Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am writing to inform you of a recent update to the Pennsylvania School Code requiring all schools to notify families and staff regarding possession of a weapon on school grounds.
What Changed?
A new section – 1303.2-A – was added to the Pennsylvania School Code of 1949. This section requires all Pennsylvania school entities (including public, nonpublic, and private schools) to notify parents, guardians, and school employees when an incident involving the possession of a weapon occurs on school property or during school-related activities.
In our district, parents, guardians, and teachers will receive a call blast from the building in which the incident occurred within 24 hours. If the incident occurs on a campus all schools on the campus will receive the call blast but we will specify the building.
Why this Matters
While this new change helps to ensure that families and staff are informed promptly about possession of a weapon on school grounds, we also do not want to incite any unnecessary fear or anxiety when communicating such information. One example of a situation that would trigger a notification of possession of a weapon on school grounds could be, a student who forgets that they have a small pocketknife in their coat pocket from the weekend.
Safety is always a priority as we continue to work every day to foster a positive culture and an engaging learning environment in our schools. Please know in advance that these messages will only be a brief notification of the possession of a weapon on school grounds and will contain limited details. Our administrative team will always try to communicate clearly and as quickly as possible, while also complying with applicable privacy laws.
Please keep in mind that families will continue to receive phone calls in the event of a serious safety issue on any one of our campuses. We are truly blessed to have well-trained law enforcement officers to support our students, teachers, and administrators in our buildings and community each day. Thank you for continuing to be a partner with us regarding school safety and security.
Mr. Gary Weber
Superintendent