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Working to Build Safe School Environments

Set with the goal of envisioning what a safe, learning-conducive environment would look like in the school space, SENTRY established the School Security Case Study. SENTRY is partnering directly with schools and school security stakeholders to better understand the school security landscape, needs, and requirements unique to schools.

SENTRY’s work in this area is being driven by the expertise inherent in a diverse team of SENTRY researchers, technologists, government agencies, and school security practitioners with decades of experience and knowledge specific to school safety and security needs.

SENTRY School Security Listening Session

To launch our case study, SENTRY hosted a 3-hour School Security Listening Session to facilitate open discussion between SENTRY researchers and five school security stakeholders. Topics included discussions of current and needed technologies, threat assessments, safety plans, access, training, and situational awareness. Following the event, key takeaways from the session were captured in an internal report that will be utilized to inform SENTRY’s work.

Listening Session

Future of School Security Working Meeting

Building on the information gathered from the School Security Listening Session, SENTRY hosted the Future of School Security Meeting in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL). The meeting was an invitation-only moderated collaboration that allowed for an open exchange of ideas on the art of the possibilities concerning the future of school security. External participants were specifically selected based on their experience and expertise, with stakeholder representation from SENTRY researchers, first responders, school security personnel, teachers, school administrators, phycologists/social workers, technologists, DHS components, parents, and students. The outputs from this event were compiled into a final report detailing recommendations on technologies, requirements, and priorities of a Virtual Sentry Framework in the school security space.

Partnering with Schools and DHS to Advance Capabilities

SENTRY is working directly with several U.S. school districts and DHS components in this effort. Partnering with school security stakeholders throughout the development process assures that the center develops useful and valuable tools and technologies for schools. Schools and DHS Components have participated in our case study events and have been generous in sharing relevant resources to facilitate our work

By hosting school site visits, observations of drills, and tabletop exercises, our school partners have provided SENTRY with critical school security information and understanding. We look forward to our continued engagement with our school and government partners as we advance school-specific Virtual Sentry Framework solutions.