A new security system will allow USD 257 staff to remotely monitor and allow access to facilities.
At Iola High School, for example, it will allow secretaries in the main building to open doors for visitors to the science center or agriculture building, both across the street.
It also will allow an administrator to lock down all facilities in the event of an emergency, and give local law enforcement the ability to track live activities.
School board members approved a bid for $83,491.31 from INA Alert, an Ellinwood-based company that provides security technology for clients across the country, including school districts and colleges. Allen Community College recently agreed to have the company install a keyless entry system over the winter break.
Jake Strecker, INA Alert owner, delivered a presentation to the board. USD 257’s new technology director Ben Prasko was on hand to answer questions.
The system will work with the district’s existing equipment, which was a key factor in the decision. The district has a variety of equipment, from older cameras and systems at the middle and high school to new items purchased for the new Iola Elementary School.
That means administrators can use one centralized program to monitor all the cameras at all facilities. Doors can be controlled remotely by authorized users, and the district will determine who has access.
“It would be a unified system, instead of three systems now for each school,” Strecker said.
In the event of an incident, such as a report of stolen property, administrators can quickly review recorded material. Prasko advised the district might provide a live stream to law enforcement, but only allow access to recorded material on a case-by-case basis.
Because the district already has numerous cameras and secured entry at facilities — and much of it is new — the cost to purchase additional equipment would be minimal. The system will work with a variety of equipment, which means the district does not have to buy specific brands.
“The flexibility of the system was one of my main points when I was looking at options. It’s one of the biggest selling points of the system,” Prasko said.
INA Alert will install equipment, including cameras the district owns but has not yet installed. Strecker estimated the work would take five to 10 business days, and his crews could get started in six to eight weeks. Equipment could be added later, as time passes and administrators identify “blind spots” or other areas that need to be monitored. INA Alert would help with monitoring until USD 257 staff are trained to use the new system.
Board members and administrators were particularly pleased knowing the system will allow remote access to the IHS science building. That’s one of the district’s biggest security concerns. Multiple times each day, hundreds of students pass between the main building and auxiliary buildings. The system will allow them to better control who goes in and out of the building, as well as monitor and record that activity.
