Illinois School District to Upgrade Campus Entrances

Illinois School District to Upgrade Campus Entrances

“By doing the security upgrades, we are just limiting access to anyone unless they really truly need to come into the building," Pikeland School District Superintendent Paula Hawley said.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • February 19, 2019

Pikeland School District in Pittsfield, Ill., plans to update entrances on all three of its campuses to improve safety. The renovations are planned for the summer.

District officials said they will be adding a new window in between two sets of doors at the middle school.

“They’ll come in, we’ll ask them what their purpose is, decide if they need to enter the building, and then they’d be allowed through this door after that,” Pikeland Community School Principal Jon Frieden said.

Frieden said this will improve safety for students on campus.

“Even though it seems like a little upgrade, anything we can do to add a level of security in our building to keep our kids and staff safer is always important,” Frieden said.

South Elementary School will have a similar setup. The window will be added to a wall before a second set of entrance doors. Principal Angiel Ruebust said the system will make drop-offs and visitor management more secure.

“We love to have our parents here to visit us, but this will be another way to ensure their students’ safety,” Ruebush said.

Adding a window and a second set of doors will limit the number of people who enter the campuses, according to Pikeland School District Superintendent Paula Hawley.

“We have a lot of people that come to the school in the course of a day, and most of them really don’t need access into the entire building,” Hawley said. “By doing the security upgrades, we are just limiting access to anyone unless they really truly need to come into the building.”

The high school will receive the same update. The district plans to begin construction on the additions in the summer, and Hawley expects that it will be finished by the time school begins in August.

The renovations, Hawley said, ultimately come down to wanting the best for the students and staff on campuses.

“We want to look at doing the things we can do to help improve the safety in all of our buildings for student and staff,” Hawley said.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Electrified Latch Retraction Locks Key Benefits for Retrofits

    Building owners and facility managers increasingly rely on electrified hardware to enhance security while meeting accessibility standards. Among these technologies, electrified or motorized latch retraction locks are especially effective for retrofit projects where existing door and frame conditions complicate upgrades. Latch retraction capable locks combine security, accessibility and code compliance benefits, making them ideal for retrofitting fire-rated and non-rated openings in schools, healthcare facilities, commercial buildings and more. Read Now

  • How Cloud Security Solutions Are Transforming Campus Safety

    Campus administrators today face a challenging mandate: deliver stronger security across their facilities while working within tighter budget constraints. From school districts focused on student safety to hospitals protecting patients and staff, the question remains the same: how do you build security infrastructure that evolves with your needs without requiring massive capital investments? Read Now

  • Rethinking Campus Security From the Inside

    For decades, campus security strategies focused on keeping threats outside school walls. But since the tragedy at Columbine High School, data has shown that many attacks begin inside the building, often in classrooms and corridors. This shift has prompted schools to rethink security from the inside and place greater emphasis on interior elements such as classroom doors. This shift is evidenced by a new generation of classroom door systems engineered to delay inside intruders and an ASTM standard that raises the bar on how these systems must be designed to defend against attack. Read Now

  • AI in Security: Advancing Campus Safety and Considerations for Implementing

    Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to capture attention across every sector, and the physical security industry is no exception. Once seen as experimental, AI-enabled analytics now underpin how organizations monitor environments, detect threats, and make decisions. What was once futuristic is now a practical necessity for safety professionals managing growing volumes of data, tighter resources, and increasing expectations for faster, more accurate responses. Read Now

Most   Popular