The halls of Warwood School will soon be safer as Wheeling Police and school officials have teamed to purchase 28 radios to be used by teachers and staff.
The radios will replace the existing method of communication, which Warwood School Principal Andy Garber said was actually three separate systems.
"We were using a combination of hardline phones, cell phones and two-way walkie talkies," he said. "That process was too slow because we had to make the same announcement multiple times."
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Photo by J.W. Johnson Jr.
Warwood School will soon have 28 new radios at their disposal, which school officials said will help make the school safer. From left are Wheeling Police Sgt. Ron Didion, Warwood Schools Principal Andy Garber, Ohio County Superintendent George Krelis, Wheeling Police Lt. Martin Kimball, Warwood School Assistant Principal Mary Lu Hutchins, Wheeling Police Chief Robert Matheny and Warwood School Prevention Resource Officer Sgt. William Maguire.
The new system allows more than half of the school's employees, including teachers, nurses and custodians, to communicate in a much more timely fashion. Garber said the radios make it easier to get mass messages out, as well as providing a means to have one-on-one conversations when necessary.
The funding for the radios was secured by Wheeling Police Sgt. Ron Didion, who oversees the Prevention Resource Officer program for the department. The cost of the radios totaled about $8,000, which was obtained through a Justice Assistance Grant through the West Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services. Warwood is one of four schools in Ohio County to have Wheeling police officers on hand during school hours, with Wheeling Park High School, Bridge Street Middle School and Triadelphia Middle School being the others. Didion said the addition of the radios is key for making sure students are safe.
"The safety of the students is a big focus for schools, and the resource officer program along with these new radios shows the effort that schools are putting forth," he said.
The resource officer assigned to Warwood Schools, Sgt. William Maguire, said the radio system will not only make his job easier, but will allow for order to be more easily kept.
"Before having these radios, it was very difficult to do lockdowns and fire drills," he said. "A lot of times I didn't have access to the three systems of communication all the time, so this helps me to know what is going on at all times."
In addition to the radios, the schools also boast new digital cameras and recorders that are focused on the entrances to the building. In addition, the school is looking into installing swipe card access for those doors, which will help the school remain locked down at all times. The funding for these additional programs, which along with the cost of the radios will be about $20,000, will be paid for through funds allotted by the school board and the Warwood Schools general fund. Though the initial cost is steep, Garber said the long-term savings coupled with the increased security are well worth it.
"This will save us money in the long run," he said, adding that the school was spending about $500 a month in just cell phone bills under the previous system. "Really, of all the things we do at this school, safety is No.1."