A school is only as safe and secure as the policies and procedures it follows. How you control access, flow, and contact for visitors is important – especially when recovering from a pandemic. A Visitor Management System, commonly known as checkin software, can reinforce these procedures.
COVID-19 has shown that the demands on schools are large and unpredictable. Agile Visitor Management Systems allow schools to serve the essential needs of students quickly, effectively, and safely. This is relevant both during and after pandemics or outbreaks.
For example, during Coronavirus school closures, many districts found themselves organizing free breakfast and/or lunch pickup for students in need.
This raises new security and tracking needs – as well as opportunities to collect data for future use. Here are some quick tips on how you can use Visitor Management Systems to increase school safety during and after pandemics or outbreaks.
How to Increase School Safety during an Outbreak
Reduce Person-to-Person Contact
Traditional visitor management processes (front-desk reporting) rely on heavy contact from front-desk personnel. VMS allows a much more distant approach. While EduQueue recommends building staff verification of ID and visitor into your security processes, this can be done from a remote position.
Build Sanitation into Your Process
Pen and paper can’t be effectively sanitized between each use. (And of course this method has many hidden financial costs to add to the safety risks.) But your users can easily wipe down a login system before and after use.
Add Relevant Screening Questions
By adding key questions at the beginning of the login process, your school district can make sure anyone with symptoms of a respiratory illness is flagged. Example: A parent coming to pick up his child early answers “yes” to the question “Have you experienced coughing, fever, or shortness of breath within the past 14 days.” The Visitor Management System then flags the account. This should ideally initiate a secondary login procedure or visit denial, depending on the visitor type.
Communicate Secondary Login Procedure or Denial
Implement a secondary login procedure for visitors who are assessed as “high-risk” for symptoms. This procedure can vary according to visitor type: parent, staff, contractor, delivery, etc.
Example: After confirming the visitor’s identity and purpose, the VMS instructs the parent to move to an approved waiting area to receive the child. Depending on your school’s procedure, this could also flag the child’s account for health-related follow-ups.
However, other types of visitors such as staff might be denied entry, depending on your school’s policy.
Consider the communicability and typical timeline of the illness you are screening for. Determine smart next-steps for the timing of visits and attendance. This way your VMS can support your health-related policies.
Summing Up Top Priorities for Virtual Management Systems
Overly complex systems are difficult to adjust quickly in times of sudden change. This means flexible systems are better. Additionally, users tend to shortcut any processes they find difficult. This means systems should also be simple and easy to use.
What to Look for in a Virtual Management System
- Security review checklist assistance
- Compatible with existing hardware
- Easy to implement
- Flexible
- Not tied to kiosks
- Mobile option
- Supports school sex offender policy
- Incorporates local ban list (custody and other concerns)
- Scalable reporting, from entire districts to individual buildings
- SMS notifications for quick action on alerts
A strong Visitor Management System aids prevention of school violence. But it can also provide a range of additional safety, data collection, and event management features. Look for a flexible and streamlined VMS. This way your procedures are implemented as quickly as possible – and followed. Visitors will try to shortcut elaborate processes, no matter what category they fall into!
