Safety upgrades ready for start of school year
Employees will have a new way to request help if an emergency occurs.
As students prepare to return to the classroom Aug. 26, Charleroi Area School District is rolling out several changes aimed at improving safety, security and the learning environment for the 2026-27 school year.
The district will implement the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert system and VisitU Visitor Management System, providing employees with a new way to call for help during emergencies while creating a more consistent process for screening and tracking visitors.
Through CrisisAlert, teachers and other school employees will be equipped with wearable, mobile panic- alert buttons that can be used to discreetly request assistance.
When an alert is activated, the system provides the employee’s real-time location so responders can be sent directly to where help is needed.
Employees can trigger two levels of response depending on the situation.
Pressing the button three times sends a staff assistance alert. That could prompt a response from a school security officer, nurse, administrator or other appropriate employee.
For more serious emergencies, pressing the button eight times initiates a higher-level alert that notifies law enforcement and medical dispatchers that immediate assistance is needed on campus.
District officials said putting the alert system directly into employees’ hands is intended to reduce response times and provide another tool for situations ranging from routine safety concerns to serious emergencies.
The district is also rolling out VisitU to strengthen building security and streamline the visitor check-in process.
The system can collect and verify visitor information, scan identification, take visitor photos and print identification badges. It can also conduct instant checks against an offender database and automatically notify employees when their guests arrive.
Visitors to district buildings may be asked to present a valid photo ID as part of the new process. Once approved, visitors will receive an identification badge that must be worn while they are in the building.
District officials said the system will help ensure people entering schools are properly identified and accounted for during their visits.
Cellphone policy takes effect
Students will also return to school under Charleroi Area’s new “Bell to Bell” cellphone policy, which will be in effect beginning with the first day of classes Aug. 26.
Under the policy, students will not be permitted to access their cellphones from the first bell until the end of the school day. The restriction applies during instructional and noninstructional periods, including lunch and time between classes, unless a student qualifies for an approved exception. The Charleroi Area school board first discussed the change in January as bipartisan support grew in Harrisburg for statewide restrictions aimed at reducing classroom distractions and improving student learning and well-being.
District leaders also included students in early conversations about the policy to gather feedback before moving forward.
Charleroi Area is implementing its policy while state lawmakers continue to consider two similar proposals that would require public schools across Pennsylvania to restrict student cellphone use throughout the school day.
Senate Bill 1014 originated in the Senate and passed that chamber 46-1 in February before being amended in the House. House Bill 1814, a separate proposal with a similar goal, passed the House 12675 in June before being referred to the Senate Education Committee.
Both measures seek to establish statewide “Bell to Bell” restrictions, but they are separate bills moving through the General Assembly. Before either proposal could reach Gov. Josh Shapiro, identical language would need to be approved by both the House and Senate.
Shapiro has publicly voiced support for statewide restrictions on cellphone use in schools and has called on lawmakers to send legislation to his desk.
Under the proposals, students would still be permitted to bring cellphones to school, but their use would be restricted from the beginning of the school day through dismissal. The legislation would allow for exceptions in certain circumstances, including medical needs, individualized education programs and other legally required accommodations.
School districts would retain responsibility for establishing procedures to comply with the requirement, including determining how devices are stored during the school day.
If legislation is ultimately approved and signed into law, Pennsylvania school entities would be required to have policies in place beginning with the 2027-28 school year.
Charleroi Area’s decision to move forward this year puts the district ahead of any potential statewide requirement and follows a broader national movement to limit cellphone use in schools.
Across the country, a growing number of states have adopted laws or statewide policies restricting cellphone use in K-12 schools, with some imposing “Bell to Bell” restrictions that prohibit students from accessing their devices throughout the school day.
District officials are encouraging students and parents to review Charleroi Area’s cellphone expectations before classes begin to help ensure a smooth transition.
The cellphone policy, CrisisAlert and VisitU are among the changes students, employees and families will see as the district begins the new school year.
While the two security systems serve different purposes, district officials said both are intended to give employees better information, improve emergency response and add safeguards throughout district facilities.
“Charleroi Area School District remains committed to providing schools that are safe, welcoming, and secure for every student, employee, family, and visitor,” Superintendent Dr. Ed Zelich said.
