North Hills School District Planning Security Enhancements

The North Hills School Board is expected to vote in the coming months, in line with budget approvals, on a proposal to enhance security district-wide, with special emphasis on West View Elementary and North Hills Junior and Senior High schools.

West View Elementary and the Junior high school are the only buildings in the district without captured vestibules, where two sets of doors require visitors to check in with the administrative office before entering the building. 

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Johannah Vanatta outlined the three-phase plan, expected to take 3-5 years, for the board during its working session Monday night.

Phase 1
West View Elementary 

• Install electronic monitoring of exterior doors
• Install panic alarms and three personal card readers
• Install security cameras and monitoring system
• Total estimated cost: $34,602

Phase 2
West View Elementary

• Install captured vestibule
• Total estimated cost $89,750

North Hills Jr. High School

• Install captured vestibule
• Total estimated cost $75,000

North Hills Jr. & Senior High Schools 

• Install electronic monitoring of exterior doors
• Install panic alarms
• Install 5 personal card readers
• Upgrade existing analog security cameras with digital cameras
• Total estimated cost $18,600

Phase 3

• Reassess all security enhancements district-wide

Vanatta said visitors may also be required to show, and then leave their I-D's at the front desk of each building.

"We are looking at a system were visitors would swipe their I-D's, and then be given a visitor's pass," she said. "The person at the front desk would keep the I-D and it would be returned to the visitor when they left.  Some systems would also run a background check on your I-D. We may even ask for I-D and a visitor's car keys while they are in our buildings."

Vanatta said there will be other changes as well. 

"There are things we can do now, that don't cost a lot of money," she said. "Things like making sure our security personnel are identified, that they have standard uniforms, and they are recognizable. Putting the signs up on doors outlining the requirements for visitors in regards to signing in, and presenting I-D."

Vanatta says that these proposed enhancements are part of an constant, ongoing review of school security.

"Our buildings are very secure, the camera systems are unbelievable, and the police departments can view our elementary schools and the Junior and Senior High," she said. "At West View, we have the luxury of having the police station directly across the street. Our relationships with our police departments are really strong. We meet with them on a regular basis. "We are constantly reviewing security, we have a safety committee which meets regularly to revisit the plans, and work over all of the information, always constantly improving it."

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