If you’ve been arriving at school a little late this year, you’ve probably noticed the Upper School front doors being locked after a certain time in the morning. Late students can’t just walk in; they have to use the automatic button to alert Veronika to open the door. The school says the new enforcement is all about keeping everyone safe on campus and monitoring who is in the building. About this matter, students and faculty have already expressed thoughts on how this change affects them daily and the community at Sandy Spring Friends.

To better understand the new security measures this year, I asked the Head of Operations, Rebecca Kolowé, via email to learn why these changes were made and who made these decisions. She also highlighted that the main goal of these security measures is to protect students and staff while creating a safe learning environment. Her answers have been lightly edited for clarity. 

Q: How has SSFS strengthened security to ensure the safety of students and faculty? 

A: SSFS has worked with the Maryland Center for School Safety to follow best practices used across the state. Over the past few years, the school has added measures such as locking doors, reinforcing windows, and increasing security presence. More changes are planned for the coming months and next school year. 

Q: Who decided to lock the Upper School front doors?

A: The decision was made by the SSFS Safety Planning Committee. It was not an individual decision and follows recommendations from national safety organizations. 

Q: Why is stricter security, like locking doors, necessary?

A: Locking doors helps protect students and staff during emergencies and slows down unauthorized entry into the building. 

Q: What message does the school want to send to students and parents?

A: Safety is the school’s top priority. The goal is to create a safe learning environment so students can focus on school without worrying about security.

To learn more about how the locked front door policy works, I asked Upper School Assistant Veronika Jiranova via email. Veronika is the front desk staff member who is responsible for letting students, parents, and visitors into the building once the doors are locked. She shared her perspective on how convenient the system is, what improvements could make the process smoother, and how the community has responded to the change. Her answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Q: How convenient is the front door and letting people in?

A: At the moment, it’s hard, but at least I get more movement. 

Q: Have you received any comments about the new policy from students, parents, or visitors? 

A: Not really, it just took a while to get used to. 

Students of the Upper School have mixed feelings about the new policy. From a recent survey of students regarding the new policy, most said it does not really affect them, but some find it annoying or frustrating, especially when it slows them down. Many suggested adding a doorbell, buzzer, or camera to make getting in easier and faster, which the school has now done. 

The new front-door locking policy has changed how students and staff move through the school, but its main goal is safety. Administrators say the policy helps protect the campus, while Veronika continues to adjust to the process of managing entry. Student reactions have been mixed, ranging from supportive to frustrated, though many feel largely unaffected. As Sandy Spring continues to update its security measures, feedback from the community may help improve how the system works.