In this featured piece by The Mountain Mail, the outlet reports that Salida School District R-32-J has added new visitor check-in checkpoints at all six of its campuses using the Visitor Aware program from Singlewire Software. Visitors are required to scan a photo ID at an iPad kiosk in the entryway, which runs a background check against the national sex offender registry, government watchlists, and active legal injunctions. School board secretary Kim LeTourneau said the system connects to the district’s student information system, Infinite Campus, letting staff quickly see whether an individual is cleared to pick up a specific student or enter the building. Start-up costs for kiosks and printers across all six campuses ran about $4,000, with an additional $4,000 annual subscription fee for continued access to the service.
Key Takeaways
- Salida School District R-32-J implemented Visitor Aware, from Singlewire Software, at all six of its campuses to screen visitors and pickups.
- The system scans a visitor’s photo ID and checks it against the national sex offender registry, government watchlists, and active legal injunctions.
- Start-up costs for kiosks and visitor-pass printers across all six campuses totaled approximately $4,000, with an additional $4,000 annual subscription fee.
- Visitor Aware connects to the district’s student information system, Infinite Campus, to flag individuals who are or are not on a student’s approved contact list.
- School board secretary Kim LeTourneau said the system communicates directly with front-office staff computers and monitors so approvals or flags are handled immediately and discreetly.
Original Story
Salida School District R-32-J has implemented new safety checkpoints at all six campuses within the district using the Visitor Aware program.
A mass email sent to parents of school district students said individuals who are picking up students or visiting the school will see an iPad and a kiosk within the entryway, and all visitors who will be in the building are required to scan their photo ID.
The email said, “This system assists us to know who is in the building during an emergency response. It also completes a background check, scanning databases for sexual predators and any outstanding warrants.”
School board secretary Kim LeTourneau said the iPads used at the kiosks are not new to the district but have been repurposed for the Visitor Aware program. Kiosks and other start-up material, including a printer for visitor passes, cost approximately $4,000 and support all six campuses.