Page 40 - School Planning & Management, July/August 2017

SAFETY&SECURITY THE SECURE SCHOOL PERIMETER
Internet safety. When we hear the words, school security, a lot of images pop into our heads — door locks, cameras, fences, resource officers. All of these are important components of a holistic approach to keeping our schools, students and staff safe. But as technology has become a tool used in instruction, administration and facility management, is also created another potential vulnerability. Cybersecurity plans need to be developed to protect data, personal information of students and staff, and to decrease the possibility of hacking facility systems. Teachers also need to possess the skills to teach their students Internet safety.
to knowing what is in place, available and how it all integrates with their own systems as well as the community.
“The most significant, and initial,
step when building secure schools is to conduct a safety and security assessment for facilities and operations,” says Ian Powell. “An important part of the assess- ment requires a clear understanding of the difference between vulnerabilities and threats, as well as the types of threats that exist — both environmental and those caused by others.”
Danielle Myer says that a commitment to constant security and safety improve- ment is crucial, and never consider safety to be “checked off the list.”
“Create a task force dedicated to this since there are more and more unique situations our schools will be faced with. As in any industry, it can be tough to keep up with the constant upgrades and innovations, but technology is only going to get better and threats are only going
to evolve in years to come,” she says. “To ensure schools are proactive in combating safety and security issues, it’s essential
to choose a technology partner dedicated to innovation. Technology never stops evolving and neither should the systems within a facility. Schools should select a partner that offers a platform that will constantly evolve with today’s technology and the facility’s needs. This will allow for maximization of initial technology invest- ments for years to come.”
“The quest for secure schools is not
an isolated undertaking,” says Myers. “Schools should involve their communi- ties, including local law enforcement, businesses, nonprofits and organizations and most importantly, their community of parents, to holistically address the needs and issues in and outside of the classroom and ultimately strengthen their school overall.” SPM
>> Jim Romeo is a freelance writer based in Chesapeake, Va. He may be contacted through his website at www.JimRomeo.net.
said, just how prepared are these same schools in protecting the information they generate, collect and transfer? School databases contain a treasure trove of information on current and past students and their caregivers, including addresses, dates of birth, medical information and often payment information — all highly confidential materials.”
Access to sensitive information and the background of those who may access it, are reasonable concerns. Background checks, ideally, should be intrinsic to the onboard- ing of all staff, including volunteers.
“Software systems include volunteer management systems where background checks are embedded in the workflow, pro- viding a pre-approval prior to the volunteer being allowed to volunteer,” says Katie Zwetzig, executive director of Verified Vol- unteers in Fort Collins, Colo. The company provides security screenings and back- ground checks for volunteers and contrac- tors for non-profits and other organizations
which includes K-12 schools. Zwetzig expects to see continued
adoption of security systems as well as vetting of volunteers, contractors and any individuals entering a school. She says that technology advances around integrating GPS tools, digital badging and background checks will continue to evolve. The cost of physical security devices, which have often been cost prohibitive to school adoption, will be reduced allowing more schools to monitor their security using both physical and software tools.
A Commitment to Safety and Security
A proactive approach to security is a best practice as school boards and their administrators and teachers plan for
the future environment. A more secure environment coupled with the right tech- nology is sensible recipe for a safe school perimeter. Commitment to safety and security is key, as is a proactive approach
40 SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / JULY/AUGUST 2017
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