School districts across the country are taking proactive steps to stop security threats at the door. Literally. New school designs and renovations are addressing school security concerns by beefing up physical security and entrance protocols at the facility’s doors. These efforts ensure that people who don’t belong on school property are prevented from entering their facilities without obstructing the seamless entrance and egress of students and staff.
A growing trend is to create one main entrance that is monitored by staff members or video surveillance while taking steps to prevent exits from becoming unauthorized entry points. New school construction designs segregate students, staff, and general public entrances with up-to-date security technologies and protocols. These include:
- Elimination of alcoves and recessed areas at exterior doors that would provide cover for an intruder trying to enter. Rain and sun protection is provided by architectural elements like awnings and overhangs.
- Adequate illumination, including battery-backed up security lighting, at all exterior doors.
- Use security grilles to protect the glass on exterior doors from vandalism. Laminated glass is not adequate protection.
- Student entrance and egress to the facility is controlled by gated and fenced pedestrian entrances and school bus drop-off/pickup areas that are monitored by trained school staff during peak activity.
- Portal metal detectors and random backpack check stations.
- Video surveillance cameras covering the exterior and interior at all entrances, including emergency exit doors. These video systems should be monitored by assigned administrative staff or school resource officers during peak activity times.
- Staff parking and building entrances are accessed by electronic credentials or identification cards. Some larger schools are installing sensors that allow any security staff member to be located anywhere in the facility.
- General public entrances have the outer lobby and waiting area where the administrative staff greets visitors who must sign in, obtain visitor credentials, and are then “buzzed in” to the administrative area of the facility, thus controlling access to the educational part of the facility.
- Designated public entrances to performance and sports facilities are segregated from the school proper and only used when needed.
School safety and security should be the highest interest of any community. The protection provided by school security personnel can only be supplemented with technology. School personnel must be trained in security protocols.
In the case of schools that can’t afford full-time security officers or the latest technology, schools can fund entryway security improvements is by applying for various school safety grants offered by federal and state agencies, including the Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education, Michigan State Police Office of School Safety, and the Illinois State Board of Education.