Levittown district proposes plan to add armed guards at schools

Levittown school officials are the latest on Long Island to consider adding armed guards throughout district buildings — a change administrators said could be implemented by the beginning of the next school year.

Superintendent Todd Winch said the district is considering two proposals: hiring a private contractor or arming existing security personnel.

The private contractor model generally involves armed guards outside school buildings who respond to active threats. The cost to the district would be about $750,000 to $1 million per year, according to a security presentation on the district's website.

The second proposal would arm existing security personnel throughout the district. Winch said the district has recently increased its number of security aides to 45, many of whom have a background in law enforcement. The cost of this proposal would range from $350,000 to $750,000, according to the presentation.

“Those are the people that we know, that we’re comfortable with,” Winch noted. “We believe it’s a better model.”

However, Winch said the move would require the Nassau County Civil Service Commission to create an “armed security guard” title, which exists in Suffolk but not in Nassau.

Nassau Civil Service commissioners did not return a request for comment.

In a statement on behalf of the school board, president Christina Lang said safety and security enhancements are an ongoing priority for district leadership.

"In an ideal world, discussions about measures such as armed security personnel would be unnecessary," Lang said. "However, the board has a responsibility to prepare for all possible circumstances and to consider every available option to protect our school community."

Lang added that the "the board remains united in prioritizing safety and making informed decisions in the best interest of the district."

"Our discussions are ongoing, and we will provide updates as this work continues," she said.

Safety survey

At least 21 other school districts across the Island have opted to add armed guards in recent years.

The Levittown school district has 10 schools and serves about 7,200 students and around 1,500 staff members, according to Winch.

This past spring, the district surveyed more than 820 parents, 130 students and nearly 500 staff members regarding district security. The results, discussed during an August board meeting, found that in all three groups more than 80% said they felt safe at school. But when asked if they were “satisfied with safety measures,” there was a slight decline among the three groups.

The survey indicated that 23.5% of students, 26.4% of staff and 32% of parents supported armed guards as a recommended safety enhancement. A majority of students — 53.8% — and slightly less than half of parents and staff — 43.6% and 47.3%, respectively — called for more mental health support.

Winch said the district has added, or is in the midst of adding, security measures such as security vestibules and panic buttons throughout the district.

“Our goal is to make sure we provide the safest environment for our students, so when they’re in our care and custody, parents can feel that their children are going to be safe,” Winch said. “I think we all agree that we’re here to protect our students and staff.”