Students in Seattle Public Schools head back to class with new safety upgrades
Sep 3, 2025, 9:11 AM
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
As thousands of Seattle Public Schools students head back to class, some of them will be returning to schools with new safety upgrades.
They include secure entry points with required sign-in, improved cameras, and a comprehensive security and communications system — especially important in case of a lockdown.
“Are you targeting schools that have the most need?” reporter Linzi Sheldon asked.
As thousands of Seattle Public Schools students head back to class, some of them will be returning to schools with new safety upgrades.
They include secure entry points with required sign-in, improved cameras, and a comprehensive security and communications system — especially important in case of a lockdown.
“Are you targeting schools that have the most need?” reporter Linzi Sheldon asked.
One of the schools with these changes is Rainier Beach High School, which will be open for its first full year of classes this fall.
“I’m pretty excited because it’s just like– being a senior,” Astou Sarr, who goes by Aida, said.
“Do you feel safe going back to school?” reporter Linzi Sheldon asked. “I feel relatively safe, especially because our building has more extensive measures to improve safety,” Sarr said.
When KIRO 7 visited in August, some construction was still underway outside.
But inside, a new security system is ready.
Seattle Public Schools Safety and Security Project Manager Michael Wells showed the KIRO 7 crew the new, upgraded intercoms. Essential messages scroll across the bottom and on screens in the halls.
If the school goes into a lockdown, the main office can see all classrooms on a map and pinpoint which ones haven’t acknowledged the alert.
“We can chime into that room via the intercom system and ask, ‘Are you guys OK?’ We can listen in, see if there are any concerns,” Wells said.
“You can actually listen in to the classroom?” Sheldon asked.
“Only if you’re in the lockdown situation,” Wells said.
Wells says 15 schools will have the new security system in place by the end of the year.
Rainier Beach is one of nine schools with the system up and running as the school year begins.
All of these upgrades are funded with $57.2 million from the BEX VI levy that voters passed this February.
“How long will it take to get these security upgrades across all 106 [schools]?” Sheldon asked.
“So we’re hoping to have that in place by the end of 2028,” Wells said. “So you’re looking at four phases. I think we’re saying we have phase one now. The second phase will start in 2026, and we’re looking at hopefully 30 schools.”
Another change is an alert button in each classroom and other areas of the school. SPS did not show it to KIRO 7, citing safety reasons, but said it’s a big upgrade from teachers having to call the main office.
Wells said the notification goes to the main office, security team, and administrative team, who can then decide to put the school in a shelter in place or lockdown if needed.
Sarr called it a good idea.
“Fights would go on longer than they actually needed to be,” she said. “Now that you have that emergency button and stuff, it’s quick.”
There are sensors on all exterior doors that will alert the office if the doors have been propped open or left ajar, and about 160 upgraded cameras across the new campus.
“People need to take notes, make sure they’re not doing anything they’re not supposed to be doing because the camera’s going to get them real quick!” Sarr said.
It’s a high-tech campus ready for its first full year of students.
On KIRO 7 News starting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Linzi Sheldon is talking to parents about what they think of the changes and finding out more about a new safety app and associated features the district is debuting this year.
