Before the school day begins, and even longer after it ends, the 20-person team of Security Assistants work tirelessly to ensure that everything runs smoothly for staff and students, Daniel Gorski, South Security Manager said.
From directing traffic, managing doors as students enter the building, and locking the gates, a morning for Security Assistants is a dutiful endeavor, Gorski said. During the school day and during after school activities, Security Assistants are stationed at different locations to monitor student activity and assist others, Gorski said.
“They’re the first face you see when you come into the building and the first line of defense,” Gorski said.
The Security Assistants come from many different career backgrounds, Gorski added.Security Assistant Sylvia Leon was a stay-at-home mom before coming to work at South, she said. When her kids got older and Leon began job hunting, she found a school environment enjoyable because she gets to see students get older and grow as people throughout their high school career.
“Security Assistants have kids at home too, most that are in high school, so we understand what a lot of kids are going through and can help them,” Leon said.
Security Assistant Kevin Quill graduated from South in 1982 and was a firefighter paramedic in the Glenview community for 22 years before retiring and finding himself back at South, he said. Being a Security Assistant has less emergency situations, but his two careers have been similar in the aspect of teamwork and providing safety, Quill added.
“The team of Security Assistants work really well with each other, and it feels good to get to make new relationships when we’re all on the same page,” Quill said.
Throughout a typical day, Security Assistants have countless interactions with students, Gorski said. While the interactions are more often than not positive, they can lead to some sort of disciplinary action, Gorski said. While the Security Assistants speak to students in firm ways, they do it out of care for their safety, Gorski explained. A goal he has for his team as they move forwards is to forge stronger connections between security staff and students, with a basis on respect, he said.
“Sometimes we have to be firm, but it doesn’t have to start there,” Gorski said. “Students have to respect the authority that security has, and security have to use the authority appropriately.”
Security Assistant Vickie Henderson starts her day at 6:30 a.m. by restarting the kiosks students use to sign in and out when they enter or exit the building, and sets the stanchions, black ropes used to help organize foot traffic at the kiosks at Door OO so students are safe and efficient as they scan in to the building each morning.
“From the start to finish of my day, my job is keeping students are safe,” Henderson said.
South gets a surprising amount of traffic from misguided community members who enter the school believing that it is the hospital across the street, as well as South alumni looking to revisit their old stomping grounds, Henderson explained.
“We are trying to keep the bad guys out and the good guys in,” Henderson said.
Security staff not only exist for rule enforcement within the school building, but also work in the guard shack in the West Lot, assisting students with parking and directional assistance, Quill said. He works to put an emphasis on safety within every interaction.
“Most students think we’re just here to get them in trouble, but that’s the opposite of what we really do,” Quill said. “We want nothing but positive interactions with kids.”
Security Assistants have no laptops, but they have emails which they access via a screen on their radios, Gorski explained. Their radios are crucial methods of communication between the staff who are stationed at different areas of the school throughout the day, Leon said.
The radios give access to everything the Security Assistants need during the day: emails, Google Chats, PowerSchool, and more, Gorski added.
“People say they’re always on their phones, but they’re really not; they’re on their radio,” Gorski said.
Every rule and system is for the benefit of students and staff, Henderson said. She recognizes some rules can feel unnecessary, but also believes that they are all for the greater good of the school.
“We ask where you are going so we know that students aren’t cutting class,” Henderson said. “This is a good school, sitting in the hallway does not give you a good education.”
Tasks such as directing traffic, securing entrances, and enforcing rules are services that Security Assistants provide for students, Henderson said. The things that students might get frustrated with are guidelines security follows to keep the school safe, she said.
“We’re on your side,” Henderson said. “We’re trying to keep everybody safe.”