Eagan High school is an enormous building. With over 2,000 students and hundreds of staff members within EHS on a daily basis, it is essential that a variety of security measures are in place to ensure maximum safety at all times.

In recent years, the administration has made notable changes to the East and South entrances, as well as other doors around the building. Mr. McDonald, the Campus Security specialist goes into detail on specific rules surrounding door security.

“Student IDs are supposed to be checked, unless it is clear that the person entering is a student,” he says, adding that students should carry their IDs at all times in order to ensure proper identification. 

The system is no different for adults, as only individuals with company identification are admitted into the building. Unknown adults are required to scan their driver’s licenses, an action which performs an instant background check against sexual offenses. If a parent needs to drop off an item, they can do so without entering the building by depositing said item onto a table in any of the two entrance vestibules. 

Lastly, the non-entrance doors are all equipped with the ability to detect when they are forced open from the outside, notifying the office immediately if an unnatural entrance were to occur.

EHS spared no expense when it comes to fire safety. Per Mr. McDonald, Eagan features a state-of-the-art system which can detect smoke and spikes in heat signatures. In the case of a fire, a network of doors will close to contain the spread, depending on the location of the detection. Furthermore, the sprinklers are designed to activate only in the region where the fire is detected.

This year, many students were surprised to learn that students from opposing schools are not allowed to mix during football matches and other sporting events. However, as Mr. McDonald states, this is “not a new rule.” In fact, this policy has been in place for years, primarily to prevent Eagan students from entering the visitors’ bleachers. 

When it comes to EHS security, Mr. McDonald expresses that the building is like a “small city,” due to the size of both the school and the inhabiting student body. As a result, Mr. McDonald and all other office faculty members establish precautions in response to doors, fire hazards, and sporting event antics to ensure that Eagan students have one less thing to worry about when they step foot onto the campus.