Henrico County Public Schools are updating school technology to improve student safety. This includes new surveillance devices in and around the school and vape detectors in bathrooms.

   The idea of installing cameras in schools is not a new concept. Henrico County Public Schools have installed an updated, improved camera system in all schools this year, as it has been on many schools’ wish lists. Cameras are both inside and outside the building to capture and prevent misbehavior in the hallways and ensure the safety of all students. 

   Due to the cameras recording footage 24/7, staff now have the upper hand when reviewing incidents during and after the fact to identify the individuals making poor decisions. Additionally, with the increase in violent tragedies occurring in schools in today’s society, it is especially crucial that students feel safe while focusing on their education.

   “I am hoping students will feel safer at school and that it would make students stop and think about their actions and the consequences they may have,” Assistant Principal and school safety lead Laura McKinney said.

    Another system implemented in Henrico secondary schools is vape sensors in school bathrooms. For McKinney, the decision to install vape detectors in the bathrooms was a decision made not just to catch bad behavior, but instead to help improve student health.

    “There are growing health concerns of young students using the product. These products can cause lifetime consequences as well as create a hostile environment. Therefore [installing the vape detectors] is our way of trying to create an environment where all can feel safe,” McKinney said.

    For McKinney and many others, it is incorporating advanced school technology in schools that helps protect the safety, health, and future of all students.