Visitor Policy Procedures for Schools
To enhance the safety of your students and staff, we advise that you implement a badging system for all individuals visiting your school. Ken Trump, President & CEO of the National School Safety & Security Services, underscores the importance of this measure, stating that “requiring visitor identification should be a standard practice across all educational institutions. Visitors should be provided with easily identifiable badges, which must be worn at all times while on school premises.” Safeguarding the well-being of the school community is a top priority, and visitor identification is just one crucial aspect that school administrators should incorporate when formulating a comprehensive school visitor policy.
In addition to visitor badges, it is essential to establish clear protocols for check-in and check-out procedures and for visitor access to different school campus areas. Additionally, ongoing training and awareness campaigns can ensure that all stakeholders understand and adhere to these security measures, ultimately creating a safer learning environment for everyone involved. Here are three more policy procedures to implement to keep your school children safe:
1.) Publish Visitor Policy Content on Your Website
A school’s website is ideal for conveying important information regarding your visitor policy to the broader public, which includes disseminating details such as:
- Visitor Guidelines – This encompasses the school’s visitor sign-in procedure, the necessity of wearing a visitor badge while on school premises, and any requisite check-out protocols upon departure.
- Directions – Provide clear guidance on how to reach the school, including leadership, maps, and nearby landmarks.
- Parking Information – Inform visitors about available parking facilities, designated areas, and parking regulations they should know.
- Entry Points – Specify which entrance or entrances visitors should use to access the school.
- Operating Hours – Communicate the standard school hours and outline policies or procedures for after-hours access.
- In-Facility Cell Phone Policy – Explain the school’s policy regarding the use of cell phones within the facility, including any restricted areas.
- Special Area Restrictions – Identify any specific zones within the school where access may be limited or subject to special regulations.
2.) Enhancing Campus Visitor Management and Security
Visitor management software (VMS) represents a digital evolution of the traditional visitor sign-in sheet or log book employed in various facilities over the years. Its adoption is increasingly prevalent in schools nationwide. While it may come at a higher cost than conventional sign-in methods, visitor management software offers a significantly more efficient and foolproof registration process. It is the most secure means of documenting visitors to your school and represents a cost-effective approach to enhancing campus visitor management and security. Every visitor, regardless of familiarity, should be meticulously documented.
Visitor management software delivers the following advantages:
- Real-time Awareness – Provides the ability to track who is present within the school at any given time.
- Standardized Registration – Establishes a uniform and consistent method for registering visitors.
- Professional Visitor Badges – Generates professional-looking visitor badges containing essential information.
3.) Offer and Encourage Pre-Enrollment
The registration process can be streamlined by proactively enrolling regular visitors, such as parents and vendors, into the visitor management system in advance. By doing so, when these individuals return to school, their details will be stored in the database, eliminating the need for redundant data entry or re-scanning of their driver’s license.
Threshold Security’s system allows Visitor Badges with “Expiring Technology” that change color overnight to prevent visitor badge reuse and unauthorized access to your building. A white badge means the visitor has signed in today, and a pink “VOID” means a visitor’s presence should be questioned.
