[ Case study · Education / K-12 ]
De LaSalle Academy
How we replaced a Fort Myers special needs school's 10-camera system, and its blind spots, with 50+ UniFi Protect cameras: triple the coverage, no licensing fees, and no weather failures through hurricane season.
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A special needs school that needed full camera coverage
Two educators founded De LaSalle Academy in Fort Myers, Florida, in 2012 for students with special needs who don't qualify for state-funded services but struggle in mainstream classrooms. The school has about 150 students and 40 faculty, and keeps classes small.
As the school grew, so did its need for campus security. Students with behavioral or emotional needs require close, discreet supervision, especially between classes, which often happen outdoors. The original 10-camera Axis system left large blind spots, and the school chose UniFi Protect with Unified IT to replace it.
The challenge
Coverage gaps, privacy rules and a tight budget
Blind spots across campus
The original 10-camera Axis system left large gaps in coverage. Students often move between classes outdoors, and the administration could not see key areas.
Privacy & data control
Serving minors with special needs meant strict data handling. Administrators required local storage only, with no cloud, and cameras without audio recording, in line with parental preferences and state regulations.
Budget constraints
As a private special needs school, De LaSalle operates within tight financial constraints. Adding even a few cameras to the existing Axis system would cost more than switching entirely to UniFi Protect.
What we did
50+ cameras recording locally, with no cloud
We replaced the school's aging Axis system with UniFi Protect across the campus: indoor corridors, outdoor walkways, parking areas and the perimeter. The school got triple the coverage at a lower total cost of ownership.
Deployed infrastructure
- UniFi Protect with two on-campus NVRs, each holding about 28 days of continuous HD recording
- G4 Pro 4K cameras at building corners and the perimeter, with IR night vision and 3x optical zoom
- G5 Bullet outdoor cameras for parking lots, play areas, and exterior coverage in Florida weather
- G3 Flex indoor cameras for corridors and common areas
- Pro 24 PoE and Pro 48 PoE switches for structured cabling throughout the campus
- U7 Pro access points serving 150+ students and 40 faculty, with 200+ devices connecting daily
- Audio disabled on every camera, for privacy
"Going all-in with UniFi gave us triple the coverage, plus a more user-friendly platform — at a lower cost than adding a few cameras to our existing system."
— Todd Genzlinger, Facilities Manager, De LaSalle Academy
Outcomes
Full campus coverage through hurricane season, with no annual fees
- Coverage across the campus: hallways, common areas and every exterior space
- Through several hurricanes and tropical storms, no outdoor camera failed from weather
- Staff can review footage or monitor live feeds from mobile devices without driving to campus
- Administrators locate key moments in seconds using UniFi Protect timeline search
- Students with behavioral or emotional needs receive faster, more discreet support from faculty
- No annual software fees; the school owns its infrastructure outright
"We're impressed the outside units came through storms just fine — here in Florida, you never know what nature will throw at you, but these cameras held up."
— Todd Genzlinger, Facilities Manager, De LaSalle Academy
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