Michigan District Prioritizes Security with $225,900 in Planned Upgrades

Michigan District Prioritizes Security with $225,900 in Planned Upgrades

The Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education awarded a bid of $225,900 to a construction company on Monday for security upgrades in the district.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • May 22, 2019

The Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education awarded a bid of $225,900 to a construction company on Monday for security upgrades in the district.

School security is a top priority for the district, MAPS Superintendent Bill Saunders said; however, the district still wants to balance safety with a welcoming environment.

“We want to have warm welcoming buildings,” Saunders said. “We want to encourage interaction with the community. At the same time, we’re also focused on adding layers of security to best protect our students.”

One of the planned upgrades includes a secure vestibule for the office area at Marquette Alternative High School. The full glass front won’t be changed, but there will be another set of doors added inside the main vestibule, Saunders said.

“It would be much more secure. It directs traffic through the main office,” he said.

The security upgrade bid also includes Avigilon hardware for two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school campus. The system will let the district add an element of access control.

“This is expensive technology, but it starts us on a track that we have complete door-access control for our visitors,” Saunders said. Office staff will be able to use a button to lock any door, and the doors can be programmed to open or close at any time.

Saunders said the district aims to have that security system in place on every door in the district.

In addition to the physical security, Saunders said they also want to focus on safety measures that aren’t tangible.

“We also need to focus on the mental well-being of our students,” Saunders said, “and that doesn’t happen through hardware and those type of things.”

There is not yet a timeline for when construction on the upgrades will begin.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

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

  • 77% of Americans Support Gun Detection Technology in Schools, Workplaces, and Houses of Worship

    More than three-quarters of Americans (77.4%) believe gun detection technology should be deployed in schools, workplaces, and other public spaces, according to new survey data released recently. The national survey shows strong support for incorporating camera-based gun detection into existing video surveillance systems. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

Most   Popular