In April, after a third-grade student brought a loaded gun to class at Lee Hill Elementary School and accidentally discharged it, Spotsylvania County Public Schools Superintendent Clint Mitchell said he would eventually like to see weapons detection systems in all schools in the county.
At the time, Spotsylvania had just implemented the Evolv weapons detection system at all five high schools as well as the Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center and the John J. Wright Educational and Cultural Center.
The school division beefed up security at high school football games with the weapons detection systems earlier this fall after a shooting involving juveniles in the county. Then, in response to threats made against him and school board chair Megan Jackson, Mitchell implored the division to add the system to school board meetings.
On Monday night, the board voted to purchase Evolv weapons detection systems for the county’s seven middle schools. The action was part of the consent agenda — a list of items typically approved wholesale without discussion. The board voted 4-0 to approve the $1 million purchase, with board members April Gillespie and Lisa Phelps absent for the final meeting of their tenures. Nicole Cole, who is moving on to represent the 66th District in the House of Delegates, was absent for that part of the meeting but joined later.
Cole said during a legislative breakfast last month that she would rather see funds go toward mental health and other personnel than equipment such as weapons detection systems.
According to a memo, the school division will utilize the University of Virginia’s contract with Alliance Technology for the purpose of the systems at Battlefield, Chancellor, Freedom, Ni River, Post Oak, Spotsylvania and Thornburg middle schools.
“The [Spotsylvania County Public Schools] Department of Safety is dedicated to enhancing the safety and security of our school buildings, which includes analyzing and evaluating weapons detection systems,” the memo states. “The benefits of incorporating a weapons detection system in a school include enhanced building security, prevention of violence, and technology that provides focused alerts to administration and security personnel on weapons.”
The money for the purchase will come partly from state security grant funds ($157,024) and fiscal year 2025 carryover funds in the amount of $863,789. The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors must approve the use of the carryover funds. The appropriation of the carryover funds was on the supervisors’ consent agenda for Tuesday night’s meeting.
The parents of the Lee Hill student are facing charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and leaving a loaded gun endangering a child under the age of 14. A trial date in Spotsylvania Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court is set for Sept. 10, 2026.
“I think long-term, our goal is to have a system in every school, provided we have the funding mechanism to be able to pay for it because it is a heavy lift financially,” Mitchell said Tuesday. “But we wanted to ensure we address our secondary schools first and foremost.”
Mitchell said the goal is to have the systems in place at all middle schools by the end of February or early March.
Also on the consent agenda, the board accepted the school security officer grant award to support six new resource officer positions at Cedar Forest, Courthouse Road, Harrison Road, Parkside, and Riverview elementary schools and the career and technical center. The grant is for $193,447 with a local match of $113,709.
During public comment, Spotsylvania NAACP President Moe Petway presented the county’s branch of the civil rights organization’s Presidential Appreciation Award to Mitchell, citing that “his life story is woven with courage, perseverance, and unshakable devotion to the cause of education.”
The award alluded to the recent incident in which school board member Lisa Phelps requested proof from Mitchell, a St. Lucia native, about his immigration status and academic credentials. Mitchell presented the documents in question to the school board during a meeting last month, when he also gave an impassioned speech.
“In the face of defamation and unjust assaults on his character and credentials, [Mitchell] has stood tall, refusing to be diminished and refusing to let accusations and falsehoods define his legacy,” the award states. “His endurance is a living testimony to the power of truth, and his perseverance is a beacon for all who labor for justice.”
Mitchell said he’s appreciative of the award and wasn’t expecting it. He said it was “very touching” because he was only speaking about his truth.
“That meant a lot because, like I said before, it just shows the support of community members,” Mitchell said. “I am very thankful to the NAACP and Mr. Moe Petway just for this incredible honor because there are a lot of people who have gone through similar situations or worse than I have, and I am humbled by it. This recognition is just a reminder that you have to keep standing up for yourself, and most importantly, for others that are watching.”
The board recognized the newly elected student representative. Cora Shields, a junior at Riverbend High School, will serve as the student rep on the board, beginning in January. Shields will not be able to vote or attend closed sessions but will provide a voice for the student population.
Laylah Sargent, a junior at Chancellor High, finished runner-up in the voting, and will serve as the alternate whenever Shields can’t attend. Mitchell said SCPS Director of Organizational Compliance Dennis Martin will train the students and assist them in preparing reports.
Clarification: The award the NAACP presented to Mitchell did not specifically name the board member who requested documents related to his immigration status and academic credentials.
