In this featured piece by Dakota News Now, the outlet reports on the Sioux Falls School District’s rollout of Visitor Aware, a new visitor management system implemented in January 2024 after a year-long search and successful field tests at several schools. District leaders said the previous system wasn’t user-friendly, and the new platform enhances security by requiring visitors to sign in at a kiosk station and be checked against offender lists. Rosa Parks Elementary clerical staff member Erin Hendricks said the added check-in time is a worthwhile trade-off for keeping children safe. The system uses encrypted facial recognition to screen visitors and volunteers, flagging any issues for staff to review.
Key Takeaways
- Sioux Falls School District implemented Visitor Aware in January 2024 after a year-long search for a replacement system.
- The district said its previous visitor management system was not user-friendly, prompting the switch.
- Visitor Aware requires visitors to sign in at a kiosk station and checks their information against offender lists.
- The system uses encrypted facial recognition to screen visitors and volunteers.
- Flagged visitor issues are sent to school staff so they can identify and review potential threats.
Original Story
In January, the Sioux Falls School District implemented a new visitor management system called Visitor Aware.
This comes after thorough research and successful field tests at several schools.
The District said the previous system was not user-friendly.
Leaders began the search for a replacement a year ago. The main goal includes maintaining a welcoming environment and ensuring safety.
Leaders said the new platform enhances security by requiring visitors to sign in using a kiosk station and be checked against offender lists.