SAN ANTONIO – As students return to class, Northside Independent School District (NISD) is rolling out several new safety measures, including a new exterior door monitoring system designed to help keep campuses secure.
Every exterior door across the district is now equipped with a door monitoring alarm. If a door is left propped open or does not fully close for 45 seconds, the system triggers a loud audible alarm and flashing strobe light to alert school staff so they can quickly investigate.
Northside ISD Police Chief Richard Palomo said the new system adds another layer of protection for students and staff.
“Research has shown that closed doors save lives, right? So it’s really a best practice,” Palomo said.
He explained that if a door is left open, the alarm immediately notifies campus staff.
“If you leave a door propped or ajar, it’s going to set off an alarm with a strobe light,” Palomo said. “It’s just another layer of keeping students and staff safe.”
NISD officials said students and staff have also been shown a training video explaining what to expect if an alarm is activated.
The district said the door-monitoring system cost about $7 million and was funded through state grants as Northside ISD continues strengthening campus security after new school safety standards were adopted following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting.
The door alarms are just one of several new safety initiatives in place for the new school year.
Northside ISD recently swore in nine additional school police officers and continues to work toward placing an officer on every campus.
Every classroom is now equipped with Silent Panic Alert Technology (SPAT), and the district has hired an emergency manager to oversee campus security, emergency preparedness and staff training.
Palomo said while technology plays an important role in school safety, it can never replace the relationships officers build with students.
“You can have all the technology in the world, but you can never replace that human factor,” Palomo said. “One of the things that we preach here at Northside is building relationships. I’m a huge advocate of relational policing.”
The district said its officers have also received expanded training in youth mental health, crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques as part of its ongoing effort to improve school safety.
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