Join Our FREE Platform Training Mini-Sessions
Refresh, revisit, and re-engage—without the pressure of a full professional development day.
As you gear up for the new school year, we’re offering a quick and effective way to help your team reconnect with our platform: four short, live training sessions in July designed to fit into even the busiest summer calendar.
3 Federal Grants You Shouldn’t Ignore This Summer
Funding Available for School Safety, Law Enforcement, and Crisis Response Initiatives
Federal funding isn’t just for massive agencies with teams of grant writers—it’s available to support real safety initiatives happening in schools, communities, and local law enforcement agencies like yours. Right now, three major programs are open with deadlines approaching fast—and there’s over $243 million available in total.
Whether you need to hire officers, upgrade safety tech, or train your team in de-escalation and crisis response, this summer is your window of opportunity.
5 Common Misconceptions About Behavioral Threat Assessment
When you first hear “Behavioral Threat Assessment,” it can sound intimidating—like something reserved for SWAT teams and the FBI. In reality, BTA is a day-to-day, student-centered process that any K-12 campus can (and should) weave into its overall safety plan. Below, we unpack the most common misconceptions we still hear in schools, and show how a purpose-built solution like nSide|Assess makes threat assessment practical, proactive, and people-focused.
Moving from Paper to Platform: Why Digital Threat Assessment Matters
In the world of school safety, every second counts—and every decision matters. When it comes to managing behavioral threat assessments, the tools we use can make all the difference. While paper forms and spreadsheets might have served their purpose in the past, the stakes are too high today to rely on outdated methods.
Digital platforms are transforming the way schools handle threat assessments, and here’s why that matters.
Field Mapping Technician
Now Hiring – Field Mapping Technician
Posted: 04/28/2025
Requirements
- Perform assigned tasks in a professional and ethical manner
- Working or ability to obtain knowledge of GIS concepts
- Willing to travel and work flexible/additional hours to meet project timelines
- Ability to meet tight deadlines while juggling multiple projects
- Excellent communication
- Solid organizational skills
- Willingness to learn and adapt
Job Tasks
- Collect mapping data within buildings
- Follow nSide data collection standards
- Provide daily feedback on project progress to the Field Mapping Crew Chief
- Follow best health and safety practices as part of a field mapping team while maintaining a safe work environment
- Position and hold 360 cameras for collection of nSide|Views.
- Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.
- Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.
- Produce or update overlay maps to show building layouts, critical infrastructure, and 360-degree photospheres on various base maps or at different scales.
Skills & Knowledge
- Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Mathematics — Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Time Management — Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
- Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing the performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Engineering and Technology — Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Abilities
- Time Management — Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
- Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Mathematical Reasoning — The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Benefits
- Group health and dental insurance is offered for eligible nSide employees through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
- Both the health and dental insurance offerings include individual and family coverage.
- Group vision insurance is offered for eligible nSide employees – available for individual and family coverage.
- A group life insurance plan for eligible employees is offered by nSide – the group life insurance plan is fully paid by nSide.
About nSide, Inc.:
nSide is a school safety company based in Florence, Alabama that cares for today’s most pressing threats and security challenges. We strive to answer the hard questions and provide the best solutions for school safety, as we integrate all threads of communication alongside advanced technologies. After more than a decade of serving in over 2,000 different schools, we need someone to join our efforts in keeping children and teachers safe.
Growing Up in a Dead Zone: Why Cell Signal Shouldn’t Be Optional in Schools
I grew up in rural Cullman, Alabama. My school was in the middle of one of those infamous dead zones. If you needed to make a call, you had to walk outside, stand in a very specific spot, and hope the wind didn’t shift. And that was on a good day.
Now, that might sound like a small inconvenience—until it’s not.
Making the Most of Your Alabama A&T Funds
As school safety continues to be a top priority for Alabama districts, the Alabama Advancement and Technology (A&T) Fund provides an important opportunity to invest in solutions that enhance campus security, communication, and emergency response. With careful planning, these funds can go a long way in strengthening the safety infrastructure of your schools.
At nSide, we offer several eligible solutions that not only meet the criteria for A&T funding but also provide long-term value for your school community. Here’s how you can make the most of your A&T investment:
Why Investing in Technology Matters: Turning A&T Funds Into Long-Term Safety Solutions
As school districts continue navigating a landscape shaped by growing safety concerns, evolving technology, and funding fluctuations, one thing is certain: how you invest your resources today can define your district’s security for years to come. That’s why now, more than ever, it's crucial to think beyond quick fixes — and start building sustainable, scalable safety solutions.
How to Use Your Alabama A&T Funds to Strengthen School Safety
The Alabama Advancement and Technology (A&T) Fund offers public schools across the state a valuable opportunity to invest in much-needed upgrades. While districts often use these dollars for infrastructure, instructional tools, or facility improvements, one of the most impactful ways to allocate A&T funds is toward enhancing school safety.
If you're starting to think about how to best use this year’s funding, let us walk you through practical, eligible investments that support the safety and wellbeing of your entire school community.
