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As a parent, sending your child to school can be a stressful and challenging time. You need to know that your child is accessing the best resources for their education, and you need to know that they will be safe on campus. So, how can you choose the best local school when moving to Utah?

Keep reading as we discuss what you need to know about local schools and what you need to consider before enrolling.

Finding Quality Education

To ensure your child has the best start in life and has all the tools for academic success, you need to know how to find quality educational institutions. There are certain factors you can look for which will indicate the quality of the school:

  • The student-teacher ratio - to ensure your child has access to assistance throughout their academic career, you should find a school with a low student-to-teacher ratio. The more teachers there are, the more opportunities your child will have to seek assistance.
  • Grade performance - to research a school, you can look at the previous grade performance to determine how well the students perform, indicating the quality of the education.
  • Extra-curricular programs - to qualify for top-tier higher education, your child will need a portfolio of extra-curricular activities and programs to add to their application. Seeking schools with a vast range of extra-curricular programs is essential.

By researching the area and the qualities mentioned above in a school or educational institution, you can ensure that your child has access to the resources needed for academic success.

School Safety And Security

Unfortunately, one of the primary considerations you need to make as a parent sending your child to school is safety and security. You need to know that the school has effective and agile procedures to prevent your child from being vulnerable in a mass shooting event or emergency. The number of mass school shootings continues to rise, and you need assurance that the school provides stringent security measures.

To help ensure your child’s safety at school, below, you will find a list of the top safety and security measures to look for.

Video Security

You must ensure that the school has video security measures that ensure agile security response. Specifically, you should look for a school that employs cloud-based security cameras with video analytics. Cloud-based security cameras provide the following benefits to the school’s security strategy:

  • Remote management - the school’s security team can view security data from anywhere using a mobile application or cloud-based control center, ensuring they can always manage property and security incidents from anywhere on site.
  • Scalability - the school can easily scale the security system as the campus expands, as cloud-based systems do not require complex wiring infrastructure.
  • Open API integrations - cloud-based surveillance offers open API integrations that allow the school to expand the function of their security cameras with software integrations.

The school can employ video analytics software to ensure that its security teams miss no security events. Manually monitoring surveillance footage is time-consuming and leaves a margin for human error. Instead of taking this risk, the school can apply video analytics software to automatically monitor surveillance footage, providing the security team with a mobile alert when a potential threat occurs. 

The software has object identification features that can spot weapons and dangerous items on site. This tool will help the school spot security events early and immediately begin lockdown and emergency event procedures.

Access Control

Commercial door access control technology is an essential element for safeguarding in schools. It prevents unauthorized persons from entering school grounds without an access card, fob, or mobile credential. Cloud-based access control is an attractive feature in a school, as it provides the following benefits to their security strategy:

  • Enabling remote management - the security team can view access logs, operate door locks, and initiate lockdown procedures from anywhere using their mobile devices without needing to travel to a control room, which could waste valuable time.
  • Integration potential - cloud-based access control allows schools to employ software integrations and merge security tools for more accessible security information.

To take advantage of the open API integrations on offer with access control, the school can integrate access control, video security, and alarm system information on a single platform. This allows for more insight into security data and facilitates instant investigation and response in the event of a security alert.

Alarm Systems

Alarm systems are an essential element in school health and safety. The school must legally employ smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide detection to ensure student safety. However, the school can also employ glass breaks, gunshots, and intrusion sensors to ensure that school staff remain aware of potential emergencies. 

Summary

If you’re searching for a school in Utah, you need to know what to look for. While it is essential to ensure that your child has access to the best possible educational resources, it is also essential to consider their safety. Unfortunately, schools can no longer be considered safe spaces, and you must choose a school that recognizes this fact, employing stringent, agile, and effective security.

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