RAPID CITY, SD — Rapid City Area Schools is strengthening visitor management and school access procedures by implementing Raptor VisitorSafe at every RCAS school. The new system went live Oct. 19.
Raptor VisitorSafe provides an additional layer of security by verifying visitor identities and screening visitors against registered sex offender databases, terrorist watch lists, protection orders, and court orders.
The system will be utilized in 22 district buildings and helps school staff better understand who is entering district buildings and ensures visitors are appropriately screened before receiving access beyond the main office.
“That’s what this is for, a stronger, more robust security system for our children and our staff,” Matt Sargent, Security and Safety Manager, RCAS, said.
For the entire district, the VisitorSafe system cost $27,000 which was paid for through the National Homeland Security grant.
Under the new process, visitors who want to go beyond a school’s main office during the school day must present a valid photo ID and complete the Raptor VisitorSafe check-in process. Individuals stopping by the main office to drop off items, ask questions, or conduct business with office staff will not need to complete the Raptor check-in process unless they need to go farther into the building.
“So far we have been blessed with this system, and it has worked really well for our office staff,” Sargent said. “It was inexpensive and we’re getting a lot out of it.”
The VisitorSafe installation is just one of the safety systems in RCAS. Sargent said the distrit is also working on a new mass notification system, the outdoor notification system, and the district have shifted from the ALICE safety program to the ALERT program which allows the district to more seamlessly with emergency responders.
The implementation moves RCAS beyond simply documenting who enters a building. It gives schools additional information about who is on campus, whether visitors have been appropriately screened, and where they are located, while adding another layer of emergency communication.
What Visitors Need to Know
The system went live on Monday, October 19. Visitors who wish to go beyond the main office of an RCAS school during the school day must:
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Bring a valid photo ID.
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Report to the school’s main office or designated visitor entrance.
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Complete the Raptor VisitorSafe check-in process before proceeding farther into the building.
Visitors conducting business only in the main office will not be required to complete the Raptor VisitorSafe check-in process. Existing student pickup and release procedures will remain in place.
