KARNS CITY — Older students at Chicora and Sugarcreek elementary schools now will be expected to go through metal detectors each school day.

The metal detectors, installed in all Karns City schools last school year, have only been used for visitors and special occasions at the district’s two elementary schools. But over the next few weeks, fourth, fifth and sixth graders will go through them, too.

“It wasn’t any singular instant that spurred this on. We’ve been talking about it for quite awhile, and we just decided that we have the resources there,” said Eric Ritzert, superintendent.

Fifth and sixth graders have recently started to use them, and fourth graders are expected to start using them in November.

Ritzert noted that the Butler School District has the same policy. Students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades at all 11 Butler elementary schools do the same thing.

The Karns City district has six metal detectors. There are two each at the junior high and high schools, and one at each of the elementary schools. All junior high and senior high students have been required to go through the detectors daily since they were installed last year.

Elementary school parents were notified of the metal detector policy change in a note sent home on Oct. 15. Teachers and faculty also practiced the process with students before implementing the new screening.

“They’ve handled it well,” Ritzert said of the students. “And most of the parents I’ve had the opportunity to interface with have been supportive of us doing that.”