Unless you have a key card, you cannot enter Rye High School.
Over the last academic year, Salto smart handles have been installed on every door in the building, locking automatically and requiring school-issued IDs for access.
Such self-locking doors could prevent future disasters, said Rye City School Spokeswoman Sara Derman. “After-reports from tragedies in places such as Uvalde, Texas, show that closed and locked doors save lives,” she said.
In addition, the high school public announcement system has been reworked so that speakers hang over every hallway in the school, enabling students across the building to hear safety announcements.
The changes are part of a larger security program undertaken six years ago by the school district at a cost of close to $700,000 (plus the $1,000 annual fee for the Raptor Visitor Management system, which has been in operation since 2019). Much of that money was included in the $80 million school district bond that passed in 2019.
The overhaul began as part of an “effort to strengthen and refine security in all schools in the district,” Derman said.
“This is not a result of any circumstances in Rye,” she said, “but rather reflective of a nationwide emphasis on increased school security.”
Before, PA speakers were only in classrooms, the cafeteria, and the library. The Salto smart handles and upgraded PA speakers are part of the district’s new emergency lockdown system, which Derman called a “big security addition.”
Implementation began in 2019 with the Raptor Visitor Management System, which verifies personnel identification, screens for registered sex offenders, and streamlines the organization of visits to the school.
Vestibules at entrances were installed in the summer of 2022 so that students and visitors could be screened before entering the school. To make it through the vestibule, students and guests must present identification to a security guard in a booth so he can remotely unlock the second door.
Minga, a campus management system that creates an ID for each student, replaced traditional ID cards in 2023. The Minga ID has a graphic, barcode, and digital clock to prevent counterfeiting.
“We understand that some of the security measures can be inconvenient,” said Derman. “But sometimes inconvenience is necessary when you are working to keep everyone safe…. Many of these practices were instituted based on recommendations from the district’s professional security company and from local law enforcement, both of which have studied security breach incidents that have resulted in emergencies at other schools.”
“Our director of security and emergency preparedness, John Hawkins, met last spring with a focus group of Rye High School students to ask them about school security,” she said. “They recommended that he consider presenting to RHS students about why many of these security procedures are needed. We think that’s a great idea and are planning to find a time to speak to students next fall.”
