An Administrator’s Guide to Keeping Students Safe

The school shootings that took place in Florida, Alabama, and California this year and in recent years have indicated that more precautions need to be taken to ensure the safety of students and school staff. Stalking, fights, and other forms of violence can also put children in jeopardy when they least expect it.

There are several ways that administrators can ensure that students can go to class and hang out with friends without having to look over their shoulders. Here is a guide to helping school remain a beneficial experience for our children’s futures.

Installing Cameras

No one can be everywhere at once, but with cameras installed in the right place, schools can have eyes and ears all throughout campus. Your school security system can include cameras near emergency exits, entrances, and hallways where anyone can slip in, which will allow for security personnel to be aware of anyone who doesn’t work there finding their way inside.

Cameras installed outside and made visible can also keep any intruders from getting close to the school. Those with bad intentions may think twice about entering if they know that they are being watched in every parking lot and around every corner. Making them visible inside will also help by giving students peace of mind knowing that someone is keeping an eye on things.

Providing Security Guards

As beneficial technology is to informing us what is going on, human involvement can go a long way to ensure that there’s always someone paying attention in case of technical complications. Having security guards patrol the campus will provide a presence of security to anyone considering coming to schools and committing a crime.

If you’re in the process of installing cameras in areas that criminals might see as weak spots, security guards can monitor them in the meantime. Guards can also be of help to students who have questions or are concerned about what they believe could be a threat to the school’s safety. This can make the guards people that students can count on and help them feel safer.

Hold Regular Meetings

Discussing safety issues is a personal experience for everyone involved, and sometimes, topics this serious require that everyone involved share their thoughts face-to-face. Administrators can hold meetings every week with teachers and other staffers to stress the importance of keeping an eye on potential signs of danger instead of solely relying on security systems and personnel.

Meetings with parents can help by letting parents know of the current precaution measures as well as inviting them to share their opinions and ideas. They may have tips that none of the staffers have thought of if they weren’t brought up. Students should also be encouraged to attend meetings, both in groups and individually, to express any concerns about bullying or harassment.

Extend Communication Avenues

Today’s technology also makes it easier for us to communicate with people who aren’t around us. That could be used to a school’s advantage by administrators setting up forums and pages on their school’s website where different staff members can share their concerns and ideas involving security.

These ideas could include updates to the security system or adding more personnel to observe parts of the campus that don’t get enough attention. You could set up specific email systems, such as those for teachers, students, parents, and emergency personnel including hospitals and police. Sharing phone numbers and other contact information will make it easier for people to reach out about concerns.

Collaborating With Police

The tactics and equipment used by the local police department can be of great use to on-campus police and other security personnel. You can hold meetings with police officers to get advice on monitoring and patrolling so that you know what could happen and prevent acts of violence before they occur.

This advice can include techniques on how to disable someone who is using certain objects as weapons. You could also make use of metal detectors and other equipment that are used by police that detect things that cameras can’t. A communication system with local authorities can also come in handy in case there’s an issue that campus security can handle better with assistance.

Keep these tips in mind so that your students can go about their days knowing that their schools are looking out for them.