How Smarter Systems Boost School Safety and Save Resources with Nikita Gupta
- Safe and Sound Schools
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
“In the modern era, technology can be used to totally flip the script...safety can now be literally in the palm of your hands.” - Nikita Gupta
What does it really mean to keep schools safe in today’s rapidly changing environment? Beyond drills and traditional security measures, how can technology, proactive risk assessment, and thoughtful leadership help schools protect students and staff while supporting a positive, connected school culture?
In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay connects with Nikita Gupta, product manager for mobile safety solutions at Verkada, to explore how schools can leverage mobile technology, AI, and data-driven insights to stay ahead of a wide variety of needs, from high-level risks to everyday use cases. Nikita shares practical examples of how schools of all sizes and geographies are using these tools to proactively monitor safety, empower staff, and rethink the way school security is approached.
Below you’ll find the full episode guide with key takeaways and standout moments to guide your listening.
A Season of Thanks and Giving
We’re excited to share that for the second year in a row, our partners at Verkada are generously matching all donations up to $15,000 during our annual Season of Thanks and Giving campaign.
That means that every gift you make will have double the impact on our work to protect every school and every student, every day.
Episode Guide
[4:23] Mobile Alerts as Immediate Response Tools
The conversation dives into mobile alerts, explaining how targeted notifications can help staff respond to issues like student vaping, security concerns, or unauthorized visitors. Nikita emphasizes the importance of providing actionable context directly on staff devices to prevent situations before they escalate.
“Mobile notifications or mobile alerts are essentially how you get either a push notification directly into a mobile app, which you can click on and get the instant context…so that you have all the information that you need to deal with a certain situation and typically prevent it before it progresses.” - Nikita Gupta
[6:30] AI for Actionable Insights and Workflow Simplification
Michele and Nikita discuss how AI transforms raw data from cameras, sensors, and access points into meaningful insights. Nikita explains that AI helps staff focus on response rather than monitoring, while Michele highlights the cognitive load on school personnel in environments not designed around safety.
“I think about the cognitive load of safety in an environment that really wasn't built around safety to begin with, where our primary objectives are educating and socializing our youth so that they can be the amazing people that they're meant to be. So, we struggle in education spaces to figure out how we're going to do that job at the same time as doing all of these other jobs. How are we going to communicate appropriately in real time in a protected manner? How are we going to keep our eye on all the balls?" - Michele Gay
[14:26] Integrated Systems and Proactive Risk Assessment
The conversation shifts to gaps in school safety technology, highlighting that systems often exist in silos. Nikita and Michele stress that integrated, holistic systems allow schools to detect anomalies and respond proactively rather than reactively.
“We talk about how [with] technology we can be more proactive than reactive, but I think the biggest gap right now is that systems are not talking to each other. If it takes a lot of work to understand [your system], and your cameras and your access control, or your access control and your intercoms, are not talking, it becomes very hard to get this holistic view.” -Nikita Gupta
[20:48] Monitoring Trends to Prevent Incidents
They explore the value of trend analysis and risk assessment. Michele explains how daily monitoring and reviewing analytics can help identify patterns before an incident occurs, and Nikita provides examples of schools using this approach for environmental risks like wildfires.
“One of the schools that I've talked to in the Santa Barbara Mountains, their biggest concern is wildfires. They got used to monitoring sensor alerts and air quality alerts from their phone. [In a recent spike of fire activity] because there was someone evaluating [the sensors], they were able to avoid students coming to school.” -Nikita Gupta
[36:39] Proactive Approach and Key Takeaways
Nikita concludes by emphasizing the importance of evaluating systems early and often, using mobile alerts to ensure the right information reaches the right people at the right time. Michele reinforces that full visibility builds confidence and enables informed, proactive decisions.
“I think the biggest takeaway from this conversation is to evaluate your systems and everything you have in place sooner, and earlier in general, so that you can become more proactive. [Your] system should work when something happens, but really expand the possibility of what can [be] detected. Really think about how the technology can work to make it [easier] for you to be more proactive than reactive. One way to do that is with mobile alerts, so the right people have the right information at the right time.” -Nikita Gupta
Listen to the Full Episode with Nikita Gupta
This episode of The Sound Off provides actionable guidance for school leaders, administrators, and educators. From proactive risk assessment to leveraging mobile technology and AI, Michele Gay and Nikita Gupta explore the practical strategies that help schools stay ahead of potential threats, empower staff, and create a culture of safety and trust.
Today’s episode is presented by Verkada, trusted by schools protecting more than 20 million students. With video security, access control, and panic buttons all in one platform, Verkada gives schools the tools to respond fast and keep their communities safe.
Check Out These Additional Resources from Safe and Sound and Nikita Gupta
Dive into these resources for more information on this topic:
Safe and Sound Schools’ Comprehensive School Safety Framework
Safe, Sound and Healthy Digital Environments: A Practical Toolkit for Educators
Averted School Violence Project – Learn actionable prevention strategies from real cases of averted violence
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