The Evolution of School Safety: From Lockdowns to Tech-Enabled Solutions

School safety isn't static—it evolves as our understanding of threats and effective responses changes. During a recent ATLIS (Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools) podcast, industry experts explored how school safety has transformed over the decades and how today's technology is creating new possibilities for keeping students safe.

From "Duck and Cover" to Options-Based Response

Remember the old-school approach to emergencies? Lockdown, lights off, huddle in the corner, stay quiet. This one-size-fits-all response emerged in the 1960s and 70s as schools first began implementing standardized safety protocols.

But the Columbine tragedy revealed a painful truth: a single approach doesn't work for every emergency scenario. As Marshall Singer, co-founder of Ruvna, explained during the ATLIS panel:

"After Columbine, it became very clear that that type of response was actually not particularly productive, because it pushes people into silos, breaks down communication and also makes it tougher to get out of harm's way."

This realization led to what safety experts now call "options-based response"—frameworks like "Run, Hide, Fight" that empower community members to make situational decisions rather than following rigid protocols. These approaches recognize that emergencies are unpredictable and require flexible responses.

COVID's Unexpected Impact on School Safety

The pandemic transformed school safety in ways no one anticipated. While not a traditional security threat, COVID-19 exposed critical gaps in two areas that apply to all emergency situations:

1. The Information Gap

Who's on campus? When did they arrive? Are they where they're supposed to be?

These questions became urgent during the pandemic, but they're equally critical during any emergency. Especially in independent schools with open campuses, accurately tracking who is present became recognized as a fundamental safety requirement.

Bill Stites, Director of Technology at Montclair Kimberley Academy, shared a pre-pandemic challenge that perfectly illustrates this information gap:

"I knew for a very long time when we would have a lockdown, we would have an email address where everyone needed to send their attendance before you would say everything was all clear. And I often joked that there were emails coming in after the all clear was already given."

This "security theater" (appearing safe without actually being safe) became impossible to ignore during the pandemic. Schools needed real-time information, not delayed reports.

2. The Communication Challenge

COVID also intensified expectations around communication. Parents wanted—and needed—more information about safety measures. Internally, schools discovered their communication systems were often inadequate for complex, evolving situations.

Hiram Cuevas, Director of Information Systems and Academic Technology at St. Christopher's School, observed this during a recent lockdown:

"What we learned very, very quickly from a communications perspective is it's often better to not use the walkie-talkies but to use some of the internal communications that we have available within the application in order to keep the chatter down."

Traditional communication tools like PA systems and walkie-talkies have limitations: they can be overheard by students (potentially causing panic), they don't work in all areas of campus, and they can become chaotic when multiple people try to communicate simultaneously.

Building Better Safety Systems with Technology

Today's schools are leveraging technology to close these critical gaps:

Real-Time Accountability

Modern emergency management platforms provide what email check-ins never could: instant visibility into who's safe, who's missing, and who needs help.

"One of the things when we looked at Ruvna and we brought it in for that purpose, was that real thing where we could really stand up tall and say, when we're calling this as an all clear, we know that we have everyone accounted for," explained Bill Stites.

This shift from approximate to accurate accountability represents a fundamental improvement in emergency response capability.

Targeted Communication Channels

Emergency communication isn't just about broadcasting messages—it's about getting the right information to the right people at the right time.

Technology now enables:

• Private channels for staff communication during emergencies
• Pre-written message templates for consistent emergency notifications
• Multi-channel delivery to reach community members wherever they are
• Targeted messaging to specific groups rather than all-campus announcements

Beyond "Security Theater": Finding What Actually Works

As schools evaluate new approaches and technologies, the experts at ATLIS emphasized one critical question: Does this provide actual safety benefits or just the illusion of safety?

Effective solutions should:

• Work in harmony with your school's culture, not against it
• Address real gaps in your emergency response capabilities
• Be used frequently enough that staff are comfortable with them during crises
• Integrate with existing systems rather than creating isolated data silos

The goal isn't implementing the most impressive-looking security measures—it's building systems that actually protect students when it matters most.

From Reactive to Proactive

Perhaps the most significant evolution in school safety is the shift from purely reactive measures to more proactive, comprehensive approaches. By combining traditional methods with technology-enabled solutions, schools can create safety ecosystems that are both more effective and less disruptive to the learning environment.

As your school considers its safety approach, remember that the best solutions don't just address the emergencies of yesterday—they prepare you for the challenges of tomorrow.

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This article is part of our "ATLIS Leadership Series: Part 1" where we explore three key topics from the full podcast episode. Watch for upcoming installments examining public vs. private school safety approaches and vetting safety technology vendors. To hear the complete conversation and other highlights, listen to the full ATLIS podcast episode or schedule a personalized Ruvna demo to learn how technology can enhance your school's safety plan.

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