school entrance

Virginia Elementary School Receives Security Overhaul

Through an $85,000 state safety grant, Van Pelt Elementary School in Virginia is going through a security overhaul, adding a vestibule for visitors to enter the school.

  • By Sherelle Black
  • November 27, 2019

A more than 40-year-old elementary school in Bristol, Virginia has been able to complete a security overhaul through the use of an $85,000 state safety grant.

Visitors trying to enter Van Pelt Elementary School will be met with a hefty security plan.

“Instead of having the one layer of security, we have three layers of security so if somebody accidentally gets through the first layer, they still have to get through two more layers before they can ever have access to our students or our staff,” said Superintendent Keith Perrigan to WJHL.

“We have a buzz-in system on the front door, we’ll have bulletproof glass, we’ll have a steel reinforced wall that folks will have to come into as well, said Perrigan. “Then, you will also have a second buzzer to get into the main office. Then, you’ll have to be buzzed back out of the office again to get access to the school.”

Additionally, the main office was moved from the middle of the campus to the front, and more security cameras were added.

“Our top priority as a school board and as a division is to make sure first and foremost that our schools are as safe as they can possibly be,” Perrigan says. “Once you take care of that, then you can start working on the relationships and the curriculum and the instruction, those things that are paramount to learning.”

About the Author

Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Father of Georgia School Shooting Suspect Charged in Connection With Attack

    Colin Gray, the father of the 14-year-old Georgia school shooting suspect, has also been charged in connection with the attack. The 54-year-old father was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. Read Now

  • Safeguarding Stony Brook University Hospital: HALO’S Commitment to Health & Safety

    The healthcare industry is experiencing an alarming escalation of violence, including an increase in threats against healthcare workers. As a result, it is looking for ways to be proactive and protect its staff and patients.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,  the rate of injuries from violent attacks against medical professionals grew by 63% from 2011 to 2018 and hospital safety directors say that aggression against staff escalated as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified in 2020.      Read Now

  • Survey: School Safety Impacts Student Achievement, Classroom Instructional Time, and Educator Retention

    CENTEGIX recently released findings from a nationwide survey of 530 K-12 educators and administrators that bring attention to the critical issue of school safety, including the pervasive concerns surrounding staff safety, recruitment, retention, and their impact on student learning and well-being. Read Now

  • Alleviating Stress, Building Confidence, and Creating Safer Schools Through Empowerment

    An active shooter situation is often cited as being extremely rare among school violence incidents in our country. Nevertheless, when one occurs, it’s always devastating, often unpredictable, and evolves quickly. Whether at a school, a house of worship, or anywhere for that matter, one is still too many. Read Now

Most   Popular

Webinars