For many years, Menlo classrooms had a slight security problem: the narrow window providing a direct view into the room behind every door. This issue was addressed in early February, when most upper school classrooms had blinds installed over their entrance doors. A few weeks later, blinds were also added to middle school classrooms. According to Upper School Assistant Director Adam Gelb, the decision to add more blinds was made to increase classroom security and respond to teachers who requested them.

The new blinds are thin, black covers that use fabric fasteners to stick down in front of windows located on doors to classrooms and some teacher offices located on the outside of buildings. This especially helps during lockdown drills and, if needed, during emergencies when classrooms are required to board up. Some teacher offices located inside buildings like the student center are left without proper covers on their smaller windows for the time being, due to them being of lower priority.

“There was some feedback from teachers that they wanted to have [door windows] covered [to increase security during lockdowns] […] as whoever is checking those classrooms is able to see the students, and that’s not a good thing,” Gelb said.

Director of Security Mustapha Moutri believes it’s important that others are unable to see inside classrooms during safety drills. “Installing the door window covers enhances the safety of the students and teachers inside the classrooms, so during the lockdown drills, students can’t be seen from outside the door,” Moutri said. 

Gelb, along with Moutri and other members of the security team, has been working closely together to try and make the Menlo experience a whole lot safer. One example of this is the addition of flashing blue lights in areas where it’s hard to hear alarm sounds, such as music rooms, Martin Hall, the gym, Spieker Center and the Whitaker Lab.

Although most classrooms have gotten additional blinds installed, some areas still require proper blinds. This includes the teacher offices located in areas like the student center and library and some of the rooms with large glass windows or doors. Upper School Counselor Stefie Dominguez also commented on the matter, sharing her wishes for the Upper School Counseling office to receive blinds.

Some community members, such as math teacher Randy Joss, took extra steps to increase school safety before the window covers were installed. “Out of the 17 years I’ve been at Menlo, we haven’t had anything to block [the door windows] up. What I have done traditionally is tape together three pieces of paper and keep them in a cupboard, so that when the fire alarm or the intruder alarm happens, I take them out and I just put them over the window,” Joss said. “Now I have a nice Velcro thing.”

Gelb emphasizes the importance of installing blinds as well as being prepared for an emergency. “I think making sure we train and retrain all the adults on campus is paramount, because if something were to happen, I think students should be able to look to an adult and get some guidance on what to do and what not to do. I always wish we had more time,” Gelb said.