TOWAMENCIN -Without order in a society, humans are left to their own devices that can ultimately end in chaos. Inside the microcosm of society that is North Penn High School, control is maintained over the 3,000 staff and students through a diverse Security Team. Their omnipresence is felt daily around the building from the mass of rambunctious students in the cafeteria to the crowded hallways. Though the team shares a polished appearance, there is one thing that makes one guard stand out from first sight- she is not a male.

Rebecca Glick-Luby is the only female guard on the team here at North Penn High School. Referred to as Miss Rebecca by the student body, she is a friendly face but with a background that means business.

“I have an Act 120 from the police academy. I also used to be a police officer in the Navy as well as a canine handler and that’s how I became qualified to work here at North Penn,” explained Luby.

With the skill sets necessary to handle any situation, Miss Rebecca rightfully earned her position here after an interview with Safe Schools Coordinator Ray Wilson and a few members of the school district board. Though commonly referred to as a security guard, her certification says otherwise.

“Well I’m not actually certified as a security guard. There are however certifications to become a resource officer in a school district. Our school district only has 3 and they are considered police officers. The rest of us are just security officers.”

Joining the North Penn security team is no joke. Keeping a school of over 3,000 staff and students safe requires around the clock supervision. As the eyes and ears of the building, the team is in constant action.

“We all work every period of the day except for our lunch periods and those lunch periods change every week. We also have a rotation for Saturdays if there’s a special event going on or a Saturday school,” explained Luby.

A day can consist of a variety of elements, keeping the security team on their toes. Though some can be quite laid back, there are others that require serious attention. In Miss Rebecca’s experience, fights have been the occurrences that immediately trigger her on high alert.

“I think breaking up a fight would probably be the most intense situation and it’s not the boys. It’s the girls that continue to go at it,” explained Luby. “Sometimes you have to be careful for your own safety and their safety so breaking that up is always tough.”

Just as in any job field, there are always challenges to overcome. Factoring in the size of North Penn to any equation can have its pros and cons. This reality is quite apparent to the security team as they manage a massive student body that can sometimes seem like a sea of faces and backpacks. Personally, Miss Rebecca focuses on becoming familiar with students as her daily hurdle.

“I think my biggest challenge is getting to know everyone and I think that’s also our biggest asset here at North Penn. We do know quite a lot of students but it’s hard to know the students who we don’t have a daily interaction with,” Luby said. “We don’t just want to know the kids who are in trouble; we want to have a connection with all the kids. You guys are our biggest asset in letting the team know what’s going on.”

Though there is no way to be in every pod and hallway of North Penn at once, the cameras scattered around the building assist the team in their awareness of different situations. In harmony with this are the students words themselves keeping the team informed on the unknown complexities in a scenario. Knowing this, the team is aware that the lens can only tell so much when it comes to dealing with what is captured on video.

“We don’t want to base our information solely on what the camera shows. You never know what’s going on before or after something is caught on camera. We like having options to explore the situation and getting outside information helps us do that,” explained Luby.

Though she is constantly on the clock during the school day, Luby remains active outside the walls of North Penn. Between advising the Ski and Board Club and taking care of her family, she still manages to enjoy personal hobbies.

“I’m a mom and I have a 13 year old son who goes to Penndale and a daughter who is 23. Besides that, I like to ski and snowboard in the winter. I also like to work out, run, bike, and do things outdoors” Luby noted.

Between her impressive background and daily experience at North Penn, Miss Rebecca has become an accomplished security officer. However, choosing to protect others every day is a commitment that must be taken seriously. When making the original decision to enter this field, she knew that it was the most effective way for her to impact the life of just one person.

“I came into this field out of a necessity for myself because I needed to make a difference in a kid’s life, any kid’s life,” Luby reflected. I think that should be your most important goal coming into this field and this school district. It shouldn’t be to arrest people or get people in trouble. It should be to help kids and keep them on the right path.”