With the traditional school year ending across the Great Lakes region, the summer recess is an ideal time for schools to plan, implement, and communicate enhanced school security practices before the bells ring again in just a few months.
The security experts at Sonitrol Great Lakes recommend several security projects administrators should be working on over the summer. They include:
Planning
- Design and schedule an “all hands” mandatory staff safety meeting to discuss all emergency response procedures. This should take place the week before the school year begins.
- Arrange and schedule an emergency lockdown drill during the first two weeks of the new school year, with school resource officer participation, if available.
Implementation
- As soon as possible after the last day of school, perform an accounting of all keys for exterior access doors, and identify authorized key holders. Keep a secure log of all authorized key holders, and re-key locks as necessary.
- Introduce and/or update an ID badge system for all staff and students that include important safety information, such as an anonymous tip line or suicide hotline.
- Implement a policy that requires all visitors to enter the school front office as a single point of entry and have a system in place to scan visitor IDs by trained school staff members.
Communication
- Use the summer months to communicate meaningful back-to-school safety and security information to keep all stakeholders – parents, students, first responders, and community leaders – informed regarding safety and security improvements.
- Prepare and communicate the school’s safety and security policy to parents before the start of the school year so that they are aware of the school’s plans and expectations.
Evaluate, upgrade electronic security system
Now’s the ideal time for a comprehensive evaluation of your schools’ existing electronic security system. The school security experts at Sonitrol Great Lakes can assist with a complete operational check of the security, surveillance, and fire alarm systems, identify and secure blind spots, assure cameras are functioning properly, advise on duress alarms, as well as other services.
School’s out, but we’re not taking the summer off. Please contact us today to arrange for a no-obligation security evaluation.