From Half Measures to Complete Security: How One School Got Smarter Security for Less

School security cameras and door access for a Montana Catholic K12 school. A Ubiquiti system replaced old cameras and a buzzer, with no subscription fees.

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The outcome

The school got full camera coverage and integrated door access across all critical areas, and avoided the ongoing subscription fees of a camera-only bid.

At a glance

Client

Montana private K12 Catholic school

Service

Safety and security

Published

June 20, 2025

Enhanced Student & Staff Safety

The school now boasts comprehensive camera surveillance and precise control over all access locations, significantly increasing visibility and lockdown measures to protect both staff and students.

Complete Campus Coverage

Unlike the limited camera only option a competitor provided, the school received full video surveillance and integrated door access across all critical areas, eliminating security gaps and providing peace of mind.

Significant Cost Savings

By choosing Ubiquiti through Schoolhouse IT, the school gained substantial savings on both initial hardware costs and avoided the ongoing and expensive Verkada subscription fees that would have plagued their budget for years to come.

Context

The situation

When it comes to protecting our kids, no school wants to cut corners. But what if you could get a better more complete security system for less money? That's the challenge a private K12 school recently faced and it's a story that highlights how smart choices can make a huge difference.

An Outdated System & Incomplete Options

This K12 private Montana based Catholic school had an aging security system. Their existing cameras were outdated, offered limited visibility, and their door access was key access and buzzer on the main door. They recognized the urgent need to enhance the safety and security of their students, staff, and facilities.

They began seeking quotes from various providers to upgrade their systems. One option from a local provider offered the Verkada platform as a solution and presented a camera only bid. The issue? To fit within a perceived budget, it offered insufficient camera coverage for the school's needs and completely omitted the critical door access control. This meant a crucial security layer would be delayed indefinitely. This option came with high initial hardware costs and significant ongoing annual subscription fees leading to a high long term price tag.

Goals

What they needed

Their goals

The school's primary goals were clear:

Enhance Student & Staff Safety Implement a modern, fully integrated, and reliable security system that provides complete protection.
Achieve Comprehensive Coverage Ensure all critical areas of the campus were monitored by cameras and entrances were securely controlled.
Integrate Door Access Find a solution that seamlessly combined both video surveillance and door access control for simplified management.
Optimize Budget Secure a high quality system that offered excellent value and a manageable total cost of ownership, avoiding excessive recurring fees.

What the solution had to include

To truly meet their goals the school needed more than just a handful of cameras. They specifically needed:

Reliable and High Definition Cameras: With broad coverage across classrooms, hallways, entrances, and outdoor areas.
Integrated Door Access Control: To manage who could enter which areas and at what times, providing a critical layer of security for all building access locations.
User Friendly Management: A system that was intuitive for school administrators and staff to operate daily, without requiring specialized IT skills.
Scalability: A system that could easily grow and adapt if the school's needs changed in the future.
Cost-Effectiveness: A solution that delivered on performance without becoming a financial burden through hidden costs or endless subscriptions.

Key stages

How we did it

Our team meticulously planned and executed the solution:

Thorough Site Assessment We conducted a detailed walk through of the school campus, identifying all critical camera placement points and door access requirements, ensuring no blind spots or unsecured entries.
Custom System Design We designed a Ubiquiti Unifi system that matched the school's layout and security priorities, specifying the right cameras, door readers, and network infrastructure for optimal performance.
Transparent Cost Analysis We provided a clear upfront cost comparison that highlighted the long term savings of the Ubiquiti solution over the competitor's, emphasizing the absence of recurring subscription fees.
Integrated Deployment Our technicians expertly installed both the Unifi camera system and the door access controls simultaneously, ensuring a seamless and fully integrated security ecosystem from day one. The install took less than 2 weeks during summer break to fully secure the campus.
Staff Training We provided comprehensive, easy to understand training to the school's administrators and staff, empowering them to manage the new system from day one.

The solution

What we put in place

When Schoolhouse IT engaged with the school, we took the time to understand their specific challenges, their goals, and precise needs. We didn't just offer a product, we focused on offering a holistic and comprehensive campus security strategy. Our proposed solution centered around the cost effective and versatile Ubiquiti Protect platform.

Impact

The impact

With Schoolhouse IT and the Ubiquiti system in place, this K12 school achieved immediate and measurable improvements:

Enhanced Student & Staff Safety The school now boasts comprehensive camera surveillance and precise control over all access locations, significantly increasing visibility and lockdown measures to protect both staff and students.
Complete Campus Coverage Unlike the limited camera only option a competitor provided, the school received full video surveillance and integrated door access across all critical areas, eliminating security gaps and providing peace of mind.
Significant Cost Savings By choosing Ubiquiti through Schoolhouse IT, the school gained substantial savings on both initial hardware costs and avoided the ongoing and expensive Verkada subscription fees that would have plagued their budget for years to come. This smarter investment allowed them to allocate resources directly to their educational mission.
Streamlined Operations The unified platform simplifies security management. School administrators now have a single, intuitive dashboard to monitor cameras, manage door access permissions, and respond to events reducing the response time and operational burden.
Future-Ready Security The Ubiquiti Protect system offers inherent scalability, allowing the school to easily expand their security infrastructure as their needs evolve without costly overhauls.

Next steps