Washington District Focuses on Controlling Access to Campuses -- Campus Security Today

Washington District Focuses on Controlling Access to Campuses

The vestibule will have an access button on the door itself as well as in the school office. Staff members with a building access card will be able to enter the campus, while other visitors will have to be authenticated before gaining access to student and staff areas.

By Jessica Davis
March 07, 2019

The Port Angeles School District is adding controlled access to all of its elementary and middle school buildings by installing security vestibules. The safety vestibules mean office staff must approve visitors before they’re allowed to enter the classroom areas in the building.

Port Angeles School District is starting by installing a safety vestibule at Jefferson Elementary School.

“It will be kind of our prototypical model that we’ll demonstrate to our community,” Superintendent Martin Brewer said. The vestibule at Jefferson Elementary will be completed by the end of spring break.

According to Facilities Director Nolan Duce, the project at Jefferson will cost about $6,500.

“Port Angeles School District is dedicated to continuing to enhance security measures of this nature to protect our most important assets — our students and staff,” Brewer said.

Brewer said the district is also working with law enforcement to train staff on how to respond in an emergency such as an active shooter incident.

“They’ll talk about best practices around that horrifying school shooting event,” Brewer said. “Hopefully we’ll never need to use that, but we always need to be prepared.”

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Update PASS Guidelines Add New Digital Infrastructure Layer
09/05/2025

Featured

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
- Facility Security
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
- Facility Security
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
- Facility Security
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