Private school in Virginia deploys NLSS Gateway as its new security management platform

The school intends to integrate campus’ access control and video surveillance into one easy-to-use solution

Next Level Security Systems, a developer of a new breed of unified, networked security solutions, recently announced that St. Mary’s Catholic School has deployed the NLSS Gateway as its new security management platform. The school is leveraging the NLSS Gateway to integrate the campus’ access control and video surveillance into one easy-to-use solution.

“We strive to provide the ultimate level of security for our students while also remaining visitor-friendly and maintaining the character of our school,” said Janet Cantwell, Principal, St. Mary’s School. “We saw the opportunity with Next Level to do something unique, enhancing our current capabilities with state-of-the-art technology.”

St. Mary’s, a 700-student elementary school in Alexandria, Va., has previously struggled with its traditional lock and key system to temporarily grant access to parish groups that commonly use the school facilities after hours. The NLSS security management platform, coupled with HID Edge readers, now secures the school’s access points while eliminating the need to distribute and recollect keys from outside groups.

In addition, St Mary’s installed an NLSS HD Media Decoder, a networked media appliance that can display multiple HD video streams simultaneously to a single monitor in a variety of layouts, with a 32-inch flat screen monitor in the administration office. The decoder provides the staff with a clear view of the video streams from Axis Communications IP cameras to ensure the safety of the school. The HD monitor has caught the attention of parents.

 “We get a lot of ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaaahs’ when parents see the video display,” said Ann Ross, Office Manager, St. Mary’s School. “We’ve traditionally been very conservative, so the deployment of Next Level’s technology has been an exciting and beneficial change for us.  It also lets the parents know that we take security seriously.”

“Integrating their surveillance with cutting-edge access control makes St. Mary’s a pioneer in private school security,” said Pete Jankowski, Chairman and CEO, Next Level Security Systems. “Combining all available information into one easy-to-use platform enables the staff to make more informed decisions, leading to safer environments.”