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To better ensure the safety of students and teachers, Stanly County Schools will soon administer safety checks in the high schools and middle schools using metal detectors, the district announced in a post that has been shared on several school Facebook accounts.

The security checks will be random and “only scheduled days in advance,” Superintendent Dr. Jarrod Dennis said in emailed comments.

“We do not maintain an advanced calendar for the checks nor would we share any times for security reasons,” he added.

The random use of the metal detector is “another layer of our safety protocols,” the school district wrote as part of the new initiative. The district wants to deter students from bringing inappropriate items to school “and believe these checks will help us to do that.”

Before using the device, school officials will receive training and will talk with students about what to expect from these safety checks.

Additionally, information will be shared with students and parents using Canvas, school-wide announcements, a phone tree message and a social media post, Dennis said.

“Please emphasize with your students how important it is for them to cooperate during these checks,” the district said.

Stanly County Schools has been working with local law enforcement agencies, including Albemarle Police and Stanly County Sheriff’s Office, to bolster security within schools, including by recently purchasing portable metal detectors and by making sure school resource officers are placed within each of the district’s 10 elementary schools.

“We want our students and staff to feel safe so they can come to school to learn and to teach,” Jennifer Flowe, district director of safety and security, said last summer before the start of the school year.