Safer Schools: Robbinsdale Area Schools Enhance Visitor Security

If you want to visit a District 281 school, procedures to enter the building will be a little different beginning this week.

On Monday, the district implemented a new visitor management system that uses visitors’ drivers license or government-issued photo to track visits and confirm identity of those entering the school.

“The safety of our students and the security of our buildings is extremely important to Robbinsdale Area Schools,” Jeff Priess, Executive Director of Business Services, said in a letter on Jan. 25. “In an effort to enhance school safety and security, Robbinsdale Area Schools will upgrade to electronic visitor management procedures effective February 4.”

According to Preiss’s letter, here’s how the new system works:

• Visitors will now be asked to present a form of ID when arriving at any Robbinsdale Area Schools building.
• A card reader records the name embedded in the magnetic strip or digital bar code. The reader also confirms the authenticity of the ID.     
• School staff will hand the visitor a time-stamped visitor badge with his/her name printed on it to be displayed during the visit.

In order to maintain privacy, Preiss said that only a single day of visitor names is visible to school check in staff. School administrators can view past visitor records if needed.

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