Gila Crossing School is a state-of-the-art STEM K-8 school accommodating 734 students within the Gila River Community. The school’s design is founded on the latest principles of educational facility security, prioritizing the safety of students through various measures. These include the absence of direct lines of sight to students, strategic window placement, and an ingress/egress program enabling controlled entry at all times and areas. Cutting-edge security systems, such as motion detection video monitoring and perimeter ingress detection, are in place, along with a master lockdown system that swiftly secures all doors and gates while restricting entry within seconds. 

The entry and administrative offices can be isolated from the rest of the school if necessary, providing a means to immobilize potential threats. Bulletproof glass is installed at all entry points, while laminated glass is used elsewhere, allowing ample natural light into spaces for students but positioned strategically to prevent visibility from off-campus locations. Additionally, the installation of “wood” classroom doors conceals their steel composition, and all walls between classrooms and corridors have been fortified for enhanced security.