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Michigan Teachers Create Safety App For School Lockdowns

MICHIGAN — In response to the Parkland shooting and the rise of school-related gun violence throughout the country. Two local teachers have decided to do their part to help in the event of a crisis.

Local teachers Matt Ridenour and Josette Rechul announced today the launch of the TABS (Tracking Appropriate Behaviors) system – a web-based software application designed to assist schools with student management issues.  The application works to track student behavior and handle a crisis situation during a lockdown.

TABS is an easy-to-use system with instant safe schools lock down automation, Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) tracking, and innovative paperless hall pass technology. Here's a look at how it would work during an emergency:

When an administrator recognizes a crisis situation, they initiate a lockdown via desktop or smartphone.
At that point, every teacher, counselor, and security team member receives a push notification that a crisis is occurring.
The teacher responds with "safe" or "not safe."

The administrator sees a spreadsheet that updates in real time showing who is safe vs. not safe. This allows the administrator to make quick decisions on where to go, or where to send first responders.

A secondary feedback loop coming in asks the teacher to take attendance when they've reached their safe space. This will help in determining the location of missing students.

"Every day that I walk into school I see the need for a system like this," said Ridenour, co-founder of TABS and teacher at Crestwood High School in Dearborn Heights. "Teachers are overwhelmed and they need simple solutions to help monitor students.

TABS streamlines a number of cumbersome processes, allowing teachers and administrators to focus on the reason they are there in the first place."The development of TABS began four years ago, and it is a culmination of years of hard work, research, and development.

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