Can Technology Contribute To School Safety?

Student safety is a top concern for districts and schools. They want solutions that will help them to support students’ mental health and well being, as well as guard against potential threats. Often the first area of consideration is physical enhancements, such as security cameras and bulletproof glass, which can make a real difference but can inhibit the educational mission. Now many schools are turning to solutions that address student mental health and well-being, which are often at the root of school safety issues, with more extensive use of digital safeguarding.

Digital safeguarding can provide valuable insight into students’ mindsets and can also alert staff if students make—or are discussing—threats of violence to themselves or to others. As the use of mobile technology in the classroom grows, digital safeguarding can be one of the best ways to detect potential safety concerns. Early notification allows schools to investigate and address concerns before they get out of hand.

A recent survey of school counselors found that paper-based record keeping is the most common practice to record information on student well-being and mental health issues. Experience suggests that the era of informal record keeping is being replaced by auditable recording of student safety incidents and the actions taken by schools. Schools can also look for solutions that allow them to integrate, analyze, and store student safety data digitally in order to improve efficiency and inform counseling sessions or other interventions.

Administrators can play an active role in addressing safety through policy, funding, and implementation of digitized safeguarding solutions or other technology that will support counselors, instructors, and staff while also ensuring the privacy of student data.

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management March 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Richard Fuller is Executive Chairman of Impero Software (www.imperosoftware.com/us), which provides student safety and device monitoring and management solutions. He can be reached at 844/346-7376 or [email protected].

Featured

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

  • Tufts University Breaks Ground on Two New Residence Halls

    Tufts University in Medford, Mass., recently broke ground on two new residence halls with a total capacity of 664 beds, according to local news. The project’s ultimate goal is to expand on-campus housing and reduce pressure on the local housing market.

  • Clemson to Launch North America’s Largest College Campus Smart Parking Program

    Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., recently announced a partnership with smart parking and curbside management solutions provider eleven-x to launch a smart parking initiative for its population of 29,000 students and faculty, according to a news release.

Digital Edition