Communication and technology for school safety

Key points:

With school-associated violence At a record level, there is an urgent responsibility for school leaders to protect the safety of students, teachers and staff. As the 2023 – 2024 academic year concludes this spring, school leaders will have the opportunity to review safety protocols and adopt new tools to foster a safe learning environment for years to come. By prioritizing critical components such as the best communication technology, school leaders can ensure that their integrated safety plan will help minimize emergencies and significantly contribute to the academic growth and well-being of students and staff.

Create an emergency communication plan for proactive safety

Communication is one of the most important components of school safety. Having a quick and reliable way to disseminate information will lead to faster response times for daily operations and is vital for threat assessment, action plan development, and emergency response. While having a communication plan is crucial for all schools, it is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. School leaders should consider the unique characteristics of the school, weighing factors such as building and campus size, access to cell service, student and staff needs, and even the established or unique chain of command.

Additionally, the key to a strong communication plan is ensuring the active participation of teachers and staff. Because teachers are the authority figures closest to students, it is important to take their needs into account when developing a safety strategy. What do they need to feel prepared and equipped to respond? Addressing the unique needs of teachers will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and ready to safeguard the school community.

Improve your security plan with effective communication tools

Because effective communication is critical to safety plans, leaders must adopt tools that allow teachers and staff to maintain constant and immediate contact. By prioritizing factors such as speed, reliability, and ease of use, schools can introduce tools that support security while fostering a strong, connected school community.

Digital communication tools, such as text message alerts, are one of the most common modes of communication in schools, with 82 percent of K-12 schools that use them for emergency notifications. While there's no doubt that texting is fast and easy to use, the vulnerability associated with cellular and Wi-Fi outages can cause serious communication issues and, worse, delays in texting times. emergency response.

More reliable communication tools, like two-way radios, offer the same speed and ease of use without the unpredictability of a cellular or Internet connection. Since radio frequencies can pass through walls and navigate complex buildings, school staff will benefit from constant contact, facilitating seamless coordination of security protocol and emergency response. Radios can also play an important role in maintaining daily operations, such as dropping off and picking up children at school. With this, teachers and bus drivers can easily communicate and ensure that students enter and exit the school grounds as safely as possible.

Maintain security technology with routine testing and training.

When strengthening security measures at your school, it is important to not only integrate effective communication tools, but also evaluate your technology infrastructure regularly. Constant testing, battery replacements, and software updates are critical to ensuring your systems remain effective over time. Introducing a routine maintenance program is one of the easiest ways to achieve this.

Equally important is providing regular school security technology training to teachers and staff. Doing so helps ensure a smooth response to an emergency while reducing future safety risks. Easy-to-use technologies like two-way radios make it easy to train educators at all levels, allowing them to immediately contribute to the safety of their school. As school security technology evolves, having a well-informed staff becomes critical to maintaining a safe learning environment.

Another easy way to improve your school's security measures is to stay up to date with the latest security tools and trends. This can be achieved by actively participating in industry trade shows, seminars and training sessions. By taking this proactive approach, school leaders can refine their protocols, learn from industry experts, share best practices with their peers, and find new ways to strengthen their safety measures.

Protect the school community with weather alert technology

In addition to the safety-related emergencies that make headlines, weather is another uncontrollable factor that demands attention from schools and their districts when it comes to proactive emergency management. To stay informed about weather conditions, school districts can always monitor local news and forecasts, but the most accurate source remains the National Metereological Service. In cases where districts cannot disseminate weather information to schools, weather radios are a nearly foolproof solution for receiving severe weather alerts. Simply having a weather radio in the school's main office can be enough to keep staff informed and prepared for adverse weather conditions.

The power of preparation

Above all measures a school can take, preparedness is at the forefront of school safety. By investing in advanced technology and communication tools, schools can position themselves ahead of potential dangers and cultivate a positive academic environment. This commitment to preparedness not only ensures safety for the upcoming school year, but also lays the foundation for safety in the years to come.