Keeping Students' Possessions Secure

“In recent years, the dollar value of items that students are bringing to school has gone up,” says Kevin McCarthy, commercial product manager for Oak Creek, Wis.-based Master Lock. “In addition to their books, musical instruments and cell phones, they’re bringing tablets and lap tops which, if stolen, are expensive to replace.”

To that end, parents and students need confidence that the items brought to school are appropriately secured in students’ lockers. Well-built locks offer that assurance. “Providing locks and ensuring that they are in good repair,” says McCarthy, “is a community effort within the school district. It includes upper-level administrators, principals, vice principals and teachers. Everyone must be on the same page as to the security level they’re offering students.”

Locker locks may be physically small but, in terms of the security they offer, they’re large. “Locks are an important school feature that are sometimes overlooked because they’re a lower-value item,” McCarthy says. “But they are not to be overlooked because they keep high-value items safe. It’s not a good thing for a student to have to go home and report that his or her $1,500 lap top was stolen.”

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

  • Beyond Four Walls

    Operable glass walls provide a dynamic solution for educational spaces. They align with today’s evolving teaching methods and adapt to the needs of modern learners. Beyond the functional versatility, movable glass walls offer clean, contemporary aesthetics, slim and unobtrusive profiles, and versatile configurations that cater to the evolving needs of students and educators alike.

  • classroom with crystal ball on top of a desk

    Call for Opinions: Spaces4Learning 2026 Predictions for Educational Facilities

    As 2025 winds to a close, the Spaces4Learning staff is asking its readers—school administrators, architects, engineers, facilities managers, builders, superintendents, designers, vendors, and more—to send us their predictions for educational facilities in 2026.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

Digital Edition