Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Ensuring a Safe School Environment

  • 06/01/18
Cyberlock

Cyberlock served as a cost-effective way for The Southhampton School District to reduce the number of keys shared, and bring a new sense of safety and security to school life.

Southampton School District (SHSD) is nestled in the beach village of Southampton, New York. As part of the summer colony known as The Hamptons, it has a mix of middle-income neighborhoods, rural farms, and an affluent estate section. The village is anchored by the elementary, middle, and high schools which are at the very center of community activity.

Over the years SHSD had lost control of their mechanical master/sub-master key system. Problems associated with key-sharing were worrisome and there was constant concern about lost keys being used by unauthorized people. SHSD began searching for a solution that would circumvent lost key issues and give them more control at the door.

Randy Dobler, SHSD director of Facilities & Operations, says, “A number of manufacturers showed us their products. It was sheer luck that I stumbled upon a CyberLock ad in a trade magazine. We immediately saw CyberLock as a cost-effective alternative to what we had in place. Not only could we expand the system as needed but we could retrofit the locks in all our doors without hardwiring. We contacted other schools that were using CyberLock and received positive feedback.”

After a trial installation at SHSD offices they proceeded to install 221 CyberLock electronic cylinders in the elementary and middle schools and issued 249 smart keys to teachers and staff. Steve Phillips, SHSD maintenance supervisor, shares, “I’ve been very impressed with the ease of installation. It only takes three minutes to retrofit a lock with the CyberLock eCylinder. We are currently expanding the CyberLock system to the high school.

Dobler concludes, “Prior to CyberLock, we felt like everyone in town had keys to our schools. Now, each teacher and staff member carries their own smart key that is programmed to access that person’s workspaces. The key is valuable to staff so key sharing has ceased.

www.cyberlock.com

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management June 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Geometric abstract school illustration

    How Design Shapes Learning and Success

    Can the color of a wall, the curve of a chair, or the hum of fluorescent lights really affect how a student learns? More schools are beginning to think so.

  • Kimball International Releases Curated Design Support Program

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of a new end-to-end design support program, DesignSuite. According to a news release, its goal is to guide architecture & design professionals and dealer partners through the process from vision to specification.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.