Classrooms look a little different after a global pandemic. However, recent events have allowed schools, teachers, and parents alike to become more cognizant of how to boost classroom security and health practice. Although there are countless suggestions to improve a classroom experience with social distancing and other school safety guidelines, we want to help make the school year safer, smarter, and yet, still fun! Here are five upgrades to make in your classroom this year that will help safeguard children from health and safety threats.
Classroom Safety: 5 Ways to Boost Classroom Security & Health
We understand the ever-increasing need for improved safety and security measures that protect students and faculty while at school. Below, we explore two security improvements and three health safety measures that will together boost classroom safety.
#1. Install TeacherLock™ on Classroom Doors
Deadbolt locks are one of the strongest options in door security. The TeacherLock™ classroom door lock has a unique locking feature that cannot be forced back into the door, preventing unwanted entry with a simple turn of the lock. This locking mechanism is one of the quickest on the market, and is compliant with International Building Code, ADA, and NFPA safety guidelines.
The TeacherLock™ is easily installed and can only be used by individuals with the key—eliminating any worries about students using it for any reason. It is used without needing to bend over or kneel, making it easy to activate when needed, even in a stressful situation.
TeacherLock™ features include:
- Compliance with International Building Code, ADA, and NFPA Life Safety guidelines
- Cost-effectiveness, perfect for a range of school budgets
- Easy installation on any door
- Bullyproof: only individuals with a small activator can trigger the lock. This activator gives control to a specific individual, the teacher. Some alternative door locks can be accessed by anyone, moving control from the teacher alone to the students.
- Fast deployment: the lock bolts within seconds, utilizing an activator. Because the teacher does not have to bend over or kneel, deployment is efficient, effective, and ergonomic.
- Accessible by emergency personnel from the outside
#2. Implement Lockdown Shades
The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” perfectly summarizes the goal of this product. If an intruder cannot see into a classroom, they do not know if the classroom is either empty or full of students. As a result, they have a higher likelihood of moving on.
Hideaway Helper Lockdown Shades are made with fire retardant—NFPA 701 compliant—blackout polyester fabric. They are user-friendly, designed to be quickly deployed whenever needed but not easy for students to mess with. With both standard sizes and customizable options, as well as extension straps, you protect every window in every room, especially interior classroom door and sidelight windows.
Hideaway Helper Lockdown Shade features include:
- High quality, blackout fabric
- Includes weighted hem-bar
- Quick deployment
- Fire retardant (NFPA 701 compliant)
- Customizable
- Easy installation
- No hardware
- No drilling
- Patented design
- Made in the USA
- One Year Limited Warranty
#3. Create Several Sanitation Stations
Boosting classroom safety and health starts with hygiene. Therefore, when washing your hands is not an option, using hand sanitizer is the next best thing!
To help you and your students maintain social distancing to the best of their abilities, create several handwashing and sanitation stations stocked with tissues, napkins, desk cleaning materials, and hand sanitizers. You could even take it one step furth by incorporating touchless hand sanitizer stations that only require holding your hand underneath the dispenser.
#4. Stock Up on Classroom Emergency Supplies
Tragically, sometimes even preventative measures fall short. In the case of an emergency, teachers need to be ready to respond. With various response kit options, you can choose what best boosts your classroom safety. Below are examples of bleed control kits and classroom lockdown kits that are packed with enough supplies to promote classroom safety.
Bleed Control Kits
Bleed Control Kits are vital in being prepared for an emergency. In the event of a shooting or other incident that involves injuries, first responders are always on the scene as soon as possible. However, the closest people to the situation are the bystanders. Therefore, it’s important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Every bleed control kit includes S.T.A.T. tourniquets which can be used on limbs as small as 20mm and come with a childproof release. You can select just a single tourniquet, or one of the larger kit options which include gauze, sterile gloves, bandages, and other emergency first aid. Furthermore, you can customize your kit to include appropriate sizes for your classmates and to accommodate for heavier traffic areas like cafeterias and auditoriums.
Classroom Lockdown Kits
Another emergency kit option that helps boost classroom safety is Classroom Lockdown Kits.
Select from a few categories of pre-set kits including lockdown kits, multiple person first aid kits, and first aid cabinets. You can choose from these standard options, or customize a kit using these items.
Here is a quick breakdown of the three main kit options.
- Lockdown kits include materials for discreetly relieving yourself and, depending on the size, water pouches along with non-perishable food, water purifying tablets, emergency light sources, and a flashlight radio.
- First aid kits are designed to provide basic first aid products for groups of up to 25 or 50 people. They include a variety of bandages, gauze, sterile gloves, antiseptic wipes, and other important supplies.
- First aid cabinets have some similar content with the first aid kits but can be mounted to a wall. They also include other, more specific supplies, like iodine, eye pads and eyewash, and instant cold packets.
#5. Utilize PPE Products
While E-learning is a great tool, it is no substitute for the real thing, live, and in-person. By implementing these products in your classrooms, students and teachers will be able to reap the full benefits of learning together in the same space, while still being protected from the spread of germs.
Help those in your classroom stay healthy by implementing the following Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Products:
- Desk Partitions
- Disposable Masks
- KN95 Masks
- Face Shields
- Blue Nitrile Gloves
When utilizing PPE products such as desk partitions, feel free to get creative in making these products interactive! For example, hand out colorful dry-erase markers for students to answer math problems, spell new vocabulary words, or interact with their classmates.
Boost Classroom Safety and Security with School Safety Solutions
At School Safety Solution, our number one priority is ensuring the highest level of security and safety possible exists in your preschool classroom and campus. Door barricade hardware is the easiest, most efficient way of doing so, but there are several other options you can also take if you really want to go the extra mile.
First, you can check to make sure every door in your building has a solid core, one which cannot be split down the middle by force. Door barricade hardware effectively secures your door; however, if the door itself breaks, there will little that your barricade system can do.
An additional, important component of door safety is a reinforced door frame. When doors are kicked down, it is usually because of a weaker frame. By reinforcing both sides of each door frame, you can make it nearly impossible for unwanted entry on your property or in a classroom.
If you would like to further discuss your door barricade hardware options, or any other security solution in consideration, we would love to assist you. You can call our team of safety experts at 888.733.0406 or send us an email at info@schoolsafetysolution.com for more information.