eSN News & Information:

eSN Special Report: Safety & Security
How schools are using the latest technologies to keep their students safe
From mass-notification systems that can reach thousands of parents and other school stakeholders instantly in case of emergency, to internet-based video surveillance systems that allow local law-enforcement officials to view camera images from inside a school building in the event of an attack, school districts and colleges today are employing a host of cutting-edge technologies to help keep their students secure... Read More

Schools turn to technology to bolster their security--but will it help?
The recent spate of shootings at school campuses this fall--from the five young girls killed at the Nickel Mines Amish School in Pennsylvania, to the teenage girls brutally murdered at a high school in Bailey, Colo.--has forced school administrators once again to take a close look at their safety and security initiatives. And, not surprisingly, many school districts are turning to new technologies to enable them to say these familiar words to concerned parents, students, school board members, and community residents: "We're doing everything in our power to make sure that we don't have another Columbine on our hands." ... Read More

Educators mull technology's role in safety
As school leaders struggle to comprehend the tragic March 21 shootings that left 10 people dead at Minnesota's Red Lake High School, many are asking how technology might be used to help prevent--or respond to--such violent attacks in the future... Read More

Mississippi district installs 'web cams' in every classroom
Students in Biloxi, Miss., public schools started classes this week under the watchful eye of web cameras that will keep track of every classroom and hallway. School and security officials said they believed Biloxi might be the first school district in the nation to install cameras in every classroom... Read More

New 'roving-eye' software puts the focus on security
Regardless of what their students might claim, educators don't have eyes in the backs of their heads. But eyes in the palms of their hands? Well, maybe so—thanks to the latest innovation in security software, which gives school administrators and security personnel live access to images captured from any security camera installed at the school either from a personal digital assistant (PDA) or remote computer terminal... Read More

Supes weigh in on security, ASPs, and virtual schooling
School superintendents from West Hempstead to Wyoming gathered in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for a unique technology summit April 30 and May 1. Hosted by eSchool News, the summit gave attendees a chance to help set the technology agenda for the nation's schools... Read More

Planning a secure school facility
School officials involved in designing new facilities or remodeling existing sites should consider the following steps to ensure the safety of their students... Read More

You lookin' at me? Spy cams come to school
It already was a trend. Schools in increasing numbers have been installing closed circuit television (CCTV) systems on buses and playgrounds, in parking lots, libraries, and corridors, at entrances, and even in boys' and girls' locker rooms. But the two tragic shootings that left five students dead late last year in Pearl, Miss., and Paducah, Ky., have hastened schools' acceptance of electronic surveillance... Read More