With the ClassSecure Safety System, i-Pro last month released a solution for school security that stands out as it was tailored more closely than any other to the unique needs of the high-stakes vertical.
With the ClassSecure Safety System, i-Pro last month released a solution for school security that stands out as it was tailored more closely than any other to the unique needs of the high-stakes vertical.
With features—including technologically advanced ones and ones that are smart but simple—i-Pro’s solution offers a comprehensive system for classrooms that can be integrated with schools’ overall security architecture, and makes full use of third-party platforms designed to protect those who are most vulnerable.
We sat down with Adam Lowenstein, Americas Product Director at i-PRO, who explained the ins-and-outs of ClassSecure Safety System in this exclusive interview.
Q: Tell us a bit about the origin of ClassSecure Safety System: What pain points in school security motivated its development, and what technical, market or regulatory challenges did you face in the process of bringing this unique solution to market?
Adam Lowenstein: The ClassSecure Safety System grew out of a very specific gap we saw when Alyssa’s Law started to gain traction. There was a crucial need for a swift response during an event, while respecting privacy at all other times. The intent of the law is simple: getting first responders to classrooms faster. But when we looked at the solutions on the market, most were either too siloed, too complex, or too intrusive. Teachers and administrators don’t have time to navigate multiple systems in a crisis, and parents don’t want surveillance cameras running 24/7 in classrooms. So, we designed an end-to-end solution that perfectly solved both problems for schools complying with Alyssa’s law. We wanted to provide instant communication and visual confirmation for first responders, without compromising privacy. The technical challenge was integrating the panic alert, video, and mass notification workflows into one seamless process that feels invisible until it’s needed.
Q: Schools are looking for safety solutions that don’t feel like surveillance. With ClassSecure, how does i-PRO balance real-time security, compliance and privacy?
Adam Lowenstein,
Americas Product Director at i-PRO
Lowenstein: A key design principle was that cameras in classrooms should remain off by default. With ClassSecure, the camera is physically in Privacy Mode. The lens is concealed, and the screen is black, unless the panic button is pressed. The PTZ style sensor physically rotates from behind a privacy screen to give a view of the classroom. The benefit of this approach is that the feed is always “live”, just dark, meaning that there is no “boot up time” or connection time that might need to take place if we did this electronically. It removes all the points of failure associated with connecting a device on an IP network in real time. The moment an emergency alert goes out, the system activates and provides live situational awareness. This means teachers, parents, and administrators can trust that privacy is preserved every day, while first responders still get the intelligence they need in the rare but critical moments when it matters most.
Q: Tell us about the integration of ClassSecure with NovoTrax’s unified life safety and mass notification platform. How does it work from the technical point of view? And in general, how did that collaboration come about? Is ClassSecure a direct result of it?
Lowenstein: Our collaboration with NovoTrax was a natural evolution. They had already built a strong reputation with their EduTrax platform for unifying life safety and notification systems, and we saw how powerful it would be to connect that directly to classroom video. From a technical standpoint, ClassSecure runs natively on NovoTrax’s platform, which means panic alerts, live video and audio, location data, and even door lockdowns can all be coordinated in one workflow. The full solution includes the VideoInsight VMS, EduTrax, MonitorCast access control, Bluetooth panic button, microphone, and the purpose-built ClassSecure camera. The main advantage is the seamless integration of these components. While the NovaTrax partnership wasn’t created solely for ClassSecure, this product is very much the first tangible result of bringing our technologies together.
Q: How does ClassSecure align with i-PRO’s broader vision for security solutions, and where does it fit within your existing product lineup for education and other vertical markets?
Lowenstein: ClassSecure represents a broader shift at i-PRO from simply supplying cameras to delivering true end-to-end safety solutions for schools. Districts can now deploy a portfolio that spans fixed and body-worn cameras, the intuitive VideoInsight VMS, and MonitorCast access control, along with classroom panic buttons and privacy-protected cameras. Our partnership with NovoTrax underscores i-PRO’s open approach, extending EduTrax SaaS with integrations to third-party systems like two-way radios, audio intercoms, flat panel displays, and more.
Q: Do you have a specific region or state in mind where you will bring ClassSecure to market first? Where are you planning to bring it later? What will the pricing structure be—a hardware-plus-subscription model, or bundle pricing with other products and services, or something else entirely?
Lowenstein: Our initial focus is U.S. states where Alyssa’s Law is already enacted or pending, because schools there have both the urgency and often the funding to act quickly. Beyond that, we see a nationwide and even international opportunity as silent panic systems become standard practice. In terms of pricing, ClassSecure is being offered as a complete solution through our authorized partners who have been specifically trained to deploy it. Each deployment will be tailored to the district’s needs, but our goal is to keep the model simple and sustainable, with hardware plus the required training and support, and not a maze of recurring license fees.
Q: What camera model will come with the ClassSecure system? Is it derived from an existing i PRO model, and what capabilities—for example in terms of edge analytics—will it include, or deliberately exclude? What adaptions to the hardware have been made in order to comply with the specific needs of the classroom?
Lowenstein: The classroom camera is a new design derived from our proven line of PTZ cameras, but purpose-built for this use case. It includes the same reliability you’d expect from an i-PRO PTZ, but with deliberate limitations, such as no continuous recording and no idle streaming. Its sole purpose is to activate in an emergency and deliver a clear, secure view of the classroom. That required rethinking the housing, lens concealment, and user interface so it feels like a safety device, not a surveillance tool. ClassSecure also includes a microphone so first responders benefit from real-time audio as well as video from the classroom during activation. Of course, the camera includes a 7-year warranty in North America, just like all our cameras.
Q: Can you walk us through a typical emergency workflow using ClassSecure? What happens when a teacher activates the camera—and how does it integrate with broader campus safety and security systems, such as cameras in other areas and alerts or lockdowns?
Lowenstein: Here’s how it plays out: A teacher presses the panic button. Immediately, law enforcement and school staff are notified via the EduTrax platform, while the classroom camera switches from privacy mode to live streaming video and audio for first responders. First responders get alerted and streaming access via their ResponderTrax application. At the same time, integrated functions like door lockdowns or campus-wide alerts can be triggered automatically. Other fixed or body-worn cameras on campus can also be pulled into the same incident view, so everyone is working from a unified picture. The intent is to eliminate the wasted minutes where responders are guessing what’s happening inside a room.
Q: Teachers and school staff aren’t security experts. What steps have you taken to make the camera system easy to understand, install and use—especially under stressful conditions?
Lowenstein: We designed ClassSecure with the understanding that teachers aren’t security professionals. The panic button is simple, discreet, and designed for muscle-memory use. Installation and training are handled by certified partners so that by the time it’s in the classroom, all a teacher needs to know is: press once for help. Everything else, including the notifications, the video activation, the coordination, happens automatically in the background.
Q: Beyond activating the camera and alerting law enforcement, what other user controls and features does ClassSecure offer? What customization options do school security professionals have when integrating it in their school’s other systems and functionalities?
Lowenstein: Beyond the core panic alert and video workflow for first responders, ClassSecure supports different levels of alerting. Not every class disturbance warrants first responders, yet teachers need options to call for help. The system can be configured to respond differently based on a short or long press of the panic button. For example, a short press could summon the school resource officer (SRO) and school administrators only. Whereas a long press would go directly to law enforcement. This ensures that law enforcement isn’t called accidentally but still provides teachers and staff with help when they need it. The system is designed to scale, providing a more comprehensive ecosystem, including our MonitorCast access control and advanced AI features within the i-PRO VideoInsight VMS for forensic research on events around campus that require validation and arbitration, depending on each district’s needs and resources.
Q: Looking ahead, what developments do you see in school security? What role can advanced security technology, such as cloud integration and edge AI based on ever-more refined models, play in this highly regulated field?
Lowenstein: Looking forward, we expect two things: continued regulatory pressure, and rapid advances in technology. Cloud integration will expand the ability to coordinate across agencies, while edge AI will make systems smarter without overwhelming bandwidth or privacy. The key will be doing this responsibly. That means aligning with emerging standards like ISO/IEC 42001 for AI governance, building on open platforms, and always balancing safety with trust. We also have an opportunity to help improve training plans for emergencies by reviewing the log of events to improve on-site or remote response times. In education especially, the next generation of technology must feel like an ally to teachers and students, not an intrusion.