Health & Safety


Campus Safety

Five Considerations for Your Emergency Communications Plan

Communication is the lifeblood of any emergency response. Whatever events are happening and whatever your response is, the information must be communicated to the appropriate people.

Campus Security

Florida K–12 District Expands Implementation of Gun Detection Platform

The Hernando County School District in Brooksville, Fla., recently announced that after a yearlong implementation period, it will be expanding its deployment of the ZeroEyes gun detection video analytics platform, according to a news release.

Safety and Security

PASS Releases Update to Safety and Security Guidelines

The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) recently released a series of updates to its K–12 safety and security guidelines, according to the organization’s website.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Podcast

Schools In Focus: Curating a School Security Plan, Staff, and Budget

This episode’s guest is Dustin Brooks, co-founder and chief customer officer of ZeroEyes. He’s here to talk about the importance of creating a school security plan against the backdrop of increasing active shooter and swatting incidents at schools around the country.

Rider University Zen Den

Student Wellness

Rider University Creates 'Zen Den' to Foster Student Health and Wellness

According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 44% of college students report having symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns that impact their ability to complete schoolwork.

Campus Safety

False Alarms: The Harmful Impact of School Shooting Swatting and Hoaxes

With gun-related violence in schools continuing to rise, parents, teachers and students are increasingly concerned that these horrifying events could occur close to home. Unfortunately, amidst real school shootings, a new threat is emerging that is proving to be just as dangerous: shooting hoaxes, or “swatting.”

Architects

VLK Architects Principal Named to School Safety Group

VLK Architects recently announced that Principal Lauren Brown was recently named a 2023 Co-Chair for the Texas Society of Architects School Safety Work Group, according to a news release.

Campus Safety

Honeywell Debuts Self-Testing Smoke Detector

Fire and life safety solutions provider Honeywell recently announced the launch of a UL-approved, self-testing smoke detector, according to a news release.

Well-Being

Kimball International Launches ‘Creating Places to Belong’ Initiative

Furniture manufacturer Kimball International recently announced the launch of its “Creating Places to Belong” initiative with the goal of making employees feel valued and connected to their workplace, according to a news release.

Campus Security

Texas Education Agency Sets Security Window Film Mandate

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently announced that all school districts in the state will be required to install security window film on glass doors and windows by August 2023.



Campus Safety

University of Missouri Receives $2M School Safety Grant

The University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., recently announced that it has received a $2-million grant from the Department of Justice to help K–12 schools around the state identify and avoid threats to student safety, according to a news release.

New Construction

Nonprofit Releases Renderings for New Uvalde Elementary School

Local news reports that the nonprofit organization planning a new elementary school for Uvalde, Texas, recently released renderings of the new facility. Robb Elementary School, the site of the school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead in May 2022, is scheduled for demolition, according to local leaders.

FreshAir Smoking Detection System

Healthy Schools

FreshAir Launches Smoking Detection Solution for Education Environments

Sensor solutions company FreshAir recently announced the launch of the FreshAir1 Smoking Detection System, according to a news release. The technology monitors for and detects tobacco and marijuana smoke, and it is geared toward use in school and university buildings.

Campus Technology

Allegion Announces Integration of Schlage Intelligent Hardware, BadgePass ONE Platform

Security solutions provider Allegion US recently announced the integration of Schlage intelligent hardware with the BadgePass ONE platform, according to a news release. The result is a subscription software package that includes all the hardware and software required to both issue secure ID credentials and manage door access control.

ESSER Funds HVAC Upgrades

Healthy Schools

How ESSER Funds Can Help with HVAC Upgrades

The importance of HVAC units in schools was brought to the forefront when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in the early parts of 2020. While vaccines became one option for combating the virus, the need for increased ventilation and filtration became an area of focus for many school districts.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Podcast

Schools In Focus: Managing Schools and Classrooms to Promote Student Wellness

Our guest today is Bob Dillon, a school designer and consultant with STS Education. He's here to talk about the importance of student wellness during the learning day, from the time students arrive at the bus stop to the final bell.

New Construction

Uvalde Mayor Says Robb Elementary School to Be Demolished

Mayor Don McLaughlin announced during a Uvalde Council meeting on Tuesday, June 21, that Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, will be demolished in the wake of the shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers, according to national news.

Campus Safety

NCES Data Report Increases in K–12 School Shootings, Cyberbullying

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) recently released a report titled “Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2021” indicating a significant rise in both school shootings and cyberbullying activity during the last decade.

Exit sign

School Signage

Safety Resolutions: 7 Reasons to Update Your School’s Safety Signs in 2022

From students to faculty, any school’s first priority should be the safety of people on campus. By now, you’ve probably learned that safety signage plays a vital role in keeping people safe at your school. From the parking lot to the playground, having the proper school safety signs not only keeps your students and faculty safe but also helps you avoid costly lawsuits or OSHA fines.

Campus Security

Teen Faces Charges in Shooting at Florida High School

A 16-year-old student is facing charges after an active shooter incident put Seminole High School in Sanford, Fla., on lockdown for several hours on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

University of Wisconsin to Test AI-Powered Security System

Liberty Defense Holdings Ltd. recently announced that it has signed an agreement with the University of Wisconsin Police Department (UWPD) to test a new security detection walkthrough portal on campus.

Texas District Adopts New Cybersecurity Solution

A Texas school district recently entered a partnership with cybersecurity solutions provider IronNet, Inc. to help combat an increasing number of cyber attacks against the district’s networks.

North Texas Districts Extend Long Weekend Amid COVID, Staff Shortages

Several North Texas school districts cancelled school on both ends of the long Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, citing staff shortages and a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Outdoor spaces promote mental health and wellness

Healthy Schools

Outdoor Spaces Help Promote Mental Health and Wellness on Campus

Today, college students are experiencing tremendous pressure and stress caused by an ever-broadening range of influences and factors, negatively impacting many aspects of social development, learning, and overall well-being.

Campus Amenities

U Alabama Trying Out Solar-Powered Pods

Shortly, the campus of the University of Alabama will sport a set of small, greenhouse-like structures where students can have private, socially-distanced space for their studies or relaxation.

Saint Francis University Sensory Room

Healthy Schools

Saint Francis University Debuts Sensory Room

Saint Francis University in Loretto, Penn., recently debuted a sensory room as space for students with neurodiverse sensory needs. A news release calls Saint Francis one of a “handful of universities” in the U.S. with a specifically dedicated such space.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Podcast

Schools In Focus: UV Light and Creating Cleaner Learning Environments

Disinfection techniques that help make classrooms safe for students, teachers and staff are still top of mind. Here to discuss some of the benefits of ultraviolet light disinfection are Bruce Ramsay, Brand Manager for Visioneering, and Tim Stevens, Director of Product Management for Certolux. We’ll touch on some facts and myths about UV light, the role of UV light in maintaining clean education spaces, the challenges that education professionals should be aware of when purchasing UV light technology, and the technology’s benefits for end users in educational facilities. This episode of Schools in Focus is sponsored by Viscor, a Leviton company.

Campus Safety

GSU Launches Graduate Certificate Program in Trustworthy AI Systems

Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga., recently launched a Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Systems graduate certificate program.

Campus Safety

Vector Launches K–12 Environmental Health, Safety Incident Management System

Vector Solutions, a training and software solutions provider, recently announced the launch of an incident management system for K–12 schools designed to help districts keep track of health and safety incidents, hazards and trends.

Hand Sanitizer Storage Poses Safety Problems

The widespread use of hand sanitizing stations requires educational institutions to keep a bulk supply of hand sanitizing fluid on hand. And finding a location on campus to keep gallons of hand sanitizing fluid has proved to be a logistical challenge from a fire and life safety inspections perspective.