In this featured piece by WKOW (ABC 27), the outlet covers a new report from Madison-based Singlewire Software that surveyed more than 500 school employees nationwide about school entrance security, alongside a local look at how Madison-area schools are using the company’s Visitor Aware check-in technology. The survey found that 80% of respondents call entrance security a top or high priority, yet only 17% consider their own school entrance completely secure, citing issues like guests not following procedures, staffing shortages, and a lack of identity verification. Chris Sweitlik of Singlewire said more than 80 schools in the Madison area have already implemented Visitor Aware, with about 70,000 guest check-ins and roughly 30 people flagged for additional scrutiny. The Madison Metropolitan School District has adopted the system districtwide, and Singlewire plans to roll out a hall pass manager feature by the end of the year.
Key Takeaways
- Singlewire Software’s survey of more than 500 school employees found 80% call entrance security a top or high priority, but only 17% consider their own school entrance completely secure.
- More than 80 schools in the Madison area have implemented Singlewire’s Visitor Aware check-in system, with about 70,000 guest check-ins recorded.
- Roughly 30 people have been flagged by the system for additional scrutiny before being allowed to enter a school.
- The Madison Metropolitan School District has adopted Visitor Aware districtwide, citing it as part of its commitment to continuous safety improvement.
- Singlewire plans to roll out a “hall pass manager” feature by the end of the year to help schools track students when they leave the classroom.
Original Story
A new report out Wednesday outlines security concerns at schools across the country.
The report was released by Madison-based Singlewire Software. The company surveyed over 500 school employees on how safe they feel in their school. Some didn’t feel their own school entrance was secure.
Singlewire Software created a tool to check in visitors digitally to help ensure safety at schools. It’s called Visitor Aware. Dozens of schools in Wisconsin have implemented the technology.