Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy has completed security upgrades at its main entrance and elsewhere in the school.
The front door security upgrade – commonly referred to as a man trap entry system – was started late last year and completed over winter break before the Jan. 3 return to school, HBHA Head of School Adam Tilove said.
The new entry system contains bullet-resistant glass and allows visitors into an enclosed glass area so they can be viewed and vetted prior to entry into the building. Front office staff will either credential visitors or refuse them entry; these entrances and security procedures are similar to the protocols at other schools in Johnson County.
HBHA also finished installing cameras with improved technology last August, replacing its more than 30-year-old intercom system.
"The HBHA secure entrance project will enable the front office HBHA staff to control access into the front visitor entrance by interacting with them on both video and audio, and by viewing them directly through a special security glass enclosed area where they can be allowed further access into the school office,” said Chuck Green, community security director. “This change provides a much safer and security best practice approach to visitor access control at schools."
Tilove said of the upgraded security’s benefits that “you can never be too safe.”
“When you’re Jewish, you constantly have to be thinking about slowly and consistently upgrading your security to make sure you have a safe environment, and we’re proud that we’re taking the initiative in doing that,” he said.
Tilove said that when the terrorist incident occurred last month in Colleyville, Texas, and he knew HBHA had upgraded security at its front entrance, he “felt really good about that, because had that happened at our school, the person would have been denied entry.”
Even with the rising number of antisemitic acts in the United States, HBHA administration feels prepared to protect its students.
This particular upgrade is just one of many that have been made at HBHA in recent years, including metal detectors that were installed in 2018.
“Security has always been a high priority at our school. Of course, after the 2014 incident, and with the guidance of the Jewish community security director, we have made significant progress to keep our students and faculty even safer,” said Todd Clauer, Upper School Principal.
“From extensive and ongoing security training, to changes to our outdoor playground area, to the addition of SafeDefend boxes, the new security entrance and upgraded school-wide PA system are just the latest additions to our security mix,” said Carol Pfau, HBHA front office manager, who was instrumental in accessing funding for these two new upgrades.
With the help of Green, Pfau wrote the grant request to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and received the grant for HBHA’s project. Supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic delayed construction on HBHA’s security project, Green said. Technology components and bullet-resistant glass were especially hard to get.
Green also helped with a similar grant request for The J. Both grants were awarded in 2020. His assistance with The J’s security grant will advance installation of optical turnstiles at some Campus locations, shown to be an effective security practice. Optical turnstiles incorporate advanced technology with traditional mechanical turnstiles to improve security. He also assisted with High Holiday security planning for some congregations.
HBHA’s recent upgrades haven’t all been focused on security. The school also finished its new Sarah “Auntie” Ozar Sukkah Courtyard in October, Tilove said. Work started in early June.
The area for the sukkah and outdoor learning needed renovation because the prior sukkah was old and deteriorating, and the area wasn’t being used to its full potential.
“It beautifies our front entrance, and it gives our classes a place to learn and study and congregate and play outside,” Tilove said.
By Jerry LaMartina, Contributing Writer
