Why is the district interested in this project?
The district is exploring this pilot to evaluate whether emerging technology can reduce response time and increase situational awareness during a critical incident, particularly an active threat inside a building. Like fire suppression systems, this is a low-probability, high-impact tool intended for the worst-case scenario—not day-to-day use.
Why is the community fundraising for this project vs use of district funds?
Given the district’s current budget constraints, there are no district funds available to pay for this project.
Why are we considering this type of technology when we already have police officers on every campus and strong safety protocols in place?
Our officers remain the primary and essential layer of safety. This technology is not a replacement—it is a force multiplier. It can provide immediate visual information inside a building, potentially helping officers make faster, safer decisions during the first critical moments of an incident.
What is the pilot project and at which schools?
The pilot would be a limited, short-term evaluation (1 school year) at a small number of selected campuses (currently Memorial and Spring Woods). No district-wide deployment is being proposed at this stage. The goal is to gather data, evaluate effectiveness, and determine whether the concept has value before any further consideration.
How were the two schools selected for this project?
Memorial High School and Spring Woods High School are being considered because their size, layout, and architectural design present the types of challenges this technology is intended to address. Both campuses have large footprints, multiple buildings, and exterior hallway configurations, which can complicate rapid situational awareness during a critical incident. Evaluating the technology in these environments allows the district to determine whether it provides meaningful value in complex, real-world campus layouts, rather than in smaller or more controlled settings.
What company would be conducting the pilot project if ample funds are raised to initiate a pilot? How would this company be selected?
If funding is secured, the district would follow established procurement and legal review processes to select a vendor. Campus Guardian Angel is one company offering this technology, but no contract or commitment exists, and any participation would be subject to district approval and oversight.
How will the company chosen for this pilot be monitored, and what level of background checks and control would be in place for employees? What level of control would there be over their employees’ access to our student data and information and/or drone footage captured?
Any vendor would be subject to strict contractual controls, including background checks, access limitations, and compliance with student data privacy laws. The company would have no access to student records, and any drone footage would be tightly controlled, purpose-limited, and governed by district policy.
How would drones be used in such a safety program? Would they be used as a surveillance tool to surveille students or staff on a regular basis?
No. The drones would not be used for surveillance. They would remain inactive and secured, and would only be deployed during a confirmed or suspected life-threatening emergency to help locate a threat and guide responding officers.
In the pilot project, if funds were secured, would people fly the drones if activated, or are they controlled by artificial intelligence?
The drones would be operated by trained human pilots, not autonomous artificial intelligence. Technology-assisted features may exist, but human control and decision-making remain central, with clear rules governing when and how drones can be deployed.
How will I know if the district decides to do the pilot on my child’s campus?
The district has identified Memorial and Spring Woods high schools as the two pilot sites if sufficient funds are raised and donated to secure a pilot. If sufficient funds are raised to launch the pilot at the two schools, communication about the pilot project would be provided to those school communities.
What if the community group raises enough funds for one school but not both?
In order for the pilot to be conducted, sufficient funds for both schools to be included in the pilot would be required for the district to proceed.
What happens if the pilot is successful?
Were the pilot program determined to be successful, based on the district’s current budget constraints, there are no district funds available to support and sustain such a drone safety program following any pilot such as the one proposed. The district would have to identify and secure a sustainable funding stream beyond the general fund and would have to follow all protocols for procurement and legal review to implement any such program district-wide.
