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 Safe
and Secure
By Alice Korsick
Common-sense practices for a safe school environment
Twenty years ago, security was not a problem in most dance
schools. But the world has changed. Although there’s no need
to panic, common sense dictates that school owners should take
basic safety precautions to protect their property, employees,
and students. Along with facility security, at the top of your
priority list should also be an awareness of students’ health
needs, injury prevention and intervention, and disaster
preparedness. You might not be able to prevent or predict an
emergency situation, but you certainly can be ready to jump
into action.
Let’s look at physical preparations first. Take a stroll
around your property and identify potential problems. Are
entrances well exposed and lit? Do lights come on
automatically when it gets dark? Can you or your receptionist
see people the moment they set foot in the door? Is there a
chime or buzzer at the door to alert studio personnel when
someone enters? If not, you’ve got some work to do. But even
if you’ve said yes to all these questions, there’s more you
can do.
A dance studio’s front door is always open during business
hours, which often extend into the evening. Anyone, at any
time, can walk through that door. Even if there’s no one at
the front desk, you can keep an eye on comings and goings by
mounting an inexpensive security camera near the entrance.
With a multiple-camera system you can monitor the waiting area
and the studios as well. By connecting the camera(s) to a
computer or independent monitor, the video feed can be routed
to the receptionist, business office, or even into the
studios, providing you with real-time awareness of who is in
your building—plus a record to rely on should a problem arise.
If you’re more interested in low-tech security measures, try
placing a large mirror near the door, angled so that the
receptionist— or anyone else—can spot strangers immediately.
Also, place your front desk and seating areas as far away from
the front door as possible. The longer the walk an intruder
has to take, the more time employees have to react.
Prepare your employees by including in your staff handbook a
written policy about how to approach or confront new faces in
the studio, and offer periodic training sessions (or at least
one for each new hire). People who work at a school’s front
desk see the same people day after day, so they know who
belongs and who does not. Make a plan of action with those
employees about what to do in the event of a threatening—or
even questionable—situation.
Next, think about personal safety. Your building’s entrance
may be well lit and unobscured by overgrown shrubbery, but
entering and exiting the studio is a time when you should be
especially alert. Many school owners open their studios when
there’s no one around—are you one of them? Even if it’s
daylight, be aware of your surroundings. Take a look around
before you open that door or bound out into the night air.
Upon arriving, check your surroundings to make sure that
things look in order. Lock the doors behind you until students
are expected. When you’re leaving for the night, avoid doing
so alone. Have a student or an employee leave with you, and
walk to your cars together. Always try to park in a well-lit
area if it will be dark when you leave (even if it’s daylight
when you arrive), as long as you don’t have to park too far
away to do so.
As a school owner, the safety of your students is always a
priority. Make sure that you’re aware of their health
problems, such as diabetes or epilepsy, or special needs, such
as difficulty hearing. Your registration form is a perfect
place to document that information. Make sure that all
teachers are aware of student health concerns. Your staff
should be trained in basic first aid and CPR, and a good
emergency kit should be on hand in a central (but secure)
location.
An escape plan in the event of an emergency is essential.
Lights fail due to storms or fires; fires or intruders may
threaten the students’ and employees’ safety. Many states
offer safety tips and programs through their department of
safety; call and find out if they can help in your situation.
But there are simple, common-sense actions that every school
owner can implement immediately.
•
Have working flashlights in each studio and waiting room. All
teachers should know where they are kept, and batteries must
be checked regularly.
•
Make sure that everyone in the building knows where the
emergency exits are. On a regular basis (perhaps monthly),
check to see that exit lights are working.
•
Keep back doors in working order and free from clutter that
could prevent a quick departure. Don’t use the space around an
exit as a storage area!
•
Occasionally run an exit drill, especially for the younger
students; parents will appreciate your preparedness. The older
students should be able to follow your directions if you are
in control of all situations.
•
Place smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the appropriate
areas of the school. Assign a staff member to change the
batteries in these devices regularly. An easy schedule to
follow is to change the batteries when you change your clocks
to go on or off daylight savings time, if your state observes
it. If not, schedule it on your calendar or link it to some
other event, such as the start of school in September and the
end-of-year recital.
Finally, be aware of one unlikely but possible hazard:
kidnapping. Most kidnappings are done by family members or
people who have some connection to the child, such as a
caretaker or a parent’s ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. According
to a 2002 study, “National Incidence Studies of Missing,
Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART-2),”
conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, of an estimated
797,500 children who were reported missing in 1999, only
58,200 were abducted by nonfamily members, while 203,900
children were the victims of family abductions.
So what can you do to protect your students? How are you to
know who is legally allowed to pick them up? Due to the high
rate of divorce in this country, some students have different
last names than their parents. And even when last names are
the same, some students may be in the sole custody of one
parent or a grandparent who does not authorize the other
parent(s) to have access to the child. One way is to include
on your registration form the names and phone numbers of the
people (including other students’ parents or older students)
who are authorized to pick up each student. You may want to
flag any registration forms that document unusual or sensitive
custody situations. Your staff needs to know whom they are
releasing the students to and whether those people are
authorized to pick them up. They should check any unfamiliar
person’s ID and compare it with the authorized release list.
Having the information on the form isn’t enough; complying
with it is essential.
No one can guarantee that safety preparedness will avert
accidents or disasters. Still, common sense is the key to
keeping your students and staff as safe as possible while
they’re under your roof. Take basic precautions, and then, if
something doesn’t feel right, listen to that whisper in your
ear and react.
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