By Bret Rachlin on 5/28/2009 2:43 PM

Last week, SecurityPark.net published an article on school security (Source: SecurityPark.net, 5/21/09, Good school security design is not simply about security hardware) that reinforces much of what this blog has represented over the past 15 months. The following quote from Mark Whyte, TPS Director of Security and Explosion Effects, encapsulates our approach to school security.

“Security systems for new schools have to provide value for money and must justify the capital investment involved. Good security design is not simply about security hardware – it’s about creating a safe and secure environment for staff and pupils and enhancing the learning environment. This requires a collaborative approach between headmasters, local authorities, the police, architectural liaison officers, architects and engineers.”

Do your school district’s secu ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 5/22/2009 10:27 AM

As the 2009 school year winds down across the country, CDW Government (CDW-G) announced the results of its 2009 School Safety Index this week. Based on a survey of more than 400 district IT and security directors, the report indicated that although schools have increased both physical and IT security, security breaches have also increased causing an overall decline in schools’ physical and cyber security scores.

On the physical security side, the index found gains in school districts’ use of security cameras with 79% of districts reporting that they leverage cameras vs. 70% in 2008. Additionally, schools significantly increased their use of mass notification systems from 45% in 2008 to 70% of schools implementing them in 2009.

According to Bob Kirby, vice president K-12 education, CDW-G, “Districts reported gains in important are ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 5/15/2009 11:14 AM

Earlier this week I came across the fall 2008 NASSLEO (National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers) newsletter, which included a letter to then President-elect Obama. As an organization committed “to bring together people that are joined in a common effort to make our schools safe for our students and staff,” NASSLEO’s letter made three recommendations that are worth sharing.

First, the president should listen to Vice President Joe Biden when it comes to school security. NASSLEO has worked with Mr. Biden’s staff for several years, communicating the importance of school safety issues. Mr. Biden has supported many of NASSLEO’s initiatives and it’s critical for those initiatives to continue to receive funding.

Second, continue funding the C ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 5/7/2009 3:53 PM

The New Jersey Senate Education Committee released a bill this week that “aims to improve readiness at public and private schools by requiring one monthly fire drill and one monthly security drill (Source: PolitickerNJ.com, May 4, 2009, Scalera & Lampitt Bill to Require School Security Improvements Released by Senate Panel).” The legislation Assembly members sponsored the bill since many New Jersey schools do not practice their security plans because there is no law that requires them to do so.

The bill directs several organizations, including the Director of the Office of Homeland Security, to create and disseminate curriculum to train school employees on how to conduct themselves during emergency situations, such as bomb threats and active shooter situations.

“No ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 5/1/2009 11:11 AM

With swine flu dominating the news this week (e.g. Fort Worth, Texas, schools are closed until May 11), it’s critical for schools to prepare as best as possible to mitigate its effects via planning and training. Brad Spicer, CEO of SafePlans, which provides best practices in risk management to schools and other businesses, offers a clear explanation of a pandemic, as well as how to prepare, respond and recover from one on his blog (Source: School Safety News (SafePlans), April 26, 2009, Swine Flu Preparedness for Schools).

Overall, neither schools nor other businesses should waste time in a panic over a potential pandemic, rather they should implement their emergency plans and deal with the situation proactively and appropriately to ensure safety, as well as business continuity.

Is your school implementi ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 4/24/2009 9:04 AM

Schools have learned a great deal about school security since the incident at Columbine ten years ago (Source: WSYR-TV, April 23, 2009, Security upgrades coming for Cortland schools). Of course, upgrading security systems can be costly and schools often struggle to fund these initiatives. Help is always appreciated and today Cortland City School District near Syracuse, New York, will accept a $1,000 donation to help pay for its new visitor management system (Raptorware).

Wren Solutions (my company) randomly chose Cortland school resource officer Rob Reyngoudt to win $1,000 after he filled out Wren’s email survey on school security. In addition to the visitor management system, which requires visitors to sign-in ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 4/17/2009 10:32 AM

How do schools raise money for security and safety needs when budget dollars for classroom needs are already so tight (Source: The Journal Times, April 12, 2009, More money wanted for school safety)? How about passing a legislative bill that would increase the current revenue limits by $100 per student to pay for safety and security initiatives? That’s what state Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, Wisconsin, proposes.

Currently, the Racine Unified School District acknowledges that if it spends more on security, then it goes without something else because security spending must come under the revenue limits. The proposed bill increases the revenue limit, as long as the School Board and the local police have developed a school safety expenditure plan, but it could mean an additional $2 million for district such as Racine Unified.
... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 4/10/2009 8:20 AM

A couple of weeks ago a female student successfully fought off a 27-year-old male attacker in a school bathroom (Source: The Mlive.com, April 5, 2009, No school safety system is ironclad). The assailant gained entry to the school when a student innocently held open a locked door for him to enter. Fortunately, the female student escaped and a teacher caught the man.

The article highlights that the school has a “responsibility to protect students from harm.” However, it is virtually impossible to “guarantee students will never be harmed.” The school is now reviewing its safety and security procedures to determine if this incident could have been prevented and to make any necessary changes to improve.

Overall, the school appears to have in place a comprehensive security system, including 71 camera views. Cle ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 4/3/2009 3:17 PM

Last summer, the St. Tammany Parish School Board began installing video surveillance cameras by using $2 million through a voter-approved bond initiative (Source: The Times-Picayune, March 31, 2009, Security cameras are helping St. Tammany teachers find the truth). According to the article, the cameras serve as a deterrent and are helping administrators investigate incidents more effectively. One principal even noted that the cameras have made staff at her school feel safer. Additionally, the district superintendent mentioned that they are “researching new lock systems for its schools, some of which are over 100 years old.”

Overall, as a representative of a company, Wren, which provides network video surveillance solutions, I’m thrilled about the staff feeling safer due to the increase of cameras. However, are the cameras the most important secu ... Read More »

By Bret Rachlin on 3/27/2009 3:42 PM

Does your school employ armed security officers (Source: StatesmanJournal, March 18, 2009, School security will disarm)? Two campus security officers at Silverton High School in Oregon carry firearms, but this month the school board voted to disarm them due to liability issues because “any claim filed against them would fall back on the school district.”

According to the superintendent, no other school district in the state employs its own armed security. However, that’s not the case in other states across the country. Just this week SecurityInfoWatch.com reported that Memphis City Schools is trying to get a state legislation bill passed which would allow it to employ its own police force. In fact, other ... Read More »