Kids should go to school without worrying about their safety. A safe learning environment is a productive learning environment—which means that the security system and all security staff are active and fully functioning. Whether you’re a parent or a school administrator, knowing the most important features of a school security system will help put your mind at ease as children go to school, both during school hours or for practices or activities.
Access Point Control System
One way schools keep their students safe is by controlling who comes into and leaves the building. Schools need many different access points to allow students to exit the building swiftly during an evacuation. Still, these access points need control so that they don’t turn into a security flaw. These doors are often locked and have an alarm enabled once someone opens them.
Schools will often use other means to maintain access control, including special access control software that relays to the security team when someone opens an access point and who is using it. Combining this software with intelligent surveillance cameras ensures that no strange individuals visit the school uninvited.
Surveillance Cameras
Cameras are often the eyes and ears of security teams, whether in schools, warehouses, or hospitals. At schools, the cameras can detect any suspicious activity as it’s happening or help find footage of a crime after it’s happened. Schools are often the target of vandalism, so finding the culprit with the help of camera recordings can make it easier to bring them to justice.
Alarms and Intercoms
The ability to make announcements to the entire school simultaneously isn’t just valuable for morning news and passing periods—it’s important for emergencies as well. The school’s intercom system and fully functioning alarm systems allow the front office to make important announcements as soon as they learn about a crisis.
The school should also have designated tones for each different type of warning, whether it’s a weather emergency, a fire, or a lockdown. Students should have access to both fire alarms and police alarms in key locations.
By ensuring that these important features of a school security system are up to code and have modern technology in their design, the school is a safer place for everyone—teachers, administrators, and students. Have their safety in mind when designing schools or funding security updates to keep school a secure place to learn!
