The Dare County Board of Education will hold a special meeting Tuesday evening to address school safety and hear public comment, following a pair of security-related incidents in the span of three weeks.
The Board of Education’s special meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Commissioners Meeting Room at the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo.
Public commenters must sign up before the comment period begins, and remarks are limited to three minutes under board policy.
Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie is also expected to attend.
The meeting will be broadcast live on Current TV and streamed on the school board’s Youtube channel.
On Nov. 13, Illya Sergiyovy Stepanenko, 37, of Belleville, Ontario, was charged with first-degree trespassing and remains in custody, after he allegedly entered Manteo Elementary without authorization for 44 minutes before he was confronted.
Parents have since raised concerns about how long the man was inside the building and whether proper safety protocols were followed.
An impromptu meeting the next day was held between some parents and administrators, including a member of the school board who also has children at Manteo Elementary.
Other parents voiced concerns about a more formal gathering not being held by district leaders immediately following the incident, as reported by Outer Banks Insider.
Outer Banks Insider also reported more than a third of students who attend Manteo Elementary stayed home the day after the incident.
Late last week, Manteo Elementary administrators emailed families outlining new safety steps.
According to the message, Central Office personnel and an independent contractor conducted a security audit earlier that day, with a full report expected soon.
The same contractor performed a similar audit at First Flight High School this summer, and additional audits are planned across the district.
Administrators wrote that since October they have identified several procedural issues and had already begun making adjustments before last week’s incident.
The trespassing case prompted an accelerated review.
Among the changes, the school said it has revamped its School Safety Team and designated Secure Area Managers positioned around the building to strengthen emergency response.
Staff received a one-page crisis management reference guide, and the school reinforced expectations for wearing identification badges and keeping all doors secured.
Entry and exit points at the school have been reduced to ensure closer monitoring, and pre-kindergarten drop-off and pickup procedures have been revised.
Dismissal protocols are undergoing phased adjustments, and rules for substitute teachers and other adults who regularly work with students have been updated.
Administrators said some additional safety measures cannot be publicly detailed without compromising their effectiveness.
They acknowledged the stress the incident caused and said the school is committed to rebuilding trust through improved communication and visible action.
The Nov. 13 incident occurred less than two weeks after two juveniles from South Carolina attempted to enter First Flight High School while posing as students.
Staff stopped them at the entrance and resolved the situation without further issue, according to the district.
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