4 keys to picking the best safety solutions for your school district

Research has shown that educators are considering what safety measures a school has in place when searching for their next position.
Jay Floyd
Jay Floydhttps://www.centegix.com/
Jay Floyd is the director of customer success at CENTEGIX, a provider of incident response solutions. He is a former educator, principal and superintendent

Bullying, fighting, and medical emergencies have been found to be much more common than school shootings, according to recent research. But, when it comes to developing a safety plan for a district, many leaders will focus on the most extreme incidents rather than the situations that happen every day in our schools. A school safety plan should always be designed to protect students and educators in an array of situations.

Our students, families, and educators deserve more. State legislators are working towards protecting our schools, but there is still work to be done. For instance, Alyssa’s Law, which requires schools to have silent panic alarms that link to local first responders, is now enforced in New Jersey, New York, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Districts in these states have made various efforts to improve the safety and security of their campuses, but all schools need to have a safety plan that is comprehensive, effective, efficient, and communicated to the community.

Impacts of safety concerns on teachers and students

When discussing school safety solutions, many assume that these are only needed in the unlikely event of a major incident. However, having a thorough school safety plan in place for everyday incidents can make an average day run more smoothly for both teachers and students.

Research has shown that educators are considering what safety measures a school has in place when searching for their next position. One survey found that teachers specifically want workplace safety improvements—reaffirming it as a top priority. If administrators want to recruit new educators and support their current staff, they must provide effective safety plans and strategies that make teachers feel confident and safe while doing their job.

Studies have also proven that school safety affects teachers’ ability to focus on students’ overall success in the classroom. A study conducted by Mathematica found that students who felt safer were also more attentive and efficient in the classroom. These students also reported fewer symptoms of depression.

Making sure that students are engaged and focused in the classroom can contribute to long-term success above and beyond intellectual capacities, such as reading or math skills.

How the right safety solution reassures students and staff

There are various safety solution options, and each school must choose what is right for them. These options range from mobile apps to wall-mounted and wearable panic buttons. Whichever option a school chooses, it is important that it is comprehensive of all aspects of the campus, including all staff members.

A recent survey revealed that 97% of respondents believed that having a wearable incident response solution helped them feel safe and supported as staff members. A discreet panic button can be worn without distracting students or staff and appears as part of all staff members’ daily uniform. Discretion can save a significant amount of anxiety, time, and attention for all parties involved in an emergency situation.


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When approached with an emergency situation, it is natural to have a fight, flight, or freeze response. If your school safety device requires a mobile app, you could actually lose time in a panic situation. For example, if an incident is occuring, there are many steps to communicating the emergency, such as finding your phone, locating the app on your phone and then taking the next steps required in the process. Teachers aren’t typically allowed to have their phones out during class, which makes this process much more complicated. This also includes ensuring you have cell service or Wi-Fi and that your phone is charged.

This is not an ideal solution for educators, as it isn’t reliable and goes against their privacy because of having to use their personal devices. When seeking a solution, it is important to take the following elements into consideration: convenience, discretion, and requirements.

4 aspects every safety solution must have

There are many different safety solutions on the market. When making the decision on which solution is best for your district, consider these four features:

  1. The solution should be easy for all staff members to learn and adapt to, regardless of their age and experience.
  2. The solution you choose should not rely on a Wi-Fi network, as many schools have dead zone areas.
  3. Location services are a must when selecting a reliable solution. You want to select an option that has accurate real-time location information. This is crucial in an emergency situation, as first responders need to locate the situation as quickly as possible to potentially save lives.
  4. The solution should also give users the option to send campus-wide notifications. If there is an emergency on campus that puts all students and staff at risk, they must be notified in a quick and efficient manner.

It is better to be proactive than reactive in emergency situations. These efforts for school safety not only provide the ability to save lives in future emergency situations, but they also give the school community peace of mind knowing that the regular daily school routine will run more smoothly.

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