When it comes to school safety and security, administrators, teachers, and campus support staff are all members of the security team.
This includes custodians and janitors, front office staff, nurses and social workers, food service, bus drivers and even students have shared responsibilities for maintaining a safe and secure campus.
It’s vital to remember that in most situations, the people in the building are the first-responders, not the people outside.
Check out the many security roles of various members of the education community — and be sure to share these expectations with the “front lines” of school security.
Custodians, for example, are often the only people who know the campus inside and out. They have the responsibility to report any conditions which may compromise security or pose a safety risk.
Administrators, unlike teachers, are not always in direct contact with students, giving them mobility in the building. With this mobility, they should learn details such as how to access the roof, where a closet leads or where someone can get hurt.
Food Service workers should know that back doors are as much of a threat as front doors, and some of these doors may be in the cafeteria. Food service workers must maintain a screening system like the front of the school by keeping these doors locked and only open upon a doorbell system or a peephole.
Nurses and social workers should keep emergency supplies in more than one location. In addition, it’s valuable for them to maintain a list of “inventory skills” or individuals in the building who have emergency skills, such as being bilingual, being certified in CPR, having a CDL license to drive a bus or being trained in conflict resolution. It’s important to know where these people are located at all times of the school day.
Teachers and office staff need to be vigilant as well. They should familiarize themselves with the “Wal-Mart approach.” If they see someone in the hall that they do not recognize, address him or her by asking if they can help — even if they assume they have already been authorized. Teachers can be as much a part of visitor management as the front office.
And bus drivers as well can play an important role in being alert to any conditions or conversations which may pose a threat to school safety and security.
Throughout the school year, it’s important to listen and share communications amongst all school staffers on safety and security issues, conduct safety and security training on a regular basis, and familiarize staffers with the school’s community resource officers and other first responders in the school district.