Schools

District Says It's on Track with Security Updates

School officials say vestibules being installed by February.

Three Village school officials said last week that the installation of secure vestibules is on track to be in place by February in the elementary and junior high schools.

Vestibules will be installed at the main entrance to each building except for Ward Melville High School, where visitors will be required to check in with identification. The vestibules will feature two-way intercoms with cameras. Nassakeag Elementary will have two vestibules because of the building's layout.

According to Jack Baum, Safety and Security Coordinator for the district, visitors enter the vestibule and cannot proceed until identification is shown and the visitor states why they are at the school and receives a badge.

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“Other assessments are made and then at that point the greeter would determine if the visitor can enter,” said Baum in a phone interview adding that driver’s license swipe devices are also coming in.

Door access systems are being installed this week and several building have impact resistant film on classroom door windows that, according to Baum, make it difficult or near impossible for someone to break through the door.

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A key system that allows classroom doors to be locked from the inside is also being installed in all schools.

Last week a 23-year-old man rushed past a door greeter at Murphy Junior High School and was quickly nabbed by school personnel. District Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich said the new vestibules would likely have prevented that from happening.

“It (the vestibule) is a man trap and he would not have been able to get through the building. He would have been held there especially because he had no identification.” 


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