Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Minnesota Districts Implement SafeWood Designs Bullet-Resistant Products

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/24/22

Following last month's elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, K–12 districts around the U.S. are turning their attention once again to security measures that can protect students. Local news reports that Minnesota K–12 school districts are reviewing products from SafeWood Designs, which manufactures bullet-resistant products for schools, including doors, wall panels, hardware systems, furniture, and even whiteboards.

“Our number-one goal in designing these products was to keep our kids safe while they are at school, plain and simple,” said Jason Horner, CEO of SafeWood Designs, Inc. “And, at the same time, maintain the everyday look and feel kids are used to in their schools. We believe we have accomplished our goal.”

Some Minnesota schools are reviewing options like bullet-resistant dry erase boards and tack boards. “At the bottom of the shutter, there’s a pin that locks into the floor, and it becomes, effectively, a shield and a place to stand,” said SafeWood Designs’ Tim Ganser of the dry erase board.

“The whole idea of school protection is to protect the hallways with our wall panel and protect the classrooms with a bullet-resistant door to shutter,” Ganser said. “Our hope is that if they’re installed in a classroom, they’re using it as a tool for the classroom. If there’s one unfortunate time that something does happen, they have the protection they need.”

A press release notes that SafeWood uses a three-zone approach to enhance and maximize student protection. Threshold Zone 1 consists of the primary entrances; Threshold Zone 2 is the second line of protection should the entrances be breached; and Threshold Zone 3 should be “a safe space designed to withstand a constant and prolonged attack,” the release said.

“Being proactive is key. We strongly encourage legislators to consider funding for bullet-resistant systems. If every classroom incorporated a bullet-resistant safe zone, it would not only offer protection when it’s most needed—but also offer additional, precious time for authorities to arrive," said Horner.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • University of Pittsburgh to Build New Residence Hall

    The Board of Trustees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently approved the construction of a new residence hall for first-year students, according to university news.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.