Future Forward K-12 Facilities:
A Design Toolkit K12 | LS3P
Design for Safety & Security
By intertwining safety and student happiness, we foster a future that is brighter and more secure for generations to come.
Our K-12 schools play a crucial role in fostering vibrant communities. Together, we can build safer, more enjoyable places where our students can fl ourish.
Schools serve as neighborhood anchors, sources of pride for students and families, and cornerstones of civic life. Cherished by their communities, schools provide not only learning opportunities but also avenues for engagement. Recent high-profile events have prompted a vital question: how can we enhance the safety of our schools in an unpredictable world?
The focus extends beyond addressing the potential of an active shooter scenario to include preparedness for various emergencies such as severe weather, power outages, and custody conflicts. In times of crisis, the design of school buildings collaborates with other elements to safeguard the well-being of students and staff.
In navigating these challenges, it becomes imperative to strike a balance between fortifying security measures and preserving the welcoming, student-centered learning environment that defines our schools. The solution lies in incorporating best practices for safety and security without compromising the positivity that schools radiate.
As we stand at the intersection of safety and comfort, the call to action is clear: to plan strategically for school safety, and create resilient spaces capable of addressing the complexities of the modern world. The goal is to create environments that not only educate but also protect, fostering a profound sense of security for all who step through their doors.
Designing for school security brings both challenges and opportunities, and established principles can provide valuable insights for school decision-makers. Integrating best practices for safer designs will help school systems navigate the complexities of creating environments that prioritize well-being without compromising the essence of a positive and engaging educational space.
Understanding Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
The guiding principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), often pronounced as “sep-ted,” offer a solid place to start. These strategies play a crucial role in minimizing opportunities for crime and reducing instances thereof, all the while maintaining learning environments that are welcoming, engaging spaces for students, teachers, and staff alike. By embracing CPTED, we not only enhance safety but also cultivate environments that inspire and encourage the pursuit of knowledge.
CPTED stands as a comprehensive approach that utilizes architecture, urban planning, and facility management not only to reduce crime, but also to alleviate the fear associated with it. Introduced in the 1970s, CPTED has undergone a transformative evolution, transcending its initial focus on the physical environment.
Today, CPTED adopts a holistic process, encompassing the physical, social, and psycho-emotional environments within its purview. These elements reinforce each other in a continuous cycle of feedback. This perspective acknowledges that effective crime prevention extends beyond mere physical barriers. By addressing the intricate interplay of these three dimensions, CPTED strives to create environments that deter, detect, and delay potential threats while fostering a sense of security and well-being.1
CPTED emphasizes the importance of not only designing spaces that resist criminal activity but also promoting community engagement, social cohesion, and emotional well-being. In embracing the holistic principles of CPTED, we pave the way for environments that are not only secure but also uplifting and conducive to positive human experiences.
Optimizing Educational Spaces Beyond Site Design
While the architectural design of schools plays a pivotal role, the effectiveness of safety plans also involves operational and mechanical strategies
Operational gamechangers can be policies, school resource officers, emergency drills, and detailed maintenance plans. On the other hand, mechanical strategies aim at “target hardening,” making access a real challenge with elements like locks, alarms, security vestibules, panic buttons, and surveillance.
These security measures, however, must not supersede life safety measures. While school shootings grab headlines, they’re statistically rare. So, whatever security moves we make, we’ve got to keep escape routes safe for all sorts of situations.
True collaboration is vital to the process, and this includes consultants, first responders, architects, engineers, and even parents and teachers. Getting everyone on board early in the game is key. When building or renovating, involving consultants and first responders early helps shape a holistic approach. Admins and first responders hash out emergency policies, engineers and security professionals work on the mechanical solutions, and architects and landscape architects bring in natural solutions through CPTED strategies.
Keeping parents and teachers in the loop about safety strategies is a must. Engaging all parents and teachers from day one encourages a facility that’s not just safe but also a warm and welcoming learning haven for our students.
CPTED Principles: Physical Environment
The design of the physical environment incorporates strategic methods and modi fications to align with key principles, fostering a comprehensive approach to safety and functionality. These principles include3:
Natural Surveillance: Implementing design elements that enhance visibility, promoting a sense of openness and enabling occupants to observe their surroundings effortlessly.
Natural Access Control: Structuring the environment to guide and control access intuitively, discouraging unauthorized entry while facilitating a seamless flow for authorized individuals.
Territorial Reinforcement: Defining and reinforcing boundaries to establish a clear sense of ownership and delineation, promoting a secure and organized spatial arrangement.
Maintenance & Image: Emphasizing regular upkeep and maintenance to support the longevity and effectiveness of security features, creating an environment that is both safe and reliable. Cultivating a positive and welcoming aesthetic that contributes to the overall perception of the space, instilling a sense of pride and community.
By integrating these principles into the physical design, we not only enhance security measures but also create environments that are visually appealing, functional, and conducive to a positive and secure experience for all occupants.
Natural Surveillance
Enhancing natural surveillance minimizes the opportunity for criminal activities by increasing visibility, thereby mitigating the risk of their occurrence. This approach entails purposeful design of the physical environment to optimize the visibility of individuals and activities and empowers staff, students, and visitors to readily observe and monitor their surroundings.4
Examples to Improve Natural Surveillance:
Strategic Placement of Windows: Strategically placed windows to provide clear sightlines across key areas, minimizing blind spots and maximizing visibility.
Well-Lit Spaces: Adequate lighting in and around the premises, especially in high-traffic and secluded areas, enhancing visibility and discouraging illicit activities.
Open Landscaping: Landscaping trimmed in a way that maintains clear lines of sight, avoiding overgrown foliage that could potentially obscure visibility.
Transparent Entrances: Entrances designed with transparency in mind, using materials such as glass doors to allow easy observation of individuals entering and exiting the facility.
Surveillance Cameras: Surveillance cameras installed in strategic locations to complement natural surveillance, providing additional monitoring capabilities.
Activity Hubs: Common areas and gathering spaces designed to be centrally located and open, encouraging natural surveillance as people move through and occupy these spaces.
When incorporated into the design, natural surveillance becomes a robust strategy, effectively reducing the likelihood of criminal activity and fostering a safer environment for everyone.
Natural Access Control
Natural access control is a design approach focused on reducing crime by leveraging physical features to steer and regulate access to a space. The goal is to orchestrate a seamless flow for authorized individuals while throwing obstacles in the way of potential troublemakers.
Well-lit pathways, strategically placed fences, and secure entries all work in harmony to make access intuitive for students, teachers, staff, and genuine visitors while creating challenges for those with ill intentions.5
Examples of Natural Access Control:
Landscaping: Thoughtfully designed greenery to guide movement and enhance visibility.
Lighting: Well-lit pathways and areas to discourage illicit activities and maintain clear visibility.
Fencing: Strategically placed fences to create barriers and control access points.
Gated Vehicular Access: Controlled entry points for vehicles, adding an extra layer of security.
Secure Entries: Entryways designed for easy access for authorized individuals while deterring unauthorized entry.
Barriers: Physical barriers strategically positioned to guide movement and discourage criminal activities.
Territorial Reinforcement
Territorial reinforcement relies on placemaking, and creates a sense of ownership and clear boundaries between public, semipublic, and private areas. Visual cues make sure everyone knows where they’re allowed.6
Examples of Territorial Reinforcement:
Signage: Signs clearly marking different areas, making it crystal clear what’s public, semi-public, or off-limits.
Landscaping: Strategically arranged greenery to demarcate spaces and enhance the overall vibe.
Lighting: Well-lit areas creating a welcoming atmosphere while also clearly defining the extent of each space.
Fencing: Fences which serve not just as barriers, but also as friendly reminders of where one space ends and another begins.
Other Physical Barriers: Creative elements, like planters or seating arrangements, serving as subtle yet effective markers.
Making these features a part of the space helps to give it a personality that everyone understands and respects. Territorial reinforcement is key to reducing the likelihood of mischief because when everyone knows the rules, they’re more likely to follow them.
Maintenance & Image
Maintenance and image work together keep your space in tip-top shape, sending a clear message of order and control. Regular site and building maintenance keeps everything polished and encourages troublemakers to reconsider their plans.7
Examples of Maintenance & Image:
Regular Maintenance: Scheduled and as-needed space check-ups for repairs, landscaping, and keeping everything in smooth operation.
Orderly Appearance: Neat, well organized facilities which let everyone know that someone is on top of things, maintaining order.
Positive Image: Welcoming atmosphere (including aesthetics and good lighting) to make the area feel both safe visually appealing.
Community Pride: A sense of community ownership and responsibility.
Neglected areas are an open invitation for trouble, and are enticing for potential mischief-makers. A well-maintained and positive environment, however, can dissuade troublemakers from even contemplating causing any disturbance.
Tailored Strategies for Concentric Circles of Security
Delving into the intricacies of security interventions demands a systematic approach, and it all begins with envisioning four concentric security zones: site, building perimeter, lobby, and interior. Each zone serves as a crucial layer in the overall security infrastructure.
Consider this as a blueprint for tailored security strategies—no two campuses are identical. The efficacy of security measures varies, requiring a nuanced approach that aligns with the specific characteristics of individual schools. To navigate this complexity, assembling an integrated team of stakeholders becomes paramount.
These stakeholders, equipped with diverse expertise, collaborate to explore a comprehensive toolkit of security strategies. This toolkit serves as a repository of options, allowing the team to strategically prioritize interventions for each unique school environment. It’s the intersection of technical precision and adaptability, where security measures align seamlessly with the distinctive needs of each campus.
SITE
BUILDING PERIMETER
INTERIOR
LOBBY
SITE
Design a site with well-de fi ned territory and visibility through playground, athletic fi elds, parking lots, bus facilities, and other outdoor areas.
Overall Building Appearance: From the initial approach as well as around the campus, the building and grounds are inviting, attractive, and well maintained. It is evident that the district and students take ownership of their school and are proud of it.
Fencing: A perimeter fence helps prevent unauthorized access to the school grounds.
Access control: Strategically placed gates allow controlled access by authorized personnel only, and approved visitors are on school grounds only during designated times.
Parking and traffic management: A well-designed parking lot and traffic flow can reduce the risk of accidents and improve safety for pedestrians and drivers. In this example, parking lots are separated by user groups, and car and bus loops are separated.
Lighting: Adequate lighting improves visibility and safety during early morning and evening hours. This school uses site and building highefficiency LED mounted lighting, and the light levels meet Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) standards.
The site includes playgrounds, athletic fields, parking lots, bus facilities, and other outdoor elements. Outdoor areas throughout the campus should be well lit to discourage unwelcome activity and maintain visibility.
Signage: Clear and visible signage can help students, staff, and visitors navigate the campus safely.
Outdoor areas: Activated courtyard areas that are easily visible by staff members can double as outdoor learning spaces.
Main Entry: The building has a well-defined, clearly identified main entry which is visible from the initial approach.
Landscaping & Maintenance: Landscaping should be maintained to eliminate potential hiding places and allow maximum visibility. Trees should be trimmed so that branches are no lower than 6 feet, and low landscaping such as shrubs should trimmed to no higher than 2 feet.
Service Area: An enclosed, designated area for service vehicles and dumpsters eliminates places where a person could hide.
BUILDING PERIMETER
Design a perimeter that incorporates elements that not only invite but also secure, creating an environment that embraces accessibility without comprising safety.
Window Placement: Windows are strategically placed in the front of the building to allow for continued “eyes on the street” and throughout the rest of the school to allow for natural light and views for the students, while minimizing opportunities for unwanted visitors on site.
Security cameras: Security cameras are placed on the building perimeter to provide visual surveillance and deter criminal activity.
Physical Barriers: Barriers such as bollards and planters are used to create buffer zones and to protect the entrance of the building.
Access Control: All doors are secured and have remote and/or automatic access locks. Once the school day starts there is only one secure way into the school, but many safe ways out.
Lighting: Adequate lighting can help to deter criminal activity and improve visibility during early morning and evening hours.
Overall Condition: This building is in good condition and is well maintained.
Classroom Identification: Large numbers identifying individual classrooms are placed outside in the case of an emergency.
The building exterior should include security measures to prevent forced entry.
Create an entrance and lobby design that guides all visitors seamlessly to a central entry point for screening.
Single, Secure Entry Point: All visitors and students are funneled into a single-entry point. At high-volume times, such as arrival and dismissal, staff involvement is critical in monitoring all who enter the building.
Secure Entry Vestibule & Visitor Check-in: The design of a secure entry vestibule creates a controlled access point for visitors and prevents unauthorized access to the building. Once a visitor enters the lobby from the vestibule, a staff member verifies their identity, checks them in, and allows access to the rest of the building through button-activated locks. Secure entry vestibules have become increasingly common, both in new construction and as a retrofit strategy.
Video Surveillance: Video surveillance cameras are installed in the lobby to monitor who enters and exits the building.
The meticulously designed lobby creates a safe and secure environment for students, staff, and visitors entering and exiting the school building.
Security Personnel: Trained security personnel’s office is adjacent to the lobby area with visibility into multiple areas to provide additional security and assistance as needed.
Clear Sight-lines: The lobby should be designed with clear sightlines so that security personnel can monitor all areas of the lobby and anybody entering the site.
Emergency Communication: Emergency communication systems, such as panic buttons or intercoms, are installed in the lobby to quickly alert security personnel and the authorities to safeguard the school in the event of an emergency.
Lockdown Capabilities: The lobby has the capability to quickly lock down in the event of an emergency and in the case of an emergency, including secure exits.
LOBBY
Reception
Hallway
Secure Entry Vestibule Workroom
School Entrance
Doors locked at all times!
Design with a focus on security and communicating safe procedures for evacuation, lock down, lockout, and shelter situations.
Lockdown Zones: The layout of this building allows for “Catchment Areas” that create lockdown zones during an emergency. Creating catchment areas can be as simple as activating existing fire doors which may already be required to divide the building. Architects can assist in providing two exits from each security zone, allowing the building to be locked down without violating fire/building codes.
Clear Sightlines: Corridors are not cluttered and are straight to provide visual control and assist staff with early detection of suspicious activity.
Positive School Climate & Culture: A positive and supportive school environment helps to reduce incidents of violence and promote a sense of safety and security for students and staff.
Communication Systems: Intercoms or phones can be installed in classrooms to allow teachers and students to quickly communicate with the main office or security personnel in the event of an emergency.
Classroom Security: Doors which are lockable from the inside and/or from the front office can slow an intruder. If possible, prevent students from having the ability to lock the doors as it may be a threat to the teacher and if a teacher isn’t in the classroom, a student will have the opportunity to lock the doors to prevent a teacher being locked out during a normal school day.
Creating spaces with clear sight lines helps avoid areas that are hidden or overlooked.”
Securing Funding for School Security: Navigating Constraints & Prioritizing Impact
Finding funding for security within a constrained school facilitates budget.
Finding the budget for security enhancements in a constrained school facilities budget, especially for retrofits, poses significant challenges. Various security interventions come with associated costs, such as installing doors with remote locks involving design and construction administration costs, expensive hardware, potential door replacements, and electrical wiring for each door— often leading to substantial demolition, multiple trades, new finishes, and increased utility costs.
Scaling these security upgrades to an entire district or even a single school building demands substantial additional funding. In a landscape where school systems grapple with maintaining facilities and accommodating growth, prioritizing security interventions with maximum impact requires in-depth discussions among school districts, stakeholders, designers, and consultants. Planning security budgets must extend beyond capital improvements to encompass funding for technology upgrades and training.
The most effective approach will vary for each school, emphasizing the importance of early-stage discussions to prioritize impactful strategies. Engaging all stakeholders in the design process’s initial phases significantly influences safety and security design outcomes. Many strategies can be seamlessly integrated early in the design process with minimal or no added cost, while retrofitting completed or under-construction designs typically incurs additional expenses.
Designing for safety and security commences with site selection, and operational interventions will differ based on the community’s unique characteristics, available resources, and levels of parent and community involvement. An engaged team of designers, administrators, consultants, and stakeholders plays a crucial role in tailoring strategies to each school and community to design a comprehensive and effective security plan.
Budget Challenges: Finding funding for security enhancements in schools, particularly within constrained budgets, is a challenging task.
Costs of Security Interventions: Security interventions, such as installing doors with remote locks, involve various costs, including design, construction, hardware, and potential replacements.
Scaling Challenges: Extending security upgrades to entire districts or school buildings requires significant additional funding, which can be a challenge in the context of maintaining facilities and accommodating growth.
Prioritization Through Discussions: Effective prioritization of impactful security interventions necessitates in-depth discussions among school districts, stakeholders, designers, and consultants.
Comprehensive Budget Planning: Security budget planning should encompass not only capital improvements but also funding for technology upgrades and training.
A Secure Future for K12 Schools
Planning for a school safety requires a multi-pronged approach. Flexibility, collaboration with local entities, good design, technology, emergency plans, and training are the pillars that will safeguard our students and teachers while fostering optimal learning environments. Building on the strong foundations of our educational institutions, we can work together to shape brighter, more secure spaces where safety and joy intertwine.
References
1The International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association; CPTED In Schools A Comprehensive Approach [Online] https://www.cpted.net/Eguidebooks
2 The International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association; CPTED In Schools A Comprehensive Approach [Online] https://www.cpted.net/Eguidebooks
3The International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association; CPTED In Schools A Comprehensive Approach [Online] https://www.cpted.net/Eguidebooks
4The International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association;
CPTED In Schools A Comprehensive Approach [Online] https://www.cpted.net/Eguidebooks
5The International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association; CPTED In Schools A Comprehensive Approach [Online] https://www.cpted.net/Eguidebooks
6The International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association; CPTED In Schools A Comprehensive Approach [Online] https://www.cpted.net/Eguidebooks
The International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association; CPTED In Schools A Comprehensive Approach [Online] https://www.cpted.net/Eguidebooks
