Key
Communicator
October 15, 2007
Security
System
We are
beginning to work with the District’s Architect in the development of
specifications for a new security system to be installed in the WES, EBMS and
WHS school buildings. The security upgrades are part of a project
involving New York State EXCEL Aid Grant funds. These funds were provided to the
1. All
of the exterior doors in the three schools will be secured throughout the
school day by an electronically controlled locking system.
2. Five
of the exterior doors at the EBMS/WHS complex (including the main entrance to
both buildings) will have a “key-card” admittance system. The main
entrance doors (and one rear door) will have security cameras that hook up to a
monitor in the principal’s office with a “buzz-in” system.
3. Three
of the exterior doors at the WES building will have a “key-card” admittance
system. The main entrance doors (and east-end exterior door) will have
security cameras that hook up to a monitor in the principal’s office with a
“buzz-in” system.
4. All
exterior doors that do not involve the key-card admittance system will be
equipped with electronic locking devices. These doors will be “one-way”
doors equipped with inside panic bars (but will be locked to outside
admission). A warning system will be activated in the principal’s office
if one of these doors is opened from the inside. (With a metal key system, a
propped-open door, that goes undetected, completely
comprises the integrity of the security system).
5. Some
inside doors will be equipped with a key-card access system; at this early
stage, we do not know how many interior doors we can address with the funds
available. We will use the entirety of the EXCEL Aid grant for this project.
We will be able to do some of the high-priority interior areas (District
technology nerve-center, Distance Learning Lab, computer labs, library etc.),
but probably will not be able to do all interior doors in this phase of the
project.
6. The
key-card system keeps track of everyone employing their key-card to enter the
building and other interior secured areas. Visitors have to be “buzzed
into” the building through the principal’s office.
7. Lost
or stolen key-cards can be de-activated with ease (without changing all of the
key tumblers as we had to do when someone lost their metal keys).
8. Key-cards
can be programmed to work with certain doors without compromising the security
of other areas.
The Webutuck Board of Education determined the scope of the
EXCEL Aid project at its September 24 meeting. For some time now the
Board has placed upgrades to the District’s security measures as a very high
priority. This is a need that has been echoed by District patrons on many
occasions (particularly as we conversed with the public in the development of
the District’s Long Range Facility Plan). As early as 2003 the Board
recognized that security upgrades were necessary. At that time, funds
were set aside to enhance the old (metal key) system in some of the buildings;
however this solution was eventually discarded as insufficient and replaced
with the idea of an electronic key-card alternative which provided tighter
security and better economy for the District over the long haul.
The EXCEL Aid
Grant program was started in