School districts and educational facilities need to do everything in their power to protect students and faculty. Students need to be able to learn and socialize without feeling like they are at risk, and faculty need to be able to focus on educating students. Utilizing modern technology to safeguard and protect schools can go a long way in acting faster, de-escalating situations, and even proactively preventing safety risks.

If You Administer a School, You are Thinking About Safety

In the realm of school safety, the stakes are high.

Every day, administrators and security personnel face the challenge of protecting students and staff.

Students, parents, and faculty see the horrors and hardships all the time on the news. While schools have taken active steps in protecting students from dangerous situations, the more you can do to protect the people within your walls, the better.

You want students to feel safe so they can learn.

You want faculty to feel safe so they can teach.

You want parents to feel confident that they can send their children to your school.

Modern access control and surveillance systems offer a solution. These systems leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance security measures.

From real-time monitoring to AI-powered analytics, these systems provide a comprehensive approach to school safety. They offer more than just door access control and automated locks.

In this article, we delve into the world of modern access control systems. We explore how they can create safer schools and contribute to a secure learning environment.

Modern Access Control Systems and Education

Modern access control systems are a leap from traditional lock-and-key methods. They offer a more secure, efficient, and flexible approach to managing access in schools.

These systems use technology to control who enters and exits the premises. They also monitor and record access data for future reference. Teachers can get access to areas that they need to, while students and other faculty can’t. This gives administrators full control over everything, while also providing insights on things like open doors, access patterns, and logging.

Unlike traditional methods, modern systems can be managed remotely. This allows for quick responses to security incidents. Doors can be locked remotely, and entire sections of the school can quickly be locked down.

Moreover, these systems can integrate with other security systems. This creates a comprehensive security solution that enhances student safety.

The Evolution from Traditional to Modern Systems

The shift from traditional to modern access control systems has been driven by technology. Traditional systems relied on physical keys and manual monitoring, or complex electronic locks that were expensive and difficult to use.

Modern systems, on the other hand, use digital technology. This includes smart cards, biometrics, and mobile access.

These advancements have made access control more secure and efficient. They have also made it easier to manage and monitor access in real-time.

The evolution to modern systems has thus significantly improved school security.

Key Components of Modern Access Control

Modern access control systems consist of several key components. First, there are the access points. These are the doors, gates, or barriers that control entry and exit. This can include outdoor areas like playgrounds, sports fields, staff parking areas, and more.

Next, there are the access credentials. These can be smart cards, biometric data, or mobile credentials. There’s flexibility so you can decide how you are going to let people in. 

Finally, there's the access control server. This stores the access data and allows for remote management and monitoring. This system logs everything that happens. It records what faculty unlocked what door, and can tie in with the surveillance system to further track users as they move through the facilities.

Real-Time Monitoring: The Backbone of Student Safety

Real-time monitoring is a crucial feature of modern physical security systems. It allows for immediate response to security incidents.

This feature uses security cameras and sensors to monitor the premises. It provides live feeds to security personnel or remote monitors.

Modern security camera systems have a huge advantage over traditional setups, however. The newer systems can use intelligent tracking and AI to deliver more pertinent information to security personnel. It takes fewer eyes to get a full picture, or for schools that can’t afford to staff someone to constantly monitor camera feeds, in some cases the tools can do most of the work and alert staff when human eyes are needed.

A Real-Life Use Case

A real-life scenario of this happened at a public school district in Arkansas. The principal was able to monitor 16 different locations in real time, and if a building were to go into lockdown, the monitoring can be passed to local authorities. There was a scenario where a student was alleged to have a firearm, and the authorities were able to use the camera system to follow the student from his car, to the building, and track the student. The officers were able to lock down the classroom the student was heading to and were able to intercept the student without putting anyone else in danger. The system used advanced tracking to highlight the student so the authorities always had visuals on him, without having to manually jump through over a dozen camera feeds.

In situations where every single second matters, and every little detail matters, this can be all the difference.

Of course, like traditional systems, the recorded footage can be used for investigations. This helps in identifying the culprits and preventing future incidents.

AI-Powered Analytics in School Security - Automating Safety in Education

AI-powered analytics can play a significant role in school security. These tools analyze data from access control systems and security cameras to predict potential threats.

For example, they can identify patterns in unauthorized access attempts. This helps in preventing security breaches. They can inform new policies and procedures to enhance safety.

Modern systems can alert you of smoke or vapor, so if students are using vapes in a restroom, you can get real-time notifications and take care of the issue.

Investing in the Future of Student Safety

Most schools these days have some level of security and surveillance, but these legacy systems can be a challenge to manage, and might not provide the level of security that your students and faculty need. When a dangerous situation happens, every single second counts.

Modern systems are designed to be proactive, to help administrators and security personnel see problems before they erupt, and to actively provide alerts for unwanted situations.

By modernizing your school’s security and access control system, you can provide a level of safety and security that gives students, teachers, and parents the confidence they need.

To get started, let’s evaluate your current security system, and discuss how we can help make your school a safe place of learning. Give us a call today at (410) 531-6727.