Montana School Secures Campus with Glass Barrier at Front Office

Montana School Secures Campus with Glass Barrier at Front Office

Whitefish Middle School has added a 10-foot glass barrier at its front office as part of its security measures.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • May 31, 2019

A 10-foot glass barrier was installed at Whitefish Middle School’s front entrance a few months ago as part of its security measures.

According to Principal Josh Branstetter, the new glass barrier is designed to keep visitors and students separated until the visitor has checked in with the school’s front office. After a visitor checks in, a copy of their driver’s license is kept on file in the front office to help faculty know where they are in case of an emergency.

Branstetter said that he’s witnessed a drastic increase in school security awareness within the past five years. According to the FBI, 20 percent of active shootings between 2000 and 2017 involved schools.

“I would say within the last five years it’s really increased, the awareness of school safety. When the building was finished in 2006, we’d have no idea we’d be putting in this extra barrier of security,” Branstetter said.

Branstetter said the barrier was built with students and faculty in mind. The barrier is designed to fit in seamlessly with the front office.

“There is a barrier to it that makes it shatterproof so, if an object were to be thrown at it wouldn’t just shatter to the bottom, it would hold together. It’s not bullet proof, still welcoming and fits the design of what we have inside,” he said.

Columbia Falls Superintendent Steve Bradshaw said Whitefish isn’t the only school working to increase security. Some Columbia Falls campuses are more than 50 years old and have open hallways and many doors and windows, increasing risk in an active shooter scenario.

“We’re looking at ways to section off different parts of our building, that once you get into the building, if we hit a button we’d have doors that could come down and secure the other parts of the building,” Bradshaw said.

When it comes to security, it’s better to be safe than sorry, both men said.

If Columbia Falls’ $34 million bond is passed this fall, the district will look into a similar remodel at other campuses.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Door Hardware and Campus Security: Enhancing Safety in Schools

    The importance of investing in school safety cannot be overstated, but knowing where to start implementation of school safety features can be a challenge. A recent survey by the National Center on Education Statistics found that a quarter of U.S. public schools have classrooms with doors that can't be locked from the inside. Even among schools with doors that do lock, recent legislation reflects a common misconception that simply keeping the doors locked all day will eliminate the potential for an attack, in direct violation of PASS (Partner Alliance for Safer Schools) Guidelines. Read Now

  • Brigham Young University Strengthens Campus Security With Genetec Operations Center

    Genetec Inc, a provider of enterprise physical security software, announced that Brigham Young University's (BYU) has optimized its security operations with the Genetec™ Operations Center work management system. Read Now

  • AI-based Risk Mitigation: The Next Advancement in Video Surveillance and Public Safety

    Safety is at the forefront of every organization and covers a gamut of scenarios, not just weapon-fueled lethal threats. It also includes smaller-scale and everyday situations like slipping hazards, fallen persons, unauthorized vehicles, and more. These issues cause disruptions in daily operations and cost companies and facilities money and downtime, so a fully realized security plan must involve actions that facility personnel should take once a hazard of any size occurs. Informing everyone that a hazard exists, where it’s located, and what actions to take is imperative for maintaining personal safety. Read Now

  • Fort Worth ISD Strengthens Event Safety

    The issue of concealed weapons being introduced into school extracurricular activities, including sporting events and graduations, became a growing concern in communities across the nation. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were at least 202 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024 across the United States, resulting in 56 deaths and 147 injuries, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols. Read Now

Most   Popular