Page 62 - Security Today, January/February 2021

"These responsibilities can be difficult to manage in a best-case scenario, but potential quarantine situations have made the problem more complex and present a security problem for school administrators. "
By Eric Thurston
Enhancing School Security
Making sweeping changes to battle COVID-19 on campus
Workforce Management
Coco Ratta/Shutterstock.com
When the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the coun- try in early 2020, schools nationwide promptly closed their doors and put in place remote learning. Through- out the summer, school administrators worked diligent- ly to create safe learning environments, whether they were in-person, hybrid or completely remote learning models.
For school administrators who chose to proceed with in-person or hybrid models, the start of the 2020-2021 school year has been plagued by technological difficulties and COVID-19 scares. In addi- tion to the challenge of getting students to adhere to the new health and safety guidelines, teachers and staff are calling out sick in high numbers. For example, an Arizona school district canceled its plans to open for in-person learning after teachers called in, and some classes in Texas have been canceled for the same reason.
With more teachers calling in, school administrators need to work quickly to find substitute replacements to make sure classes are staffed appropriately. In addition to managing teacher and substitute sched- ules, administrators are also tasked with scheduling bus drivers for certain routes and ensuring coverage on maintenance staff shifts. These
responsibilities can be difficult to manage in a best-case scenario, but potential quarantine situations have made the problem more complex and present a security problem for school administrators.
With workforce management software, school administrators can leverage automated tools to make fast, informed decisions that ensure classrooms, bus routes and maintenance shifts are staffed properly and safely. By taking stock of their current systems, they will have a better understanding of where improvements can be made so opera- tions can run smoothly and efficiently, while also creating safer fac- ulty and student environments with information in a single, central- ized location.
Evaluating Current Systems
To understand where improvements can be made and operations can be streamlined, school administrators must first understand the cur- rent systems they have in place. For example, if they are still using pen and paper or spreadsheet systems to manage maintenance shifts, it is likely that those employees may not be notified in time of any schedule changes or new policies, since any changes would have to be made manually and then re-posted. Manual processes also limit
18 campuslifesecurity.com | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021