for budget purposes.