Camas High School (CHS) is changing how it lets students into the building. From Oct. 27 onward, students who enter the building late will be required to check in through the newly installed camera and buzzer system. 

“Staff will have their own badge, so they’ll be able just to swipe in,” Penny Harlan, the administrative assistant to the associate principal at CHS, said. “Students will need to press the buzzer to have access for someone within the office to let them in.”

This has raised concerns about students in Cascadia Tech and Running Start programs, as they enter the building late every day. 

“It shouldn’t make a difference for Cascadia Tech,” Harlan said. “For the first week or two, we’re gonna be manning the front door to let them in and get more familiar with their faces, and we’ll be out there to let them in. Running Start, since they’re a little bit more sporadic throughout the day, they’ll have to press the button to enter the building.”

Harlan also shared the motivation behind this decision.

“The school district recognized that Camas High School was the only school in the district that did not have that safety feature at the front door,” Harlan said. “They decided to have it installed for safety purposes.”

Emma Lutjen, a junior at CHS who is in the Cascadia Tech program, has expressed her concern about the new system.

“[The camera/buzzer system] is gonna make getting into the building annoying because [Cascadia Tech students] are gonna get here, some of us go right into the building, and others go back to their cars,” Lutjen said. 

Lachlan Morris, a junior at CHS in the Running Start program, did not have defined feelings about the camera/buzzer system.

“I’m not sure how I feel about it,” Morris said. “Coming to school late every day is going to affect how I get in, but I don’t think it’ll hinder me too much.”

Students seem to favor the system when viewing it as a safety measure, however.

“​​In the modern day, schools are not the safest place anymore,” Lutjen said. “It is understandable that we would want a higher level of security, like a buzzer lock and camera on our front door.”

“I don’t think you can have too many safety protocols and restrictions in school,” Morris said. “I think it’s [going to] be beneficial.”