De LaSalle Academy

Background

Founded in 2012 by two educators in Fort Myers, Florida, De LaSalle Academy serves a critical niche: students with special needs who don’t qualify for state-funded services but struggle in mainstream classrooms. Enrolling around 150 students and staffed by 40 faculty members, De LaSalle focuses on small class sizes and individual attention that help learners thrive both academically and socially.

As the school evolved, so did its need for robust campus security. The administration wanted to protect against external threats and ensure that faculty could keep an eye on student transitions—especially important for learners needing extra support. Initially, about 10 Axis cameras covered select hallways and entrances, but limited storage and spotty coverage left significant blind spots. Searching for a more scalable, cost-effective solution, De LaSalle Academy chose UniFi Protect.

Business Objectives

1. Complete Campus Coverage De LaSalle sought to move beyond minimal, scattered surveillance toward an all-encompassing security strategy. With students frequently transitioning between classes (often outdoors), it was essential to have a clear view of corridors, playground areas, and building exteriors.
2. Privacy & Data Control Serving minors comes with added responsibility around data handling. Administrators wanted local storage—no cloud—and they insisted on cameras without audio recording to align with parental preferences and state regulations. The goal was to capture only what was necessary to keep students and staff safe.
3. Budget-Friendly Expansion Like many private schools, De LaSalle operates within tight financial constraints. They needed a system that would reduce recurring costs and offer an easy path to expand or upgrade without forcing additional licensing fees.

Why UniFi?

When pricing out camera expansions or upgrades to the old Axis setup, De LaSalle found that shifting entirely to UniFi Protect would not only be more affordable, but also easier to manage. “We were looking at the cost of just adding a few cameras to our existing system,” explains Todd, the facilities manager. “Going all-in with UniFi gave us triple the coverage, plus a more user-friendly platform.”

Key Advantages:

• License-Free Model: No annual software fees—a boon for any budget-conscious institution.
• Local Storage: Two UniFi NVRs on campus, each with ample drive capacity for about 28 days of continuous HD recording.
• Intuitive Interface: Minimal staff training required; administrators and select faculty can easily review footage.

Hurricane-Proof Durability Located in Southwest Florida, De LaSalle Academy has faced multiple hurricanes and tropical storms since deploying UniFi Protect. All outdoor cameras (including G4 Pro and G5 Bullet models) survived intact, requiring nothing more than a quick lens cleaning. The school did lose one indoor camera to a ceiling leak (when the roof was partially compromised) and another was destroyed by a direct lightning strike—unfortunate but understandable hazards in the lightning capital of the country.

Local, Secure, and Private Because the footage is recorded and stored on-site, De LaSalle doesn’t worry about sensitive data living in the cloud. Each of the two UniFi NVRs maintains about a month of footage, which gives the school ample time to address any incident that arises.

The cameras themselves have audio permanently disabled, ensuring teachers and students aren’t inadvertently recorded beyond basic video. “Parents appreciate that we’re mindful of privacy,” Todd adds. “It’s a good balance between security and respect for everyone’s comfort.

Software Features & Ease of Use From the UniFi Protect console, authorized staff can quickly view live feeds or replay archived clips to clarify incidents or confirm a student’s safe transition. The user-friendly interface also allows:

• Quick Searching: Administrators scroll through timeline events to locate key moments without sifting through hours of footage.
• Mobile Monitoring: Todd can check cameras remotely in case of after-hours alarms or weekend vendor visits, letting him verify who’s on campus without having to drive in.
• Day-to-Day Oversight: Some students at De LaSalle need close supervision due to unique behavioral or emotional challenges. Cameras help staff keep an unobtrusive eye on transitions or escalations, ensuring students get timely support.

Notable Hardware

G4 Pro & G5 Bullet (Outdoors) Mounted on building corners or near entrances, these cameras withstand Florida’s intense humidity, rain, and winds. High-resolution video and IR night vision provide clear footage day or night.

G3 Flex (Indoors) De LaSalle’s corridors and classrooms feature these slim, budget-friendly cameras. They blend into the environment, offering reliable coverage in both bright daylight and low-light conditions.

Combined, over 50 cameras are spread throughout the campus, providing the coverage De LaSalle initially lacked with their old 10-camera setup.

Real-World Impact

By deploying UniFi Protect, De LaSalle has significantly improved its security posture:

• Campus-Wide Visibility: Hallways, common areas, and exterior spaces are all on camera, letting staff verify students are where they should be and respond quickly if help is needed.
• Storm Readiness: Surviving multiple hurricanes underscores the system’s hardware durability, a crucial factor in Southwest Florida.
• Timely Student Support: While mindful of privacy, cameras help teachers and administrators confirm that students with additional needs receive prompt assistance—a balance between oversight and respect.

Looking Ahead

De LaSalle Academy remains committed to its specialized mission of supporting students with learning differences. Any future expansion—be it additional cameras, new NVR capacity, or other UniFi ecosystem products—will follow the same principles of cost-effectiveness, reliability, and respect for privacy.

After four years in operation, the decision to adopt UniFi Protect has proven its worth. “We don’t have to think about it day-to-day,” Todd says. “It runs quietly in the background, even through hurricanes, and gives us the coverage we need without intruding on our school’s supportive atmosphere. That’s exactly what we wanted.”