Security guards in middle school, although varying from school to school, generally don’t compare to the security guards (also referred to as Student Assistants) at LT. At first glance, security guards may just be thought of as people who are in the hallways at school for the purpose of protecting students in case of an intruder or an altercation in the hallway. However, they really do much more than just keeping students safe.

For instance, many students at both campuses have developed strong relationships with the security guards. These relationships create opportunities for students to talk to someone in the hallway and form a relationship with a trusted adult. When strong relationships are built with trusted security guards, students are more likely to feel more comfortable and more likely to report an issue of some sort that would be able to be fixed with assistance of a security guard.

Although it may seem that situations at school often don’t require a security guard and their job sometimes may not seem as useful as society portrays it to be, that is not the case. Security guards at LT are not stereotypical security guards that people see in the movies where they stand in the hallways and only talk to their walkie-talkie and appear to students as if they aren’t doing anything. 

Security guards do much more behind the scenes work than students think. They are always on the lookout for potential problems, possible altercations, and overall issues that may arise. For example, if a fight were to break out in the hall, a security guard would be present within seconds due to the high number of them throughout the school at both campuses. Overall, they work as an efficient team that is great at keeping the school a safe environment. 

Ever since coming back to school after COVID-19, the amount of security guards severely dropped, along with other school-related jobs, like bus drivers. This 2023-2024 school year is the first year since coming back to school where the number of security guards–now often wearing highly visible yellow shirts–has gone back to its pre-COVID numbers. Although the amount may seem overwhelming, each individual’s work has not gone unnoticed. The additional amount of security workers hired has made the school a much safer environment to be in and to learn in.

Besides their contributions during the school day, they stay after school and wait for students to get on the busses and make sure they leave the building safely. Their actions also haven’t gone unnoticed at school-related events such as sporting event and school productions. They help aid attendees to their seats, regulate foot traffic, and help maintain a stable and safe environment. 

Overall, the work by the new-and-improved security team this year has not gone unnoticed and is much appreciated by students, teachers, and staff.