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

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Minnesota District Completes $49.7M Addition, Renovation Project

    St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $49.7-million addition and remodeling project at two district schools, according to a news release.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.