Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Back office business: 5 big K-12 edtech deals this week

Key points:

  • Smarter systems can help protect students
  • AI technologies continue to proliferate
  • Online learning platforms now support millions of students

ZeroEyes, creators of their AI-based gun detection video analytics platform announced a strategic partnership with AEGIX, a Utah-based provider of industry-leading resources, technology, equipment and training for first responders. Through the partnership, ZeroEyes’ AI gun detection and situational awareness software will be integrated into the AEGIX AIM active incident management platform to create a sole-source solution uniquely built for Utah public schools.

The system enables individuals in an organization, such as a school, to notify others of a crisis with the touch of a button. In a worst-case scenario, such as an active shooter, teachers simply push a button in the app to let administrators and first responders know if they are “safe” or “unsafe.” AEGIX AIM can be operated from a desktop, laptop or smartphone. …Read More

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Navigate360 Ushers in Growth with Key Additions: Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Product Officer and Vice President of Threat Detection & Prevention Program Development

RICHFIELD, OHIO (PRWEB) — Navigate360, the nation’s leader in K–12 school safety and student wellness solutions, announces the appointment of Julia Goebel as chief marketing officer, Jami Timmons Klotz as chief product officer, and Dr. Joe McKenna as vice president of threat detection and prevention program development. All are passionate, innovative and experienced leaders poised to drive a new wave of meaningful impact in school safety and student wellness for the more than 50 million students in the United States.

“We are pleased to welcome these accomplished executives in SaaS technology and K–12 leadership to the Navigate360 team,” said JP Guilbault, chief executive officer of Navigate360. “Julia, Jami and Joe bring a wealth of valuable knowledge and experience which supports our mission of zero incidents of violence and harm.”

Year to date, the  Expert Insights data from Navigate360 show alerts related to self-harm are up 51 percent year-over-year and alerts related to weapons and harm to others are up 25 percent year-over-year. On average, the Navigate360 report also found more than 4,000 anonymous tips per week come into school tip lines powered by Navigate360 P3 School Tip Line solution, with the most common tips related to self-harm and weapons.…Read More

Student mental health tops list of school safety concerns

Educators participating in a recent survey overwhelmingly believe that the Covid pandemic has increased student mental health needs–and in many instances, mental health issues are the biggest obstacle to school safety.

These latest statistics are found in the 2023 School Safety Survey from Raptor Technologies and the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). Through the survey, Raptor gathered insight into a wide range of school safety and student wellness challenges school safety decision-makers face today. 

The survey surfaced critical data and insight on obstacles related to school safety and security processes, such as physical security, safety drills and procedures, and emergency response planning. In addition to 60 percent of respondents citing “mental health issues” as the greatest school safety obstacle they are encountering, 78 percent of respondents indicated the mental health needs of their student population have increased since returning post-Covid.…Read More

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Navigate360 Recognizes New Jersey School District with Excellence Award for School Culture & Climate

RICHFIELD, OHIO (PRWEB) — Navigate360, the nation’s leader in K–12 school safety and student wellness solutions, announces the recognition of Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District in Atlantic County, New Jersey, with the District Excellence Award for School Culture & Climate. This award honors their noteworthy impact on student development and success through continued, proven use of Suite360. Each school within the district will also receive Suite360 Character Excellence Awards with multiple celebrations taking place on the nationally recognized SEL Day, March 10.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is poised to remain a major focus for districts nationwide. According to EdWeek Market Brief, 60 percent of all districts plan on spending more on SEL in 2023–2024 and 67 percent of all Northeast schools will increase their SEL spending, while 0 percent will decrease their spending. With SEL being a high priority, it’s essential to recognize what’s working.

Greater Egg Harbor’s utilization of Suite360 has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from all key stakeholders, including district and school leadership, families and the students themselves.…Read More

National Report Reveals Rapid and Discreet Wearable Panic Buttons Directly Impact Staff Well-Being and Job Satisfaction, and Students’ Perceptions of Safety

ATLANTA/PRNewswire/ —  CENTEGIX, the leader in incident response solutions, today released its biannual report highlighting the impact of safety tools in K12 schools across the country and the benefits of wearable panic button solutions. The ” School Safety Trend s Report: Fall 2022” analyzed over 50,000 incidents gathered from CENTEGIX’s CrisisAlert™ usage data for the Fall 2022 semester, along with survey data from 1,200 educators and staff who have used the CrisisAlert platform to call for help.

According to the survey results, access to a safety solution that offers campus-wide coverage with precise location indication was highly effective in protecting staff and students. This correlates with the CrisisAlert usage data that showed 47% of incidents reported in the fall of 2022 occurred outside the classroom. Full-campus coverage is necessary to ensure all students, staff, and visitors are safe whether in the classroom, in the parking lot, or on the athletic fields.

Respondents also shared that districts that provide discreet and easy-to-use safety and security solutions for teachers and staff see a direct impact on their well-being and job satisfaction, as well as students’ perceptions of safety. Survey results revealed that 97% of respondents believe that having a wearable incident response solution helped them feel safe and supported as a staff member.…Read More

Singlewire Software Acquires Visitor Aware to Add Visitor Check-in and Student Management to Its Suite of School Safety Offerings

MADISON, WIS. (PRWEB) — Singlewire Software, the leader in solutions that help keep people safe and informed, announces its acquisition of  Visitor Aware, a robust tool for visitor and student management. The acquisition enables Singlewire to expand its suite of safety and communication offerings with visitor and student management capabilities that add to the emergency notification and incident management offerings of its  InformaCast software.

“It’s becoming more evident that school safety starts at the front door, so when our school customers started asking us for help with visitor check-in and student management, we went looking for a partner that could offer a solution that would exceed their expectations,” said Paul Shain, president and CEO of Singlewire Software. “Visitor Aware develops state-of-the-art safety solutions that help organizations keep their building secure and their people protected, which pairs perfectly with our mission of keeping people safe and informed, everywhere. Every time.”

Visitor Aware provides schools and other organizations the tools to screen visitors so they can identify threats before unwanted guests gain access to sensitive areas. Visitors have their IDs scanned when they enter a building. That information is used in conjunction with encrypted facial recognition to screen visitors against national sex offender and government watchlists and active legal injunctions. Potential issues are flagged to prevent guests from further entering a building, and approved guests are given a printed pass so they can proceed. Visitor Aware also offers tools for volunteer management, tardiness tracking, secure student release and pick-up, rostering and reunification, and setting up a tip line for potential threats.…Read More

State of School Safety Report Reveals Students Want More Social and Emotional Support and Increased Safety

NEWTOWN, CT, July 25, 2022 – A national survey and report released by Safe and Sound Schools with Raptor Technologies and Lightspeed Systems® surveyed school leaders, public safety, mental health, teachers, parents, and students identifying gaps in feelings and perceptions about school safety, in particular with students.

In general, most groups feel schools are safe. However, students express the greatest concerns over feeling safe physically and emotionally. This suggests a strong need for schools to focus on identifying early indicators of concern so they can offer support well before a student proceeds down a path of harm to self or others. Re-education on safety procedures and enhanced reporting and managing of low-level indicators may be necessary to build confidence in students’ safety and wellbeing.

“Now more than ever, it is critical that school communities engage all stakeholders—from students to superintendents—in conversation and decision-making to protect our most sacred spaces and precious community members, our schools and our students,” said Michele Gay, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Safe and Sound Schools.…Read More

Navigate360 Sets New Standard for K-12 School Safety with Fully Integrated Visitor, Volunteer & Emergency Management Suite & Alyssa’s Law-Compliant Panic Alarms

RICHFIELD, OH, July 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Schools nationwide are working quickly to enhance safety and security plans to satisfy updated state mandates and give their students and staff the confidence they need to be successful. Navigate360 is proud to aid in their efforts with a new, fully integrated Safety & Security Suite that seamlessly provides the tools and technology schools need to ensure proper plans and processes are in place to prevent a critical incident and respond to a crisis if necessary. 

Navigate360’s Safety & Security Suite integrates state-of-the-art Visitor, Volunteer and Emergency Management systems with Alyssa’s Law-compliant panic buttons, enabling schools to directly – and silently – alert first responders when faced with an emergency incident. The cloud-based solution enables 360-degree visibility of both the site and the location of students, staff, visitors and volunteers, which is critical when every second counts for first responders and school security teams.     

“School safety is a complex, multifaceted issue, and it’s clear that point solutions aren’t enough on their own,” said Navigate360 CEO JP Guilbault. “We’re delivering on our ‘better together’ commitment by providing a modern, connected platform that eliminates schools’ functional and data silos by integrating visitor, volunteer and emergency management into a single platform with Alyssa’s Law-compliant panic buttons. This is the new standard for modern school safety.”  …Read More

Pikmykid Prioritizes School Safety with Expansion of Features

TAMPA, Fla., Mar. 17, 2022 –  Pikmykid, the leading provider of school safety and dismissal solutions, today announces its latest features to provide schools with the most inclusive resources to implement a safer learning environment for students. 

The Pikmykid platform initially began as a solution for schools to streamline drop-offs and dismissals safely and efficiently but has since expanded to become a fully comprehensive safety platform. The platform now includes access to a safety panic button, enabling school staff to raise an alarm on any device for over a dozen different emergencies that can occur with one push of a button. While this feature will allow staff to take quick action against school violence or other unprecedented events, it can also be used as a resource for more common emergencies, including a medical crisis or power outage. This latest safety feature has allowed Pikmykid to tie dismissal, safety, and parent engagement all into a single, user-friendly platform.

Along with the installation of its safety panic button, Pikmykid has also added a  Daily Health Check-In module to help parents and teachers identify students who may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. The customizable health questionnaire allows schools to determine the most pertinent information they need to keep students safe. The survey only takes a few seconds for parents to complete and will provide school administrators a variety of insights about students’ health to ensure a safe and ongoing learning environment. The Daily Health Check-In will also help schools apply social distancing measures during morning drop-offs and dismissal and will limit the number of visitors allowed on school property. …Read More