The need for reliable school security and safety measures is greater than ever. Parents should be able to send their kids to school without fearing the worst, but we know that in today’s world this is not always the case. In this article, you’ll learn five signs that an educational institution cares about your child’s school security.
As a parent, you must look for the best schools that can offer reassurance when it comes to school safety and children. They need to provide a clear contingency plan in case of an event and know exactly what classrooms would look like. More so, they should be able to explain how all parents can prepare their children as they return to school.
1. They Have Security Solutions
As you select a school for your child, you’ll have to ensure that their institution prioritizes the safety of the students. Without preparing for a possible active shooting event, the drills might cause trauma and expensive costs for the school. With that, institutional heads need to invest in low-cost solutions and educational facilities to improve their security.
Anybody who has been watching the news in recent years is aware that school shootings are rampant. That said, every educational facility needs to implement a ‘Run. Hide. Fight’ protocol which can be the best school security solution. This system of rules enables the institutional staff to know what exactly they need to do in violent situations.
As you walk around the school, you must assess if the classroom doors have barricades for the devices to solve the obstacles of security systems. These tools enable teachers to lock down a classroom and hide the students until law enforcement arrives. This device is designed to slide over so it can secure the door closed and deploy within two seconds without excessive motor skills.
Since you may be anxious about sending your children to school, you’ll need to gain constant reassurance about their safety. That said, you’ll have to ensure that the institution has a clear emergency plan and a good school safety solution. Doing so provides you with the assurance you need that your child will always be safe in their classrooms.
2. They Prevent Bullying
As instructors use technology to educate their students, the importance of promoting safe internet usage is crucial. When children are online, they are at risk of being bullied by their classmates or anonymous users. Once they get exposed to inappropriate content with disturbing images and language, they might suffer from psychological trauma.
As you roam around the educational institution, you must ask the school heads if they’re actively promoting kid-friendly websites. They should be able to show you the right programs that can support the safe use of technology, which can have positive effects on your child’s mental health. Also, they must train all parents and teachers so they can learn how to respond to cyberbullying to ensure the safety of the students.
If possible, you should ask the institutional leaders if they can gather sufficient information about the children’s behavior. In addition, they should learn how cybercriminals might use the internet to corrupt the minds of young individuals. Then, they can use these insights as guiding factors in creating security policies and action plans to prevent any form of bullying.
3. They Prevent Sexual Assault
In the aftermath of sexual assault, survivors might face extremely painful emotions about their experience. While every survivor responds differently to these traumatic events, schools have to provide regulatory policies to prevent these situations. As a parent, you’re responsible for ensuring that the education institution nurtures their students by preventing sexual misconduct.
Instructors may discuss consent in all its forms, explain sexual agency, and promote healthy relationships with their peers. For instance, teachers should allow their kindergarteners to brainstorm a list of items they need to ask permission for. Also, you should ask for a set of easy activities you can do with your child to develop values of communication and body awareness at home.
4. They Enlist Parents To Extend Security Lessons Beyond The Classroom
As your children learn the importance of asking for consent, educational leaders must get parents on board. You may reinforce student learning outside the school so you can guide the larger cultural changes. That said, you should ask the school if they can run a parent night before the program begins.
The goal of this program is to invite parents to engage in the prevention process. In addition, they can ask you to establish environments outside of the institution where your children can practice the skills they learn. Also, you must take advantage of this opportunity to raise any concerns you might have regarding the severity of the sexual assault.
5. They Conduct Employee Background Checks
As these institutions hire teachers and staff members, they need to conduct pre-employment background checks to ensure student safety. This process reveals their place of residence, past employment, and any criminal record. And if schools actively conduct this activity, they can easily screen people who are likely to come in contact with your child.
Security guards are another sign you can use to assess if an educational institution is reliable enough when to the security of your child. These individuals are responsible for maintaining the safety and peacefulness of the school’s environment. As a result, violence on the premises won’t hinder the growth and progress of the students, which can affect their personalities.
Security guards can also accommodate you as you roam around the campus. They will reassure you that the school is safe from intruders and any form of violence that might occur inside the school. More so, outsiders would have to submit or present their identification cards to check their identity before entering and exiting the school.
As they guard the campus, they become aware of the faces that come and go inside the school premises. Also, you should ensure that all security guards have undergone thorough training so they can effectively fulfill their roles. Alternatively, you may check if the school has deployed enough security cameras in case of theft incidences.
Key Takeaway
Before enrolling your child in a new educational institution, you must ensure their safety and security. And you must check these five signs to prevent your children from experiencing disruptions inside the school premises. As a result, their teachers and staff members can hone a student that respects and addresses consent, which can help them become better citizens as they become adults.
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