Page 37 - School Planning & Management, April 2017

Attempting to keep all exterior doors secure during the day in older schools with tradi- tional key systems can be difficult to man- age. Alternative locking systems such as card access or automated access offer a tremen- dous advantage, particularly insuring that only authorized staff members are provided entry access. A primary benefit of automated access is that an audit trail is established de- tailing exactly who opened which door along with the exact time it was opened.
Concerning interior doors, there is
an argument to be made for classroom doors always being locked, particularly when the room is occupied by students. Schools equipped with automated access systems have an advantage in being able
to remotely monitor where doors are not properly secured. Following the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting there were a variety of products introduced for providing additional security on interior doors during lock-down. In most cases these solutions were found to be unsuitable due to fire codes and potentially preventing authorized access in emergencies.
Security vestibules are a relatively new design element for school facilities. Once the final bell rings each morning, entrance doors from the vestibule into the main building are locked and visitors may only enter the school through the main office for the remainder of the day. Entrances for older, existing facilities can be retrofitted with security vestibules. In some cases, schools have been equipped with a CCTV camera at the front door and a “buzz-in” latch operated by main office staff. This ar- rangement is less effective because it allows access into the building before the identity of the visitor has been verified.
Surveillance
A key to identifying unauthorized individuals on school campuses is training all staff members to question visitors that are not displaying proper identification issued from the main office. If the visitor is acting suspiciously or raises any level
of concern, the staff member should take
steps to notify appropriate administrative staff or security personnel. For a variety
of reasons this does not always occur.
It is not uncommon for those that fre- quently visit schools in the course of their work, to enter any open door at a school and wander about freely without anyone questioning their presence. Sometimes the staff becomes complacent. They assume a well-dressed adult who appears to know where they are and what they are doing is not likely to pose a threat. With a properly designed visitor management program in place, anyone walking through a school without visible evidence of authorization from the main office should be questioned. If for any reason there is a perceived threat, it may be necessary to avoid confrontation and quickly take steps to notify others.
Communications
There are a number of technology- based solutions to enhance emergency communications inside the building
as well as on the school grounds. Staff members can make use of well-placed phones, intercom stations, cell phones or handheld two-way radios. Several of the voice enhancement systems currently utilized in the classroom involve a pendant the teacher wears throughout the day. The teacher can press a button on the pendant
that activates a built-in microphone, dis- cretely notifying appropriate personnel for assistance. Additionally, school districts have made a significant investment in surveillance cameras most of which can be accessed districtwide. If an unauthorized visitor has been reported, the cameras may prove useful, although the greatest benefit has been found after an event to provide visual evidence of the event.
The safety and wellbeing of children in our schools is the highest priority for school administrators, parents and the community. It is everybody’s responsibil- ity. All the technology that money can buy is no substitute for principals, teachers, custodians, cafeteria staff and bus drivers being constantly observant. We cannot allow visitors to come on campus or enter school buildings during the school day without authorization. It is often said that if someone with harmful intentions wants to enter a school, they will find a way. We should not make it easy for them. SPM
>> Andrew LaRowe is founder and president of BAISCA, LLC located in Winston Salem, N.C. He can be reached at andrew@baisca.com. Mike Raible is the author of two recently published books and founder and CEO of The School Solutions Group in Charlotte, N.C. His email is mkraible@theschoolsolutionsgroup.com.
APRIL 2017 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 37