2/18/26: MCPS Director of Security at BCC High School on VOLT AI Pilot

Notes from the PTSA meeting held at BCC High School on February 18, 2026. 

The topic of the meeting was the surprise announcement of a pilot of the VOLT AI system.  MCPS Director of Security Marcus Jones was the only speaker on this topic.  No representatives from VOLT AI spoke. 

Director Jones said that MCPS was approached and offered a no cost, 30 day trial of the VOLT AI product.

The 30 day pilot will be at three schools:  Seneca Valley HS because it is the largest high school in the state of Maryland, BCC High School because it is urban, and Magruder High School because it is suburban.  They asked the principals if they would participate. The pilot will begin March 2nd. 

Director Jones said this is the "evaluation phase."  There will be weekly reports and a final report. MCPS schools already have cameras. The VOLT AI system will only be on 30 cameras per school.  Each school has about 200 cameras. Currently, existing MCPS cameras are not monitored.  

A question was asked about what data MCPS currently has on incidents at schools and if that data would be used to compare to to the data generated from the VOLT AI pilot.  Director Jones said there isn't any data and you can't know what will happen in a school any given week.  There are no plans to evaluate data and no metrics for evaluating the system were stated. 

The agreement to do this pilot was reviewed by MCPS legal counsel. 

Director Jones said that nothing is off the table with regard to school security. 

Once installed, MCPS will run tests to see how VOLT AI responds.  They will set up test scenarios and see response. A human at VOLT AI will receive the alerts, review the video and contact MCPS.  A question was asked about where the VOLT AI human was located, the answer was USA. 

VOLT AI will retain the video for 30 days and then it will be deleted. 

Director Jones said he can not speak to the cost of VOLT AI.  He said he is not the decision maker.  The decision maker are the elected officials.  Even though VOLT AI is from Bethesda, they won't be given preference. 

Director Jones will not tell principals how to use the information from VOLT AI. 

 

When a Superintendent Signs a Contract without Board Approval

Judge’s decision pending regarding Calvert school board, executive team contracts

...“Who do you believe the contract was between? You and [Superintendent] Mr. Smith? Or you and the county board?” Chandlee asked Welsh.
“I believe Dr. Smith was actually operating for the Board of Education in terms of implementing the contract,” Welsh answered Chandlee.
“… I just don’t see in Calvert County where that authority would come from. That’s why I’m asking this question. Is it superintendent Smith’s contract with you?” Chandlee again asked Welsh.
“If it’s not him as an individual, it’s him as superintendent, and any superintendent that would have been in that position would have continued,” Welsh answered, adding that Smith’s affidavit submitted on the record said he met with the county board every year since 2009 when the contracts were put in place and discussed the contracts with board members...