Indian Prairie School District 204 has authorized the hiring of one new security staffer for each of the district’s three high schools to oversee safety after school.
The new position for Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley high schools will be called the school safety and security lead, and the personnel in the role will provide “building coverage and supervision from school dismissal through the end of daily activities at each building,” Superintendent John Price wrote in a memo.
“We do not currently have a dedicated person assigned to maintain safety and security procedures after the normal dismissal bell,” Price’s memo says. “This presents a gap in our safety preparedness and puts a heavy burden on our high school administrative teams.”
New security position ‘a reassurance’
School board members unanimously approved the new positions to enhance after-school safety during their meeting Monday night — the last before students start the new year on Aug. 17.
“I think this is very much needed to ensure that our high school buildings have coverage after school hours,” school board member Susan Demming said. “I think it will keep all that are in the buildings safe. It’s a reassurance.”
Hiring the new personnel is expected to cost between $150,000 and $200,000 a year, but Price’s memo said it could be “cost-neutral” for 2027-28, with “Neuqua moving out of the Birkett Center, and the projected increase in rental income.”
After-school safety duties
The school safety and security lead at each high school will monitor building entrances and exits, and serve as a point of contact for coaches and program directors after school. The staffers will also report incidents to the district safety team when needed and be in communication with police and emergency responders.
Administrators also evaluated whether the STEPS building needed a new security staffer in this role, but existing personnel have a “plan to address any potential concerns at that site,” Price said in the memo.
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