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2 THE SAFER SCHOOL DESIGN INITIATIVE ( Reprinted from October 2006, copyright Schooldesigner, LLC ) By Joel K. Sims, AIA As I sit in my office, just 15 miles from the devastating and horrific Amish school shooting site in rural Pennsylvania, I am mindful that there is no such thing as a safe school. There are however, safer schools. In this issue of The Schooldesigner, we assist in making schools safer with practical advice. Years ago, I had the opportunity to work on the design for renovations and additions to a public elementary school near the Amish schoolhouse where the tragedies occurred. I can't help but wonder, "Did we make that one elementary school safer so that it was not the target of the school shooting?" Similarly, many of you readers work diligently to make schools safer and, for that, you should be commended. But there is more to be done. Listed below are the "must do" items to make schools safer. There are thousands of schools around the United States (not to mention the rest of the world) that have not initiated these basic safer school design changes. Yes, it costs time and money. It may even be an inconvenience to some. But the work must be completed. Most of the recommendations can be done to existing schools, and all can be designed into new facilities. We call this the Safer

3 School Design Initiative (SSDI), and its goal is simple: help make all schools safer. 1. Main Entry Control Problem: There is not a controlled entry point at the school, and people can access the school without being noticed. Solution: As the diagram of a sample elementary school shows, secure entries allow easy access into the school at the start of the school day but secure the building throughout the day. Visitors must access the school through the main office. A. The remote buzzer allows access from the vestibule to the office. B. Once inside the office, visitors must check in. After signing in and leaving a photo id, such as a driver's license, visitors receive a name tag. C. A second remote buzzer allows access from the office to the hallway and the rest of the building. Optional metal detectors can be added in the lobby if warranted by the school location. Video surveillance should be at this location. Also, card access should be located here so as to allow staff and faculty pass- through. In large schools, where there are decentralized administration areas, there should be more than one controlled entrance. Main Office Location Problem: The main office is not at the front of the building, but is buried within the building's bowels. Providing a secure main entry control is impossible because of the remote office location. Solution: In order to achieve a secure main entry, the main office must be located at the front of the building. In most cases, this is feasible by renovating some key spaces within the school (see diagram). Besides a secure main entry, the other benefits include: A. clear visibility to the front entry and parking area; and B. clear visibility to the lobby and adjoining hallways. 3. Escape/Rescue Windows in Classrooms Problem: There is only one door into each classroom, so escape routes are limited. Solution: With the exception of a few specialty classrooms on the high school level, all classrooms should have windows. One of the windows should be an operable rescue window. The minimum clear opening should be three feet wide by two feet high. Label the window with a sticker that reads "emergency escape/rescue window." While this is a requirement of some state agencies, it

4 should be a standard part of school facility design. The other classroom windows can be operable, but the openings can be limited to avoid the potential for entry from the exterior. 4. Keyless Entries at Secondary Locations Problem: Keeping track of keys for even a single school is a logistical nightmare. When contract employees or terminated staff leave, it is difficult to account for all keys. It is also difficult to monitor activity at remote secondary entrances/exits. Solution: Provide keyless entries at specific secondary school entrances. By using card or fob access, the facility manager can simply delete a card's authorization code to deny access. Another benefit to a keyless entry system is that you can monitor who comes in and out of the school, along with the times they enter and exit. You may also limit access for certain times, like issuing a card for Saturday afternoon gym use only. These secondary doors should also have video surveillance. 5. Classroom Doors/Corridor Visibility Problem: Because of the remote chance that someone may enter the school to terrorize the occupants, it is important that teachers have the ability to lock the classroom door from the inside. In addition, monitoring activity in the corridor from the classroom adds extra security. Solution: Providing the appropriate classroom door locksets is an easy hardware fix. The hardware must comply with applicable codes so that exiting can occur from the classroom. Providing a sidelight (i.e., a glass panel next to the classroom door) helps with monitoring. It is important to take into consideration that activity in the corridor can be a potential distraction to students in the classroom. Providing blinds or shades on the sidelight interior can help. 6. Security Systems Problem: Some schools still do not have adequate security systems that monitor-through passive monitoring techniques-entrances and areas not easily supervised. Solution: Add security cameras, alarms, motion detectors, monitors and other security features as appropriate for the school. Lavatories and Sinks Bradley hand washing fixtures are designed for long-lasting, vandalresistant, lowmaintenance and waterconserving performance. From Wash fountains to Express Lavatory Systems to Classroom sinks, Bradley provides options for any school application. Available in a wide array of Terreon solid surface colors, Terrazzo, or Stainless to complement any design. Large Opening Glass Walls Pre-Fab Construction The NanaWall, a large opening glass wall system, can be installed anywhere a traditional wall would stand. The panels of the NanaWall can easily open and fold away out of sight, blurring the line between the indoors and outdoors. When closed, the NanaWall provides optimum security and superior protection from outdoor elements. NRB s 5000 Series technology provides a newer, more sophisticated class of permanent modular construction. Meticulous design and precision alignment are a result of our Build-Together process, ensuring faster installation and minimized site disruption or disturbance.

5 7. School Sections or Regions Problem: Access can be gained throughout a large area of the school or the school in its entirety. Solution: While gates are often used in corridors, there is a potential to create a dead-end corridor and thus a fire hazard. By providing doors at critical intersections, the school can be divided into sections or regions without compromising exiting requirements. When after-school programs occur, portions of the building can be used while limiting access to other areas. In the event a crisis situation arises during the school day, portions of the building can be sectioned off to limit access within the school. How do you make sure this work gets done? 1. Form an SSDI team, and include the following personnel: * architect, * security specialist and/or security equipment manufacturers, * director of facilities, and * school administrator (principal or assistant principal). We recommend that an architect experienced in educational planning and design be the team leader. Architects, by training, are sensitive to aesthetics. While it is imperative to design a safer school, it is equally important to make sure it does not resemble a prison. 2. After a review of the existing school(s), establish written guidelines of what will be done, along with the estimated construction cost and a timeline for implementation. 3. Understand that timing is critical: Before beginning the design of a new school or major renovation is the best time to form the SSDI team and evaluate your schools. However, don't wait to implement these changes if a major renovation project is in the distant future. A carefully designed school looks bright, cheerful and inviting and, at the same time, is a safer learning environment. There are certainly more options to create better sight lines, add visibility in stairways and eliminate "nooks and crannies" when designing new schools. However, much can be done to existing schools to make them safer.