Schools across the U.S. are challenged by safety and security issues that require a broad-based effort to ensure a safe learning environment. School safety initiatives often include technology and human-based solutions, and both play an essential role in preventing and controlling security vulnerabilities throughout a school.
The Upper Township School District (UTSD) is a comprehensive community public school district, serving students in pre-school through eighth grade from Upper Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. Located in Petersburg, New Jersey, the UTSD wanted to strengthen classroom and building security by upgrading the locks on classroom and perimeter doors.
Their options at the time included an interior classroom mechanical lockset; a wireless lockset that was not online; and an online communication wireless lockset.
The online wireless lockset was the desired choice for UTSD because it allowed the school to be locked down immediately and remotely. The problem however was that the cost of deploying wireless locks for more than 130 doors throughout the three buildings was significantly more than UTSD had budgeted.
Given the fact that we also wanted the ability to lock the perimeter and interior doors of each school, Sielox had the complete solution for our needs"
Pinnacle access control system
During the course of UTSD’s search for a more affordable solution, new wireless lock technology became available and at a cost that was approximately 50% less.
The savings allowed UTSD to move forward with the project that now had capability for a layered approach to school security.
This included installing Sielox’s Pinnacle access control system for control of interior and perimeter doors and the 1700 intelligent controller integrated with the new Schlage NDE wireless locks. The system was designed and built by CM3 Building Solutions, a security channel partner with Sielox.
“We were looking for the best solution to handle a lockdown situation at the three schools in our district,” said Vincent Palmieri, Superintendent, Upper Township Schools. “Given the fact that we also wanted the ability to lock the perimeter and interior doors of each school, Sielox had the complete solution for our needs.”
CLASS provides real-time classroom status, updates and notifications to administrators using graphical maps, email and text messaging
CLASS emergency notification and lockdown solution
Sielox’s CLASS (Crisis Lockdown Alert Status System) emergency notification and lockdown solution was also installed. CLASS provides real-time classroom status, updates and notifications to administrators and first responders using graphical maps, email and text messaging to assist in making split-second decisions in the event of an incident or developing situation.
“We were blown away by CLASS and how it works with the locks. With this layered security system in place, we can lockdown the building, change alert levels when needed and communicate with local law enforcement in real-time,” continued Palmieri. Sielox’s layered access control and lockdown systems have been successfully deployed in schools across the country. Products are designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. and meet or exceed any user requirement from entry level to enterprise wide systems.