Managing Crowd Challenges in a “New Normal” Education Environment

After decades of gathering in America’s classrooms, hallways and gymnasiums, students and teachers have had to rethink these ingrained patterns. Just over a year ago, it would have been unthinkable to keep people, especially students, physically separated from each other. In today’s world, this is our reality—and it presents an ongoing challenge as educators and pupils settle into their “new normal” comfort zones.

Here at SONCO, we provide safe and effective crowd control for education programs, day camps, campus sports and extracurricular activities. Our bold, concise communication tools help students socially distance on school grounds, and our crowd control specialists enable teachers and administrators to identify and resolve the most pressing crowd challenges.

Common Crowd Challenges for Schools in 2021 and Beyond

Extracurricular Events
Whether it’s sports, theater programs or student council meetings, extracurricular gatherings bring the entire student body together, along with teachers, friends and family.

Cafeterias & Common Rooms 
From libraries and study lounges to cafeterias bursting at the seams with students, common areas are prone to overcrowding.

Classrooms 
Depending on a classroom’s size and student number, it is a daily challenge to space students properly and ensure that individuals have enough personal workspace.

Outdoor Spaces 
Playgrounds, lunch areas and other outdoor gathering spaces are part of a well-rounded childhood or student experience. To retain the value of these spaces while assuring the safety of attendees, schools must also consider outdoor crowd management.

With school safety and crisis planning at the forefront of their task lists, school boards and safety teams are rethinking their post-pandemic logistics. Successful COVID-19 mitigation is essential for schools to reopen safely and consistently. A vital part of this health response is keeping students and faculty distanced while still allowing them to learn and connect.

Options for School Crowd Control

When it’s time to return to campus, welcome remote learners back to the classroom, or optimize the safety of school buildings and communal spaces, wise educators partner with a school crowd control specialist. Ask a SONCO school expert about solutions for these top crowd management initiatives:

• Campus distancing requirements. Schools and universities of all sizes must develop campus distancing recommendations and support them with a well-designed crowd control infrastructure. SONCO carries perimeter equipment that helps students visualize distancing requirements and maintain spacing both inside and outside the classroom.
• Communication tools. Besides providing crowd control equipment, SONCO now offers COVID-19 barricade covers, signage and other communication tools that provide students with an easy-to-follow system for safety protocols.
• Sanitization stations. Free-standing and wall-mounted classroom, hallway and outdoor sanitizer stations help custodial staff promote proper hygiene. According to the CDC, proper and frequent hand hygiene is one of the most important ways to protect students, teachers and families from coronavirus spread.

Why Choose SONCO?

At SONCO, we’re setting the standard for perimeter security, cleaning systems and crowd control products. COVID-19 safety committees, PTA organizations, teaching staff and school administrators rely on our unrivaled industry expertise—and we put our customers’ health and safety at the forefront of everything we do.

Schools, universities, day camps and other education venues are under increasing pressure to keep faculty and students safe and healthy. SONCO is proud to offer schools the products and strategies they need to encourage proper distancing and hygiene measures. Together, we’ll do what it takes to fully reopen our communities’ schools.

When you partner with a SONCO sales or rental representative, we will answer your questions, visit your campus for an onsite consultation—or recommend products based on your specified requirements. Visit our online store for COVID-19 education solutions, or contact our team today: 888.766.2616.