MARTINSVILLE, Va. – School safety is a top priority for all school districts, and some are taking extra steps to make sure students and staff are safe.
This year, Martinsville City Public Schools added additional measures to their layered safety approach – they have installed window security films.
The films prevent glass from falling out of a window frame when it shatters, slowing down a potential intruder.
“What it does is when it shatters, it’s kind of like a car window, it stays in place. It takes a lot of time to try and get the window out,” said Director of School Safety, T.J. Slaughter.
School Resource Officer L.C. Jones said that the window films would delay an intruder from getting inside of a classroom during a potential situation where every second counts.
“That delayed entry could be a life or death situation with giving myself as an officer, or other officers time to respond to the incident,” said Officer Jones.
School leaders said the films are just one of the many safety measures Martinsville City Public Schools has in place.
“We have recently installed a gunshot detection system. We have panic alarms for all of our buildings. Also, a new product out that goes on classroom doors, it’s called ‘window armor,’” said Slaughter.
Each window film costs approximately $2,000.
School leaders said they plan to apply for grants to be able to get these films in every school.