Board OKs new security

Cranbury Board of Education approves the installation of security cameras and card-access doors at the school.

By: Melissa Hayes
   After some disagreement and a closed session discussion Tuesday, the school board approved the installation of security cameras and card-access doors at the Cranbury School.
   The board began looking for ways to make the school more secure after the Police Department recommended limiting access to the building.
   School board member Frank Ransegnola said the approval came with an understanding that the Policy Committee would fine tune how the system is used.
   Board members said they still need to iron out issues regarding how and when the security cameras would be in use, and how students could re-enter the building after school hours.
   The committee chose the IDentiPASS system for the doors, which is modeled after a smart-card system. All staff members will have cards that will unlock certain doors, said Mr. Ransegnola. Visitors would have to be buzzed into the building.
   The system also would work as a time clock for teachers and staff.
   The system includes two types of card readers. Those on the exterior doors would allow access to the building and those on the interior of the doors that keep track of staff leaving the building.
   Sixteen doors would allow access to the building from the outside, five of those also would allow people to exit. An additional nine doors would be for exiting only, including classroom doors that lead to the outside.
   The computer room and library would have a swipe card to keep track of those entering and exiting because of the equipment stored there, said School Business Administrator Brian DeLucia.
   In the case of an emergency, such as a fire, the doors could be programmed to unlock, Mr. DeLucia said.
   Mr. DeLucia said the cards and doors can be programmed to allow access during certain times of the day, which would be useful for when the building is being used after school for recreation sports. Smart cards could be issued to coaches who work only during the few hours they coach.
   "There are a lot of nitty gritty details we’re going to have to work on these things and see how they’re going to go," he said.
   Some board members asked what would happen if a student forgot a book and needed to return to school. The school is open to the public until 6 p.m.
   "It could be just as simple as the main door is open until 6 p.m. There are endless possibilities that we can work out," Mr. DeLucia said.
   The readers also can be tied into an alarm system that notifies the authorities if doors are opened at an unauthorized time, Mr. DeLucia said.
   For the video surveillance, the committee chose the Integral Technologies DVXi system.
   The school would be equipped with 32 cameras that have motion sensors and can hold up to six weeks of footage. The video can be monitored via computer and if a camera fails or is tampered with, a built-in alarm system would notify the main office and could send a message to the Police Department.
   Two of the cameras would cover the exterior of the building, including the area by the Dumpster to catch people dumping trash illegally, and the area by the old gymnasium, where there is access to a storage room.
   The remaining 30 cameras would cover the interior of the building, focusing on the main points of entry, bathroom doors and hallways.
   Board President Joan Rue questioned the necessity of such a system.
   "Nobody feels like this is overkill?" she asked.
   Ms. Rue said she understood the purpose of having the cameras running at night, but she did not feel that they need to be monitoring students all day.