Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Center security and risk procedures

    Posted 11-28-2018 09:01 AM
    I serve on the Board of a childcare center with seven rooms and between 80 and 100 children. We reviewing our security policies and procedures. I am interested in hearing how other centers have dealt with planning and updating infrastructure and operations to increase security and safety.

    ------------------------------
    Kittybelle Hosford
    Retired
    Frederick MD
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Center security and risk procedures

    Posted 11-29-2018 07:47 AM
    I am the ED of a very similar sized program and would be interested to hear as well.  About 15 years ago, we installed a key pad access system and that, unfortunately, is as far as we've gotten.  We do do the name badge, visitor sign in, a listing of who keys are issued to, etc.  I have been increasingly aware that it is time to do more, and to that end we will be having a school security firm come in (gratis) and do a safety audit, which I am certain will show many inadequacies and require funds to fix...funds which we are unlikely to have readily available.

    ------------------------------
    Diana Verbeck
    Danville Child Development Center
    Danville PA
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Center security and risk procedures

    Posted 11-29-2018 09:28 AM
    We use SEC ( Secure Education Consultants) which is a Firestorm Security Solutions company, for all our security and risk procedures, trainings and assessments.  Some of you may have heard Jason Russell speak at NAEYC or Kris Murray's conferences. He is a former Secret Service agent and is incredibly knowledgeable in all areas of security. They do site assessments, policy reviews, and active shooter and crisis training. They show you were you may be vulnerable and give suggestions on how to make your building more secure.
    While we have key pads at our entrances and cameras in our building, the training and emergency preparedness awareness is so very important. Twice a year we have Jason's company come in to train our staff. We actually have our training scheduled for Monday night!They have contracts with many childcare centers, schools  and University's across the country and their reputation is top notch!

    ------------------------------
    Tracy DeRuyter
    Milestones Child Development Center
    Caledonia MI
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Center security and risk procedures

    Posted 11-29-2018 04:59 PM
    We are also reevaluating our safety procedures as an element of our whole school's examination of security.  We have partnered with a safety and security expert who has reviewed our handbook, our campus security measures, and our fire/evacuation/lockdown drill protocols. We have made a plan for increasingly complex drills through the year and are including a curriculum of situational awareness for children and staff.

    ------------------------------
    Holly Dalferes
    Director
    George Cottage at St Martin's Episcopal School
    Metairie LA
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Center security and risk procedures

    Posted 11-30-2018 12:24 AM
    Children and families who speak languages other than English often get forgotten in program safety plans. But, it is so important to think about how a small child will feel in a drill or emergency when they don't know what's going on. I have an article on my website called "Considering Children who are DLLs in Emergency Plans" that offers some useful ideas.



    ------------------------------
    Karen Nemeth
    Language Castle LLC
    http://www.languagecastle.com/
    Newtown PA
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Center security and risk procedures

    Posted 12-02-2018 01:45 PM
    Something that we do at our center is keep the classroom doors closed and locked at all times during the school day. All staff where keys around their necks that open the classroom doors.  We also have half doors so when a parent or someone knocks on our doors we can just open the top half with out opening the whole door.  We also have a parent check in that is located in the entry way where who ever is dropping off a child has to initial the sheet with all of the childrens names on it.  They aren't allowed to go down the hallway without initialing the form, we tell families that the child is basically their ticket into the hall way.  It's just a way for us to know who is walking through our center.

    ------------------------------
    Ashley Byers
    MCC
    Flint MI
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Center security and risk procedures

    Posted 12-03-2018 12:07 AM
    We have visitors come to the office and they are required to have a badge while they are on campus. We also have keypads on all of our gates (we're in California so our setup is different than most in that our classrooms are accessible from outside, not one hallway or building). We use Kinderlime which is an app that parents use to sign in and out so we know who is signing the child out at all times and can access that from our office. Additionally, we use lock-blocks on the tops of our doors and keep our doors locked at all times. The lock-block keeps the door propped open and if we ever had to go on lockdown, the teachers can slide the lock-block from the inside and shut the door that way they don't have to go outside.

    ------------------------------
    Sara Fox
    Assistant Director
    CrossRoads Children's Center
    Simi Valley CA
    ------------------------------