Page 33 - School Planning & Management, July/August 2019

Technological solutions. In addition to scanners built into bollards and awnings along the approach and campus perimeter, new technologies are making it possible for school administration to better allocate their resources and detect threats. Face recognition software, for instance, can be used to register identities, grant clearance, provide an alert when recognized or located within the network or identify and track unauthorized visitors. Retina and fingerprint scanning complement this technology at specific clearance points, while laser molecular body scanners are in development to simultaneously scan multiple people to detect traces of explosives or drugs from further distances. Many schools that currently use electronic access card access system to monitor doors and provide notification of doors that might be propped open, will start to make the switch to fingerprint and retina scanning, which eliminates the need for cards that easily be lost or stolen.
specific clearance points, while laser molecular body scanners are in development to simultaneously scan multiple people to detect traces of explosives or drugs from further distances. Many schools that currently use electronic access card access system to monitor doors and provide notification of doors that might be propped open, will start to make the switch to fingerprint and retina scanning, which eliminates the need for cards that easily be lost or stolen.
Thermal scanning can also be integrated into video cameras to detect anomalies — identifying those with higher stress levels that may either be in danger or need additional monitoring.
The advent of robotics and drones augments the potential of these biometric technologies. The aviation sector, for example, is exploring various uses for drones modeled after a butterfly with facial recognition capabilities. Used in schools, these butterfly drones can track suspicious activity, locate active shooters, communicate locations and remotely monitor threats. Providing an extra set of eyes throughout the campus, they can quickly respond to security issues while providing ambient monitoring that is
approachable, interactive and appropriate for the school campus. National tragedies, the introduction of cyberbullying and a
growing list of sexual harassment cases have kept school safety in the spotlight for decades. Similarly, terrorism and drug activity among several other threats to public safety keep airports in the headlines and at the forefront of security. While these technologies do not promise to remove every threat everywhere, nor do they remove the need for more active, visible interventions, they present a number of possibilities for districts to appropriately and thoughtfully consider as they explore the future of school safety — where the need for stronger security measures is met and balanced with the need to preserve our human experience in the way we perceive and respond to the world around us. SPM
Jared Bliss is a senior associate at Corgan. David Safiris a vice president at Corgan. Corgan listens to their clients and transforms their insights into architecture that inspires, informs and innovates. They can be contacted at jared.bliss@corgan.com and david.safiris@corgan.com.
JULY/AUGUST 2019 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 33
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