Background checks to be required of Frankfort 157-C school visitors
BY SUSAN DEMAR LAFFERTY slafferty@southtownstar.com January 20, 2013 3:12PM
Updated: February 22, 2013 6:20AM
Visitors to Frankfort School District soon will be subject to a background check in a move to beef up school security in the wake of the December school massacre in Newtown, Conn.
Superintendent Thomas Hurlburt also is considering a plan to add a school resource officer to work in the district’s three school buildings.
Under the district’s previous security policy, visitors had to sign in and leave their driver’s licenses with a building secretary during their visit. The licenses were returned when visitors left.
The new system, by Raptor Technologies, will scan each visitor’s driver’s license and do a brief background check.
If there is a potential threat, the system immediately alerts school officials.
The system will be used when students are in the academic wings during the school day.
Mandatory screenings begin Tuesday.
Other security measures include locking all doors, requiring visitors to be buzzed in.
Hurlburt said a new school resource officer could be an expansion of the district’s DARE program and would be incorporated into a multi-year plan for security.
He plans to make a recommendation to the school board after more research.
Susan DeMar Lafferty
