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Harlan County Schools Superintendent Brent Roark and Harlan County High School Principal Kathy Napier have announced the implementation and completion of our new Access Control System. This cutting-edge system is designed to enhance the safety and security of our students, staff, and our campus facility.

The Access Control System, a key component of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe learning environment, electronically regulates access to exterior doors and classroom entrances throughout the school premises. By employing advanced technology, we aim to fortify our campus against unauthorized entry, ensuring the utmost protection for everyone within our school community.

Key features of the Access Control System include:

1. Electronic Monitoring: Real-time monitoring and recording of access attempts at all entry

points.

2. Customized Access Levels: Different levels of access privileges for faculty, staff, and authorized personnel.
3. Remote Management: Ability for administrators to remotely grant or revoke access permissions as needed.
4. Emergency Override: Integration with emergency protocols to swiftly manage access during

crisis situations.

5. Seamless Integration: Integration with existing security infrastructure for comprehensive

coverage.

“We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our new Access Control System,” said Harlan County Schools Police Chief Matt Cope. “The safety and security of our students and staff are our top priorities, and this system represents a significant step forward in ensuring a secure learning environment for all.”

According to Roark, this investment in modern security technology underscores the dedication to providing a safe and conducive environment for teaching and learning. 

“The new electronic door locks make it far easier for the classroom teachers to be compliant with the requirement that classroom doors remain locked when students are present,” Roark said. “Our old classroom door locks at HCHS were high quality locks, but their design was problematic. The locks forced teachers to manually use a key to relock their door every time a student entered the room for any reason.  The new locks are working incredibly well for our classrooms, as well as allowing for better access control of our exterior entrances.” 

Napier noted that the school and district remain steadfast in the commitment to prioritizing the safety and security of everyone within our school community. 

“The implementation of this access control system underscores our proactive approach to addressing modern security challenges and ensuring peace of mind for students, parents, and staff,” Napier said.

The door lock upgrade is popular with teachers.

“The new door locks are great,” said teacher Tracy LeFavers. “I am very happy to have them. The locks eliminate interruptions to instructional time and the stress of continuously

ensuring the door is locked manually. Even though it is such a small aspect of the

classroom, the new locks help ensure that students are safe, and less time is wasted on

a trivial task.”

Teacher Jennifer Freyer agrees. 

“The new locks for our doors are so much more efficient and safer than what we had before,” Freyer said. “I no longer have to worry about a student getting back into class or having to

interrupt my lesson to run and lock the door behind a student when they need to leave to go to the nurse.”

Roark noted door locks in our elementary schools do not create the many issues that existed with the previous system at HCHS.

For more information about the Access Control System or any other safety initiatives in the Harlan County Schools, contact Cope at 606-573-4330.