South Orangetown Central School District

Visitor Management FAQ

What does the visitor management system do?
• The visitor management system will check to ensure that registered sex offenders do not enter our schools without our knowledge. The system checks the visitor’s name and date of birth for comparison with its own aggregated database of official sex offender registries from all 50 states. The system’s own database is the only database checked. No other data
from the ID is gathered or recorded and no visitor information is sent to or shared with any outside agency.
• The system will also check for court-issued custodial orders, restraining orders and other custom alerts as established by the District.
• The new system reads 2D barcodes and Machine-Readable Zones to check visitor identification data against its database. The system does not use facial recognition technology or facial database matching.

Why is the South Orangetown Central School District introducing a new visitor management system?
Student and staff safety is our first priority. As part of an ongoing review and strengthening of security protocols, SOCSD is introducing a new visitor management system to more effectively screen visitors, contractors and volunteers entering our schools and to enhance our ability to provide a safe environment for students and staff.

How does the system work?
The system checks visitor identification against its own database of official sex offender registries from all 50 states to ensure that registered sex offenders do not enter our schools without our knowledge. The system will also check for court-issued custodial orders, restraining orders and other custom alerts as established by the District.

In what buildings and during what hours will the visitor management system be used?
The system will be installed in all four schools and screening will occur during regular school hours: 9:15AM-3:30PM for the elementary schools and 8:15AM-3:00PM for the secondary schools.

What identification must visitors provide?
Consistent with current school district visitor policy, visitors will be asked to present government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, to school security staff upon arrival at a school.

What if I don’t have a government-issued ID?
Visitors who do not have a government-issued ID may present an official document bearing their full name and date of birth, such as a birth certificate, voter registration card, insurance card, Medicaid card or bank card. These visitors will be required to have their photograph taken by the security guard to be entered into the system for screening.

What if I don’t have any ID at all?
Visitors without any identification will not be permitted to enter the school.

Who will be screened?
All visitors, including volunteers and contractors, who wish to enter a school building beyond the security desk during the school day and parents/guardians who pick up their children earlier than the regular school dismissal time. Minors (to be accompanied by a parent), police and emergency responders will be exempt from screening, as will school district employees and students.

Do I need to be screened if I’m picking my child up at normal dismissal time?
No. Only those picking up children earlier than the regular school dismissal time will be screened.

Do I need to be screened if I’m dropping off lunch or an item forgotten at home?
No. Only those who wish to enter a school building beyond the security desk during the school day will be screened.

Will I still be required to physically sign in and out?
Yes.

What sex offender registries does the system check against?
The system screens visitor identification against its own aggregated database of the official sex offender registries from all 50 states. Registry information varies according to what each state chooses to report.

Does the system send visitor information to federal, state or other external agencies or organizations?
No. Visitor information is checked only against the system’s own database. No visitor information is sent to or shared with outside agencies or organizations. Alerts remain within the school district’s secure system account.

Does the system use facial recognition technology?
No, the system does not use facial recognition technology or facial database matching. The system reads 2D barcodes and Machine-Readable Zones to check visitor identification data.

How does the system protect visitors’ information?
The system uses nationally-recognized datacenter security to administer its accounts and does not share visitors’ identification with any external agencies or organizations.

What happens if a visitor’s identification information appears to match an entry in the system’s sexual offender registry database or District custom alerts?
If a visitor’s ID appears to match a registry listing, an indicator will appear on the screen viewed by security desk personnel. The determination as to whether to grant school access to an individual whose identification appears to match a registry listing will be handled on a case-by-case basis by school administrators.