Administrative Procedure: 542
SECURITY OF BUILDINGS, GROUNDS AND OTHER ASSETS
Background
Recognizing the significant investment in buildings, grounds, supplies and equipment, the District has a responsibility to protect these investments by ensuring school buildings and grounds are adequately secured.
Definitions
Site Manager – in a school facility is the Principal, in a non-school facility (i.e. District Office) is person assigned to administer day-to-day operations of the facility.
Security Alarm Panel – located inside the building in close proximity of the main entrance door, contains a keypad and LCD display which indicates security system status.
Traffic Light – box usually located near the Security Alarm Panel, but in any event in plain view of the main entrance door, containing three light emitting diodes (LEDs):
• A red LED, when lit signifies that the security system is in alarm
• An amber LED, when lit signifies the security system is armed
• A green LED, when lit signifies the security system is disarmed
Proximity Cards – encoded plastic cards, roughly the size of a credit card, which remove the need for main entry keys and security codes to disarm security systems at District sites equipped with card access control. A proximity card:
• When placed in the proximity of an Outside Card Reader (typically located on the exterior of the building, near the main entrance door), controls access to the building by releasing the electronic door latch;
• When placed in the proximity of an Inside Card Reader (typically located inside the building near the Security Alarm Panel), controls the arming and disarming of the security alarm system; and
• Signals the security system, each time it activates a card reader, to record the time, date, location and user for future reference if needed.
Normal Operating Hours – generally, sites operate weekdays during the school year, 5:30 a.m. to midnight, excluding statutory holidays and District closure days. The exceptions are the Board Office, Maintenance Facility and Delta Manor Education Centre, which are also open during the District closure days and, along with Secondary Schools, open during Summer Break.
Monitoring Station – the company that provides 24 hour, 7 day per week off-site monitoring of security, fire and other alarms and dispatches security, police and/or fire personnel when an alarm comes in.
Procedures
1. Building Alarm System
1.1 The building alarm systems are monitored by a private firm, to which the District issues callout procedures to ensure appropriate response in event of an unusual incident including intruder, fire, freezer failure, unscheduled school opening and closing.
1.2 The firm may call out fire, police, security or maintenance staff.
1.3 Staff encountering a problem in a facility after normal working hours are to report it to the monitoring company at 1-833-228-1093.
2. Opening and Closing of District Buildings
2.1 All facilities in the District have two (2) levels of security:
2.1.1 Locks on exterior doors, and
2.1.2 An intrusion alarm system.
2.2 During normal working hours the Site Manager is responsible to ensure the facility is opened and closed at the appropriate times.
2.2.1 A designated back up is also to be identified to respond if the primary staff member is not available.
2.3 This procedure is designed to ensure that those persons assigned site keys and proximity cards to access District sites, use such tools in a correct, responsible, accountable fashion, so as to safeguard against unauthorized access to sites and to prevent false alarms.
2.4 A wallet-sized card template containing simplified steps of this procedure is available for sites to print off, cut, laminate and issue to staff.
2.5 Outside of normal operating hours – immediately after unlocking/disarming the building, staff are required to first contact the Monitoring Station 1-833-228-1093. Staff will provide their first and last name as well as a temporary schedule of how long the site will remain open.
3. Site Keys and Proximity Cards
3.1 Site keys and Proximity Cards are issued by the Maintenance Department only to Facilities Branch staff, Site Managers, morning openers and those site personnel identified in writing by the Site Manager.
3.1.1 Site keys and Proximity Cards are not to be loaned out or passed on to others and must remain in the assigned key/cardholder’s possession as long as s/he is an employee or contractor of the District.
3.1.2 Any unauthorized key or Proximity Card holders must be reported immediately to the Maintenance Department at 604-946-5088.
3.2 If a site key or Proximity Card is lost, stolen or damaged, the key/cardholder must immediately advise the Maintenance Department by telephone (604-946-5088) or facsimile (604-946-2268).
3.3 It is the Site Manager’s responsibility to ensure that, when an employee or contractor leaves the District, any assigned keys and/or Proximity Card are immediately retrieved and returned to the Maintenance Department.
3.4 Larger sites may have more than one security alarm system, thus disarming one system does not automatically disarm others. Personnel accessing a site outside of Normal Operating Hours must be familiar with the particulars of that site – if unsure, personnel are directed to contact the Maintenance Department for more information.
4. Accessing a Site that is Locked
4.1 All access to and exit from a locked site must be via the main entrance door to the building.
4.2 First observe the status of the Traffic Light from outside the building:
4.2.1 If the red LED is on, do not enter the building as the alarm has been triggered and authorities are on route to tend to the alarm.
4.2.2 If the amber LED is on, the security system is armed and requires Proximity Card presented to the Inside Card Reader to disarm.
4.2.3 If the green LED is on, the security system has been disarmed by someone already in the building.
5. Accessing a Site Using a Proximity Card
5.1 Present the Proximity Card to the Main Entrance Card Reader. Note: The Proximity Card needs only to be placed near a card reader to activate it. It may be kept in a purse or wallet; however it may not work if it is stored next to another Proximity Card.
5.2 If the card is valid, the main entrance door will release for ten (10) seconds to enable entry (the door will remain locked). If the Traffic Light indicated that:
5.2.1 The system is armed, present the Proximity Card to the Security Keypad Card Reader. The alarm system will disarm and the Traffic Light will change from amber (armed) to green (disarmed). If outside of Normal Operating Hours, contact the Monitoring Station, provide name and confirm the time when you will be exiting and closing the site.
5.2.2 If the system is already disarmed (Traffic Light is green) outside of Normal Operating Hours, locate the other occupant(s) in the building to confirm the site opening and closing times already given to the Monitoring Station. Notify the Monitoring Station if there are any changes to the site closing time.
5.3 If accessing and leaving a locked site within Normal Operating Hours, it is not necessary to contact the Monitoring Station.
6. Closing a Site
6.1 Once ready to close the site outside of Normal Operating Hours:
6.1.1 First confirm that all doors and windows are secure and that no one else is still in the building.
6.1.2 Proceed to the Security Alarm Panel which should display that the system is “ready” to be armed. If not, stand still for a few seconds as a motion sensor may have picked up the cardholder en route to the panel and needs to re-set.
6.1.3 Once the display indicates “ready” to be armed:
6.1.3.1 Present the Proximity Card to the Security Keypad Card Reader. This will re-arm the alarm system
6.1.3.2 The Traffic Light will change from green (disarmed) to amber (armed).
6.1.4 Exit the building immediately through the main entrance door, confirm that the door is locked and confirm the Traffic Light is still amber.
6.2 At the end of a business day (normal school or office hours), the custodian or other staff will usually lock the main entrance door, but the site alarm system(s) will remain disarmed until the custodian re-arms it/them at shift end (typically between 10:00 p.m. and midnight) following the site closing procedure detailed in above.
7. Late Closures
7.1 Exiting the building after site closing (after the Custodian shift-end) requires advance notice to both the Custodian and the Monitoring Station to ensure the security alarm system in the occupied section of building remains disarmed.
7.2 If the site was accessed outside of Normal Operating Hours and the Monitoring Station was already notified of the anticipated exit time, and additional time is required, the Monitoring Station must be contacted in advance of the original exit time to advise of the revised exit time.
8. Failure to Properly Open or Close a Site
8.1 If someone accessing a site:
8.1.1 Does not contact the Monitoring Station, advising it of access to a building outside of regular hours, or leaves the building after the advised departure time;
8.1.2 Does not properly present the Proximity Card to the Inside Card Reader to disarm or re-arm the Security Alarm System
The Monitoring Station may dispatch a security runner to the site. The Site Manager will be charged the fifty dollar ($50) fee for the runner to attend to any security related issues required to restore security to the site.
8.2 If the alarm was caused by Facilities Branch personnel (including the site Custodian), the Site Manager will not be charged.
8.3 Any person having difficulty disarming or re-arming the system, thus setting off an alarm, must immediately contact the Monitoring Station.
9. Weekend/Special Events Coverage
During use of District facilities for special events the following procedures must be followed by the staff member responsible for opening and securing the building:
9.1 Open the site through the main entrance door following the instructions laid out in Administrative Procedure 542.
9.2 Turn on the lights only in the areas to be used and ensure awareness of timer override for heat in particular areas of the building.
9.3 When the alarm system is disarmed (Traffic Light green LED is on), check the perimeter of the entire facility to confirm the building’s security.
9.4 Go to the location of the event, opening only doors required for that event. Keep in mind that user groups do not have access to the entire building. There are fire doors which can be secured to restrict access. Never lock exit doors in areas such as gyms, auditorium, cafeteria, weight rooms, change rooms and music rooms when in use. In case of emergency, people must have unobstructed egress.
9.5 When the event is finished and all people have left, secure all perimeter doors.
9.6 Lock inside doors as necessary, turn off lights in rooms and halls.
9.7 Do a perimeter check of the building, checking for damage and unlocked doors.
9.8 Ensure all fire doors are closed and close/re-secure the site following the instructions laid out in Administrative Procedure 542.
9.9 All user groups have contracted to use only specified areas and equipment. With that in mind, the custodian (staff member) must use good judgment in not allowing user group access to other equipment or areas of building not contracted for. Ensure keys are returned as per prior arrangement.
9.10 If additional help is required or unusual circumstances arise, please contact Facility Services Management.
10. Fencing of School Sites
10.1 The fencing of school sites shall be a site specific decision made by District staff either at the time a new school is built, or at such time as conditions warrant the installation of perimeter fencing, subject to the availability of funding. The following criteria shall govern decisions to install perimeter fencing on school sites:
10.1.1 Valid concerns exist for the safety and protection of students due to:
10.1.1.1 A consistent high volume of traffic on a road or street adjacent to an active play area where the purpose is to protect children from uncontrolled and unsafe entrance to such road or street. Where high volume of traffic is not a factor, but concerns are raised, each case will be considered on its own merits.
10.1.1.2 Unsavoury surroundings or a high volume of pedestrian traffic where the purpose is to restrict unauthorized pedestrian access to the site.
10.1.1.3 Legitimate concerns about a heavily wooded area adjacent to a school site.
10.1.1.4 Other hazards on or adjacent to school sites, that cannot be removed.
10.2 Generally, fencing will not separate school and park sites, the exception being if there are concerns outlined above.
10.3 Where adjacent residents have legitimate concerns about the protection of their property due to activities occurring on school property, subject to the availability of funds, the District will carry out the installation of fencing and pay fifty percent (50%) of the cost, provided the majority of adjacent property owners agree to pay fifty percent (50%).
10.4 Fencing installed under this policy shall generally be placed on District property lines only. Exceptions will require appropriate legal agreements.
10.5 Perimeter fencing will generally be six (6) feet (1.83 metres) high with chain link fabric and a steel structure installed by school district staff or a contractor managed by the District.
Reference: Sections 17, 20, 22, 23, 65, 74, 85 School Act
Revised: January 2019
August 2021
APPENDIX A – WALLET CARD
A simplified version of Administrative Procedure 542 for sites to print off, cut, laminate and issue to staff along with their Proximity Card is as follows: (see attachment)
Reference: Sections 17, 20, 22, 23, 65, 74, 85 School Act
Revised: August 2021