In the latest Lightning Chat, Theresa Rooter from Lightspeed StopIt and Wes Lawrence, VP of Operations at Lightspeed, sat down to talk about school safety from every angle. Their conversation focused on how schools can combine both active (human-driven) and passive (technology-driven) safety tools to create a more complete safety net for students, staff, and the wider community.
Key Points:
- Safety is more than physical security; digital monitoring and student voice matter too.
- Early detection is crucial—spotting issues upstream can prevent crises.
- Anonymous reporting and digital monitoring work best together, offering multiple ways for students to reach out.
- Human review teams bring empathy, experience, and the ability to act on gut instincts.
- Supporting families and the broader community is vital for true safety.
- Data and analytics help schools target resources where they’re needed most.
K-12 School Safety: More Than Just Locks and Cameras
As districts prepare for the new school year, Theresa and Wes point out that most schools start with physical safety—locks, cameras, metal detectors, and so on. While these are essential, they’re usually only helpful when something is already going wrong. The real goal is to catch warning signs early, especially in the digital realm where so much student life now takes place.
With students using devices both at home and in school, potential risks can pop up anywhere. Tools like Lightspeed Alert™, which monitors digital activity, and Lightspeed StopIt™, an anonymous reporting system, are designed to help schools spot concerns before they become emergencies.
Moving School Safety & Prevention Upstream
Wes shared that school leaders should be thinking about how to detect issues earlier, not just responding after the fact. Digital monitoring tools can pick up on searches or messages that suggest a student might be struggling, whether with self-harm, violence, or something else. At the same time, anonymous reporting lets students safely share concerns about themselves or classmates—even if they don’t feel ready to talk to an adult in person.
Theresa made it clear that anonymous tools aren’t meant to discourage face-to-face conversations. In fact, the best-case scenario is when students do feel comfortable talking directly to administrators. But for those who aren’t ready, these tools provide a bridge, making it easier to ask for help in whatever way feels safest.
Blending Technology and Human Expertise For an Effective School Safety Program
Both guests emphasized that the most effective safety programs use a mix of technology and human insight. Lightspeed Alert works in the background, noticing what students are typing or searching for, even if they’re not actively reaching out for help. Meanwhile, Stop It gives students and parents a way to report concerns directly, and anonymously if they prefer.
This combination gives schools a more complete picture—not just what’s being said out loud, but also the quieter signals that might otherwise go unnoticed.
When it comes to School Safety, People Make the Difference
Wes and Theresa both highlighted the importance of the human teams behind their products. Technology and AI are great for sorting through a flood of data, but it’s experienced people who add context, spot patterns, and decide when to step in. Many of these team members have backgrounds as school administrators or safety officers, so they understand what to look for and how to respond.
Their long-standing teams have seen just about everything and know how to trust their instincts, which is something even the best technology can’t replicate.
StopIt: Supporting Families and the Bigger Community
School safety isn’t just about students. Stop It also offers resources for parents and families, making it easy to find help—like food drives or mental health services—without fear of stigma or shame. Plus, with built-in analytics, schools can see which resources are most in demand and adjust their support, accordingly, sometimes even targeting specific grades or schools.
Why Schools Need Both Active and Passive Safety Tools
The big takeaway? Schools need both passive tools (like digital activity monitoring) and active tools (like anonymous reporting and human review). This ensures every student has a way to ask for help, whether they want to do so anonymously or directly. It also helps schools intervene before problems escalate.
By working together, Lightspeed Alert and StopIt provide a comprehensive safety net that actually reduces the load on administrators and teachers—giving them more time to focus on students in person.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a dozen vendors or a complicated patchwork of programs. With integrated systems like Lightspeed Alert and StopIt, you can cover all your bases, keep your community safe, and give students the support they need. Let the technology (and the people behind it) do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on what matters most: being there for your students.
