Many schools will use the summer break to evaluate their safety procedures and processes.

School dismissals continue to be a safety nightmare for schools, using outdated manual processes including walkie talkies, clipboards and sticky notes to get students safely on their way home at the end of the day. Long school pickup lines and a school bus driver shortage add to the security risks present during K-12 dismissals.

School dismissal security strategies

As U.S. schools prepare throughout the summer months to welcome back more than 49 million students in the fall, school dismissal software and safety platforms can play a key role in increasing school safety.

School security leaders can manage long student pickup lines and notify parents of transit updates and new dismissal procedures via dismissal software. Real-time communication can help parents communicate with the school and receive alerts the moment their child leaves campus.

School administrators and security leaders work to ensure that students are picked up by approved individuals. School safety professionals can consider surrounding their facilities with a geofence to detect the cell phone of a parent or other driver once they have arrived to collect their student.

School safety is a top priority for educators, administrators and staff. School safety technology platforms are advancing to offer a combination of dismissal management, safety and emergency tools, parent messaging, and real-time reporting. With these solutions, school safety leaders can protect students up until the moment they leave their care.