New Ohio High School Designed with Security in Mind

New Ohio High School Designed with Security in Mind

The new school will feature cameras, panic buttons, a security vestibule, and an electronic map of the school accessible by police.

  • By Jordan Lutke
  • September 27, 2018

A new high school in Willoughby, Ohio is being built from the ground up with security in mind, including enclosed courtyards and integrated security technology.

School administration helped direct the school’s construction to be befitting of a high school built in 2018: strategy, security and creativity abound with its sweeping curved walls and surplus of wide open spaces.

The new security measures will begin right at the entrance, with a vestibule and background check system that everyone, including students, must pass through. An enclosed courtyard will allow students to go outside during the school day without compromising their security or necessitating they re-enter the school through the vestibule.

Technology is also paramount in the new design, with electronic door locks, security cameras and panic buttons present throughout. The entire building is also electronically mapped, giving police officers the ability to access a virtual map of the school at any time and remotely control cameras in order to locate a suspect.

The building’s locks will create sections of the school that can be locked down together, allowing school security to prevent the progress of an active shooter, or even trap them until police can arrive. While the school’s design stands out, school superintendent Steve Thompson says accessibility and security of staff and students should not be compromised.

“I don’t want to go to bed tonight, and neither does our school board, not knowing that we haven’t done everything we can to keep our students safe so I think it’s worth it,” Thompson said.

The cost of the new school is around $38 million, and Thompson says at least a “couple million” is going into the new security measures. The school is set to open in fall 2019.

About the Author

Jordan Lutke is an intern with 1105 Media.

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