Case Study: West Deptford School District (New Jersey) — Security Window Film Installation

When your school district serves approximately 2,500 students across five separate facilities, every second counts during an emergency. That was the driving philosophy behind West Deptford School District's decision to install LLumar Safety & Security window film on all entries across all five school buildings in West Deptford, New Jersey. Partnering with Designer Wraps & Films — a Glassboro, New Jersey-based LLumar certified installer — the district implemented a comprehensive glass hardening strategy guided by the principle that delaying forced entry, even by seconds, can be the difference between a thwarted threat and a tragedy. This case study examines the planning process, installation details, and the "When Every Second Counts" mindset that shaped the project.

Project Overview: West Deptford School District, New Jersey

District context: West Deptford School District is located in Gloucester County, New Jersey, approximately 15 miles south of Philadelphia. The district serves roughly 2,500 students across five school facilities: West Deptford High School, West Deptford Middle School, and three elementary schools (Green-Fields, Oakview, and Red Bank).

Scope: All entries across all five district school facilities, with a focus on main entry doors, side entrances, and ground-floor classroom windows.

Product: LLumar Safety & Security window film from Eastman Performance Films.

Installer: Designer Wraps & Films, a LLumar-certified commercial installer based in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Timeline: Completed in phases across the five buildings to minimize disruption to the school calendar.

The "When Every Second Counts" Philosophy

West Deptford's security team approached the project with a clear operational principle: in a school emergency, seconds matter. The time between a threat being detected and law enforcement arriving can be several minutes. During those critical minutes, security film's primary value is in buying time — preventing or delaying intruder entry through glass long enough for lockdown procedures to be completed.

The district evaluated its vulnerability against the typical forced-entry timeline:

• Unprotected glass: Breached in seconds. A single strike with a rock, hammer, or bat shatters standard annealed glass.
• Glass with security film (dry-installed): Breached in approximately 30–60 seconds. The film holds shattered glass together, delaying entry.
• Glass with security film + anchored attachment: Breached in 1–3+ minutes. The film is bonded to the frame, requiring sustained effort to remove the entire pane.
• Laminated glass: Breached in 2–5+ minutes. The interlayer is integral to the glass.

The district's analysis showed that even an additional 30 seconds of forced-entry delay could provide enough time to complete a lockdown, alert law enforcement, and potentially deter an intruder from continuing the attack. The investment in film was driven by the recognition that the first few seconds of an incident often determine the outcome.

"When every second counts, having that extra layer of protection on our glass gives us a critical window of time to react," said a district safety representative. "It's not about stopping someone indefinitely — it's about buying enough time for our procedures to work."

Why LLumar Safety & Security Film?

West Deptford selected LLumar Safety & Security window film from Eastman Performance Films, a leading brand in the security film industry. LLumar's product line offers several advantages for K-12 school applications:

• Forced-entry delay: Multi-layer construction designed to absorb impact and hold glass fragments together
• Multiple thickness options: Range from 4 mil (basic safety) to 14+ mil (high-security) allows district to match protection level to risk at each entry point
• UV protection: 99% UV rejection, protecting students and staff from harmful radiation
• Scratch-resistant coating: Durable surface engineered for high-traffic school environments
• LLumar warranty: Industry-leading manufacturer warranty covering delamination, bubbling, and discoloration

The district worked with Designer Wraps & Films — an authorized LLumar certified installer — to select the appropriate film thickness for each application. Main entry doors received heavier-grade security film, while classroom windows were protected with a balanced specification that maintained safe egress for fire code compliance.

The Installer: Designer Wraps & Films

Designer Wraps & Films, based in Glassboro, New Jersey, is a LLumar-certified commercial installer specializing in window film for educational facilities. The company's certification with Eastman Performance Films means its installers receive factory training on LLumar products, including proper installation techniques for safety and security films.

For a district like West Deptford, working with a certified installer provided several advantages:

• Manufacturer warranty validation: LLumar warranties require professional installation by authorized dealers to remain valid
• Proper attachment specification: Certified installers know when to recommend mechanical retention systems (e.g., wet-glaze, pressure bars) vs. standard edge-seal installation
• Fire code compliance: Experienced school installers understand NFPA and local fire code requirements for window security treatments
• Project management: Five-building phased installations require careful scheduling and logistics coordination

"Every school is different," said a representative from Designer Wraps & Films. "The entry points, the glass types, the security needs — they're never exactly the same from one building to the next. Our job is to assess each facility individually and specify the right LLumar product for each application."

New Jersey School Security Context

New Jersey has one of the most comprehensive school security regulatory frameworks in the country. Under the New Jersey School Security Act (P.L. 2022, c. 93), school districts must:

• Conduct annual school security drills
• Perform school security assessments
• Install and maintain security equipment including door locking mechanisms
• Establish school safety teams

While New Jersey law does not explicitly mandate security window film, the required security assessments often identify glass as a vulnerability, and the state's school security funding programs — including New Jersey School Security and Emergency Preparedness grants — provide funding avenues for districts to address those vulnerabilities.

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) provides guidance on security equipment and best practices, and districts like West Deptford that proactively implement glass hardening ahead of state requirements position themselves favorably for future compliance needs.

Key Takeaways

• West Deptford School District installed LLumar Safety & Security window film on all entries across all five district school facilities serving ~2,500 students
• The project was driven by the "When Every Second Counts" philosophy — recognizing that even short delays in forced entry can be life-saving
• Designer Wraps & Films, a Glassboro, NJ-based LLumar certified installer, performed the installation across all five buildings
• The district used a phased installation approach to minimize disruption to the school calendar
• Different film thickness specifications were applied to different entry points based on risk assessment
• New Jersey's school security regulatory framework creates strong incentives for proactive glass hardening, even without an explicit film mandate

Related Resources

• Real Schools: 10 Security Window Film Case Studies
• Are Security Window Films Required in Schools? 2026 State-by-State Guide
• Navigating 2026 School Safety Grants for Security Window Film
• Campus Security: Strengthening School Glass with Window Film

Sources

1. Designer Wraps & Films — West Deptford School District Case Study
2. Eastman Performance Films — LLumar Safety & Security Window Film