New physical security technology to keep students and staff safe

Boost school safety with innovative video surveillance and access control systems.

Students walking through school

Monitoring all corners of educational facilities and safeguarding students and school staff is no small task. Limited resources and unpredictable incidents can take a toll on your school’s security posture. So, where do you even start?

The right solution begins with a culture shift. Ask yourself:

Are school security teams equipped with the right resources?
Are they shifting the culture toward unification and prevention?

It’s easy to get stuck on the details, and that can mean missing the big picture. Instead, taking a more global approach to school safety, risk detection, and investigations can help address what caused the problem in the first place. How? By unifying access control, video management, forensic search, intrusion monitoring, automation, and many other advanced security capabilities.

GUIDE

Everything you need to secure your k-12 schools

Top 4 school security challenges

Today’s schools face countless safety and security challenges. Whether it’s a small budget, infrastructure that can’t keep up, or outdated technology, there’s always something getting in the way of ensuring comprehensive school security.

Here’s a quick look at some of the hurdles:

60% of North American K-12 schools don’t have security personnel on school premises
IT departments are understaffed, causing delays in system updates and maintenance
Aging infrastructure makes it difficult to integrate new physical security solutions
Outdated technology and legacy systems pose significant risks to student and staff safety

WEBINAR

Learn about physical security software as a service

Taking the guesswork out of investigations has been incredibly helpful. The first month we deployed Genetec™, we had a student go missing. Several students had denied ever seeing or speaking with the missing student, but because we had video, we were able to track every hour of that day and locate the missing student.

– Melissa Tebbenkamp, Director of Instructional Technology, Raytown Quality Schools

CUSTOMER STORY

Read how Raytown Quality Schools protects 9,000+ students

24/7 video management for total visibility

It’s not easy to keep an eye on every corner with just cameras alone. A modern video management system can deliver 24/7, high-quality surveillance that ensures:

High-risk or traffic areas stay in full view
Unguarded sides in school sand camera tampering are identified promptly
Video analytics speed up investigations—going from hours to minutes

Video analytics can give school security teams and staff a huge efficiency boost. For example, if someone crosses a barrier or unusual activity is detected, intelligent video analytics can alert school staff quickly. This allows them to respond before the situation escalates.

While operators are busy handling other tasks, video analytics work in the background silently. They can streamline searches, detect potential fights, and even trigger alerts for anomalies like unusual sounds or movement near sensitive areas.

k-12 students in school

Advanced video analytics can also help ensure that individual identities are protected, pixelating or redacting video footage. This strengthens compliance with privacy laws such as The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which is is a federal law in the United States that affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to have these records amended, and to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education record.

The bottom line? Modern video surveillance in education and K-12 schools is all about eliminating uncertainties, giving you a complete view of your school environment.

CHECKLIST

How to choose the right video management solution

Boosted decision-making

Effective communication is critical to both education and school safety. There’s no room for guesswork when your school cameras are picking up on an active incident or overcrowding. Investing in a decision management system alongside video analytics solutions lets your team focus on what’s important.

Imagine being able to link your intercom systems to automated alerts. Or triggering geo-located incidents from a mobile app to alert your security team if they’re on the field. This lets administrators get more out of their school cameras and alarm systems. They get real-time guidance at their fingertips—whether it’s a conflict in a corridor or unexpected activity at an entrance.

With the ability to resolve threats before they turn into crises, you can encourage a culture shift toward prevention.

BLUEPRINT

Learn how to supercharge your investigations

A single, controlled point of access

Did you know that you can centrally monitor your school’s major access points through a single system? A unified school security solution can help:

Enhance safety by preventing unauthorized entry and breaches
Watch every door with integrated access control and video analytics
Automate lockdown configurations on schedule

Let’s say someone breaches a designated entry point. The security system gets to work and instantly alerts staff. It can even trigger the lights or school intercom announcements to deter intrusion and secure the area.

EBOOK

Modernize access control in your K-12 school

Open and deployable in the cloud

K-12 schools deserve open security solutions that adapt to their unique needs. For many in education that can mean a physical security system that is deployable in the cloud. Or even a hybrid-could solution that works with their existing hardware and cameras.

How can my school benefit from a full cloud deployment?

Enhanced cybersecurity with built-in protections and automatic updates
Access to the latest technology innovations instantly with no manual updates
Backed up recordings off-site for added security and reliability
Reduced hardware needs with a low to no hardware footprint
Eliminate the need to have someone provide regular maintenance
Use of Software as a Service (SaaS) for a more flexible and scalable solution

BLOG

Which cloud deployment is right for you?

A school’s security needs don’t have to be locked to a single vendor either. With an open ecosystem of technology partners, security teams are free to swap or add new technology as needed.

BLOG

What’s the difference between a VMS and VSaaS?

Setting global standards

A holistic security solution goes beyond your local context. Prevention has global implications. Your school can set new standards for safety by:

✓ Unifying cameras, access control, and intrusion detection
✓ Staying connected with a centralized, mobile-friendly solution
✓ Adapting to an evolving security landscape and new technology

When you partner with Genetec, you gain more than just a video management solution. We’ll keep innovating and collaborating with you so that your team will always have the best and latest tools.

Protect what matters most: The safety of students, school staff, and parents.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a video management system (VMS), and how does it enhance school security?

A VMS is a platform that allows schools to monitor and manage video surveillance footage in real-time. By providing comprehensive visibility of school premises, it helps in promptly identifying and addressing security incidents. This ensures a safer environment for students and staff.

How do video analytics improve the effectiveness of a VMS in schools?

Video analytics add intelligent processing to a VMS by automatically analyzing video feeds to detect unusual activities, such as unauthorized access or loitering. This proactive approach enables school security teams to respond to potential threats swiftly.

Can video analytics assist in protecting student privacy?

Yes, advanced video analytics can include features like automatic pixelation or redaction of individuals' identities, helping schools comply with strict privacy regulations.

What role does access control play in school security?

Access control systems regulate who can enter specific areas within a school. They help prevent unauthorized access and enhancing overall safety. Integrating access control with video surveillance provides a unified security approach.

How does a decision management system benefit school security operations?

A decision management system streamlines communication and response protocols during incidents. By linking various security components, such as intercoms and mobile alerts, it ensures that the right information reaches the right people, at the right time.

Are cloud-based security solutions suitable for schools?

Cloud-based solutions offer flexibility and scalability, allowing schools to manage security systems remotely and integrate new technologies as needed. They can be tailored to fit the unique requirements of educational institutions.

What’s a hybrid-cloud deployment?

A hybrid-cloud deployment gives you the freedom to choose exactly how you want to set up each system and school campus. That means you can have one school that’s fully on-premises, another site that’s full cloud, and another that’s connected to the cloud.

How can schools ensure their security systems remain effective over time?

Schools can regularly update and maintain security systems, invest in staff training, and adopt open, adaptable solutions. These actions allow schools to stay ahead of evolving security challenges and technological advancements.