School Safety Products Are a Must on Teacher Checklists
Back to school is a bustling time of year for teachers. A time filled with checklists of things to do before students are welcomed back into the classroom. Acquiring effective school safety products and strategies is now climbing to the top of every educator’s back to school checklist. Those working in schools wonder how they can increase school safety and security to keep their students as safe as possible during emergency situations. Educators are now taking the initiative and developing innovative school safety products and strategies to help with keeping kids safe during a school emergency. Here’s a glimpse of some school safety products and strategies that have been created by those who are directly impacted by the school safety movement.
Strategies Developed by Educators for Classroom Security
Hideaway Helper Window Coverings—Starting with our own product, Hideaway Helper lockdown shades are an essential school safety product. They were created and developed in 2013 by teachers who saw the need for safety shades on classroom door windows during lockdown situations. They are cost effective, easy to install, and deploy in an instant to keep students and teachers out of sight during a lockdown. Classsroom Door Locks—TeacherLock emergency door lock is a user friendly and cost-effective school safety product created by an elementary school principal who noticed the need for a door barricade that was compliant with all codes and standards required by schools. TeacherLock school safety product is proud to be the ONLY school emergency door lock that complies with International Building Code, ADA, and NFPA 101 – Life Safety Code requirements.
Lockdown Lollipops —Educators of our smallest students will appreciate this school safety “product”. A teacher in Boise, ID prepares her kindergarteners for lockdown drills by keeping an emergency stash of what she calls “lockdown lollipops” in her classroom. Not only does she use them to encourage her little ones to stay quiet during lockdown drills, but the lollipops are an attempt to lighten the mood of an otherwise fearful situation.
River Rock--River rock, a very unlikely school safety product, has recently been a hot topic initiative in one Pennsylvania school district. Many have already formed an opinion of whether stones can be considered a legitimate school safety product, but in the eyes of one superintendent, it is a last effort that empowers those involved in a lockdown. The concept is simple, if an intruder should enter a classroom, instead of huddling passively in a corner, the victims can now defend themselves by throwing the river rock in attempts to distract and disengage the assailant. It is deemed to be a way to empower those who would otherwise be defenseless.
Lockdown Poetry–In addition to school safety products, many of those who teach the primary grades oftentimes must create lessons and strategies to help our youngest students understand what is expected during a lockdown. Although it evokes many emotions to see poetry and lessons geared towards protecting oneself from school violence, educators do what they need to do to create the safest environment for all students.
