The Role of Technology in K-12 School Safety

WSI Comandix on January 29, 2018

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Years ago, K-12 students had fire drills and “say no to drugs” programs. Some school districts also had students practice using emergency exits on buses. Today, there are lockdown drills to protect students against shooters and terrorists. There are extensive programs about bullying, sexual assault and weapons. Although serious violence is relatively rare, most schools are affected on some level. The wide range of threats facing K-12 schools today not only threaten the lives of students and staff, but they also affect educational performance and outcomes.

Schools are increasingly turning to technology to enhance safety and prevent, intervene with, and respond to incidents. In the report, The Role of Technology in Improving K-12 School Safety, the RAND Corporation examines the current state of school safety practices, technological solutions and challenges. School safety experts were asked about the benefits and drawbacks of the following 12 technologies:

  • Entry Control Equipment. Remotely controlled, electromagnetic door locks make it easier to control access to schools.
  • Identification Technology. ID badges, parking stickers and biometric scanners allow authorized and unauthorized personnel to be identified more accurately.
  • Video Surveillance Technology. Cameras record activity, serve as evidence and identification tools, and deter criminals who fear being monitored.
  • Communication Technology. Two-way interactive systems make it possible to alert law enforcement to incidents and suspicious activities and individuals.
  • School-Site Alarm and Protection Systems. These tools alert school officials and emergency responders and protect students and staff during a dangerous situation.
  • Emergency Alerts. Automated notifications such as emails and text messages keep people informed and prevent the spread of unsubstantiated rumors.
  • Metal Detectors and X-Ray Machines. Handheld, walk-through and x-ray equipment help security teams prevent weapons from entering schools.
  • Anonymous Tip Lines. Phone hotlines, voicemail systems and websites enable students to report incidents or suspicions without fear.
  • Tracking Systems. Mobile applications and GPS devices allow student movement to be tracked.
  • Maps of School Terrain and Bus Routes. Geographic information systems (GISs) help emergency responders plan for crisis by plotting school terrain and transit routes.
  • Violence Prediction Technology. Predictive analytics software helps to predict the location, time and perpetrators of violent behavior.
  • Social Media Monitoring. Automated content monitoring tools can identify warning signs or even capture evidence of bullying and other threats.

Despite the benefits, there are potential risks associated with adopting technology to improve safety. Student privacy could be compromised. Violence prediction tools could result in unfair treatment of certain students, and both perpetrators and victims could be falsely identified.

Technology can have a negative impact on how students view their schools, which must strike the right balance between ensuring safety and feeling like a prison. K-12 districts also struggle to find the best ways to invest in safety solutions, which can be cost-prohibitive.

Three of the top five technologies with the least concerns are communication technology, alarms and emergency alerts.

Video surveillance systems are also widely used — 60 percent of public and 40 percent of private schools reported using video surveillance cameras. Schools use video surveillance to monitor vulnerable and high-risk areas, for visual enhancement during emergency events, and also as a deterrent.

Eastern DataComm’s LENS (Lockdown and Emergency Notification System) provides reliable, immediate and automated communication in case of an emergency. One-button notification allows you to instantly and automatically alert all students and staff of an emergency or threat. LENS can be integrated with existing infrastructure and communication systems The solution can also incorporate wireless radio to activate outdoor strobe lights, speakers and sign boards across school grounds. Emergency notification software can be configured to automatically notify administrators when 911 is dialed or a lockdown or evacuation is initiated. The system can be activated through any phone using a four-digit code.

Eastern DataComm also offers industry-leading video surveillance solutions, along with the expertise to help schools take maximum advantage of them. Our specialists can also help schools use compression and data optimization techniques to reduce the storage requirements of video surveillance, as well as comprehensive network and cabling integration.

Cost-efficient solutions enhance safety, security and day-to-day communications in schools and municipalities. Contact us to schedule a consultation.

Technology Upgrades to Help Schools from “Falling Back”

WSI Comandix on November 6, 2017

school clock, paging and bell solutions

It is now the end of Daylight Savings Time and schools need to set all of their clocks to “fall back.” While most of us are trying to get accustomed to the time change, a complex routine is playing out in many schools across the country.

IT administrators must go through the painstaking task of resetting the school’s bell schedule. School districts typically have a wide range of clocks, some of which are set by opening the cabinet and entering numbers on a keypad, others which require knowledge of complex codes. Newer clocks were programmed to automatically update for daylight savings time — that is until Congress extended it in 2007.

The clocks and bell schedule isn’t the only antiquated technology schools must contend with. In many schools the paging system is at least 30 years old — sometimes even older. The “brains” of these systems is a head-end unit the size of a refrigerator that’s housed in the main office. A microphone is used to make an announcement, which is amplified by the head-end and sent out to hardwired speakers throughout the school.

These giant head-end units are a wiring nightmare and weren’t designed for today’s needs. These systems also typically have one zone, meaning that messages go out over every speaker. Administrators may get annoyed with having to listen to morning announcements, and neighbors complain about hearing announcements from the outside speakers. At the same time, issues with wiring and bad speakers often create no-coverage areas throughout the building.

These systems would be obsolete if it weren’t for the need to make emergency announcements. However, it seems almost futile and depending on the situation dangerous, to run to the main office to make an announcement that most likely won’t reach everyone.

To better meet their school safety and emergency notification objectives, schools should upgrade to a modern head-end unit with a zone controller that enables messages to be directed to appropriate areas of the building. For example, morning announcements can be directed only to classrooms while emergency announcements go to all speakers.

A modern head-end unit can also be tied to an IP phone system, allowing school officials to make announcements from any phone in the building. This is extremely beneficial in an emergency. With Eastern DataComm’s LENS solution, if the principal sees a dangerous situation, she can go to a nearby phone, dial in a code, and make an announcement and notify students and staff of an emergency without having to run back to the main office. In addition, modern head-end units typically have an override port to ensure that an emergency announcement gets control of the speakers.

In order to maximize your investment in communication and school safety technology, existing wiring and speakers that are still functioning may be able to be reused and augmented with additional speakers to cover hallways and other areas with no coverage. Most school paging systems installed decades ago were intended for morning announcements, so additional speakers are generally needed to ensure that emergency announcements can be heard throughout the school no matter where you are on school grounds.

It’s imperative that you work with a team that understands schools and knows where there may be areas throughout school grounds that are not covered by your existing speakers.

Schools should also consider implementing a modern bell schedule with an easy-to-use, browser-based interface. This eliminates complex configuration during the beginning and end of Daylight Savings Time or when schools have delayed openings, and ensures the time is always accurate. It also allows the bell schedule to be tied into the paging system so that a bell or other tone can be played over the speakers rather than actual bells installed throughout the building.

At Eastern DataComm, we’ve worked with over 100 schools in NJ and NY Metro Area. We understand the technology challenges schools face and have developed practical, budget-friendly solutions to maximize investments. Let us help you upgrade your bell schedule, paging system and emergency notification system to relieve maintenance headaches and improve your school safety preparedness.

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