The new Hayesville Primary School will have plenty of bells and whistles when it opens this fall. There will be large classrooms, a cafeteria, a full-sized gym and more. However, the most important feature might not even be noticed by most.
A sad reality is the need for extra security measures to protect students. The Clay County School system has addressed that need with a secure entry way.
Any visitor to the new school will be unable to enter the front door until buzzed in by the school’s receptionist who will have the ability to see and speak to the visitor through a camera/ speaker device. Once in the front door, the visitor will then be in an all-glass foyer which will allow the reception- ist to make visual contact and identify any potential security threat before the visitor makes his/her way into the office area. Even after a visitor is in the newly-constructed office, access to classrooms will still be unobtainable.
Clay County Schools Superintendent Dale Cole addressed the security of other exterior doors around the building saying, “They will be locked throughout the day and will only allow exit, not entry. Therefore, visitors can only access the school through one door and they cannot access the students at all unless buzzed through a door by the office staff. This is much more secure and safe.”