Visitor Management System Tracks Guests at District Schools
DOTHAN, Ala. – In another effort to keep Dothan City Schools safe, the district uses a Visitor Management module, designed to enhance the tracking of anyone who comes into a district school.
The Visitor Management System will provide school safety managers and SROs with information to keep DCS students and employees safe in several ways. For example, a guest checks in with the front-office staff where the person’s driver’s license is scanned, alerting school officials to potential issues with sexual offenses, custody issues, or other potential problem areas. If approved, the guest then may be assigned a badge which allows real-time tracking. This technology allows DCS officials and staff to easily recognize visitors who have been screened prior to school building entry. Alerts are received if a visitor is still on campus past a designated time or that person is in a wrong location on campus.
“This is another layer of safety at our schools. Visitors, contractors, and vendors will all have to be vetted by this system before being allowed access,” Steve Parrish, Dothan City Schools Safety Coordinator, explained.
Dothan City Schools’ SROs and safety managers can quickly review real-time and historical data through the software, helping them with decision-making from a safety perspective. The module builds upon various other safety and security components our district has implemented, prioritizing the “safety mindset” at all district schools.
“When we have the ability to put technology and other resources in place that will keep our students and staff safe, we do it,” Dr. Dennis Coe, Superintendent of Dothan City Schools, said. “We want our parents to know how important their child’s safety is to us. We are implementing more and more safety measures district-wide and this latest initiative will help us continue our commitment to safety.”
Funding for the Visitor Management System comes from Advancement and Technology funds from the state of Alabama. The total cost for the project over the next three years is $42,000.
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