what is your elementary school's policy about visitors?

[Anonymous]

I'll go:
Fairfax Co elementary school. Doors locked during the day. You ring a doorbell and are buzzed right in. You are then supposed to go to Office to sign-in. HOWEVER, nobody asks who you are, what you want, etc. prior to buzzing you into the Office. The last part really disturbs me---esp after today.

I just got off the phone with my cousins that are teachers in Connecticut, and my retired Aunt. Their school system you have to state your name and be identified BEFORE they will unlock the door. I am not saying that would prevent what happened today--but it seems like a much better policy.

I was coming in today at 2:30 to volunteer and I was standing in the shadow of a woman in front who buzzed, immediately door clicked open and we walked in. I HATE this and going to ask Principal about it.

[Anonymous]

anyone?

[Anonymous]

If Walmart can hire greeters to stand by the doors- why aren't our schools doing the same?

Nobody should be walking into a school sight unseen without being checked for weapons. It sucks that our society has degraded to this level, but its where we are and safety should come ahead of convenience.

[Anonymous]

Our school has a video camera and intercom at the door. They can see who it is and talk to them before they buzz the door open. I assume they ask "strangers" but they know me so I get buzzed right in.

[Anonymous]

I'm in SF and the school is an open layout - the "hallways" are outdoors, technically, on the inside of a square, and the center of the square is outside too. You can walk all over the school and if you act like you belong nobody will question you. I have never signed in at the front office. I just go get my DD from wherever she is in the school.

[Anonymous]

Intercom at the door with a buzzer.

I have never had to show any sort of an ID.

[Anonymous]

Elementary School in Fairfax County (Burke). Very lax. You could walk in and out and no one would stop you. You were supposed to sign in and out, but it wasn't consistently enforced.

We moved a couple of years ago. New elementary school - Only one door is unlocked. Photo I.D. is required for anyone entering the school for any reason. I am at the school as a volunteer at least twice a week. They know me very well. One of my closest friends works in the front office. I still have to show my ID every single time. No exceptions. If you are going to volunteer at the school, go on a field trip, or even eat lunch with your child you have to have a background check done and be approved as a volunteer. You cannot have any contact with the kids (even in the lunch room) without that background check. No exceptions.

Don't believe me? Here's the policy. And it is strictly enforced.
http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/depts/cr/volunteer/

In a continuing effort to provide safety and security to our students and staff we ask that you complete a School Access Form if you plan to enter a facility in the St. Johns County School District. This includes if you would like to participate in activities such as birthday parties for your child in their classroom, eating lunch with your child in the cafeteria, field trips, book fairs, field days, as well as readers, tutors, mentors, etc.

Any person passing beyond the front office area must show a valid driver's license or state identification card. If you are a one time only visitor you will sign in as a visitor. All visitors signing in are checked against a national sexual offender database. If you will be entering a facility more than one time you are required to complete a School Access Form (if you have not previously done so) which will be processed by the School Volunteer Coordinator. This includes processing through a national sexual offender database and a criminal background check. All information submitted is kept confidential. The process can take up to several weeks. We suggest you complete the form at the beginning of the year and not wait until the week of an event to turn in your information. It can take two - six weeks to process your form..
You cannot volunteer until you have been cleared in the system.
Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at your school for information concerning the progress of your application.

By completing a School Access Form you are agreeing to a criminal background check and a sexual offender check. You are also agreeing to abide by the policies and procedures of the St. Johns County School Board and its facilities while volunteering, Your personal information will be kept confidential and you are expected to keep any and all information you may see or hear while volunteering confidential.
The St. Johns County School District reserves the right to restrict and/or deny a person's volunteer privilege when deemed necessary.

The only way into the school is through the front door. There is always at least two people at the desk. Everyone who is allowed past the front office has been screened. If you walk into the school and forget to put on your name tag or sticker, you will be stopped. It's happened to me several times. They do not mess around.

No school system is perfect. But I really feel like St Johns does everything in their power to keep our kids safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school has a video camera and intercom at the door. They can see who it is and talk to them before they buzz the door open. I assume they ask "strangers" but they know me so I get buzzed right in.

Oh and I do have to sign in each time. Every door has a sign that says only entrance is through the main office.

[Anonymous]

Me thinks policies will be different Monday.
Dammit these guns. Just dammit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school has a video camera and intercom at the door. They can see who it is and talk to them before they buzz the door open. I assume they ask "strangers" but they know me so I get buzzed right in.

Oh and I do have to sign in each time. Every door has a sign that says only entrance is through the main office.

A crazed gunman isn't taken the time to sign in.

I have to laugh at our school's policy. We buzz, you come into the office to sign in. They hit 'unlock' for anyone that buzzes and they don't use the intercom available. Yeah, again, any crazy person isn't stopping by the front office once the doors are opened. If they are---I feel very sorry for the sitting ducks in there.

HEY APS--time to change your policy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:anyone?

Adam Lanza's mother taught at the school. He would have been allowed entry. No school system has the financial means to hsve a TSA-type security system. Today, as other mass shootings, is beyond compresion but, if someone is bent on doing this, they will always find a way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:anyone?

Adam Lanza's mother taught at the school. He would have been allowed entry. No school system has the financial means to hsve a TSA-type security system. Today, as other mass shootings, is beyond compresion but, if someone is bent on doing this, they will always find a way.

Yes. I do understand that.

I think a school can still ask for I.D. for entry and reason for being there....and deny entry. My kid's private school does. Our preschool did.

I worry about copy-cat freaks. We can control some things. Eliminating pedophiles, abductors, etc from public school by making it harder for them to get inside is always a good thing.

Why can't they issue school IDS for those picking up? T

[Anonymous]

It is against fire code to only have one door that opens. This is also bad policy just waiting for a catastrophe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is against fire code to only have one door that opens. This is also bad policy just waiting for a catastrophe.

All the doors open going out of the school in a locked school. Somebody can't get in them. I don't have to hit release to leave the locked front doors of our elementary school.

Think again....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Walmart can hire greeters to stand by the doors- why aren't our schools doing the same?

Nobody should be walking into a school sight unseen without being checked for weapons. It sucks that our society has degraded to this level, but its where we are and safety should come ahead of convenience.

Little old ladies in wheel chairs? Who wouldn't be terrified?