Raptor Visitor Screening
November 28, 2017
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Effective January 3, 2018, the Webster Groves School District plans to begin using a new check-in system from Raptor Technologies to improve safety for students and staff by screening visitors, contractors and volunteers at all school buildings.
Here’s how it works: All school visitors will be asked to present identification, such as a driver’s license, which will pass through a scanner. Parents and other volunteers who visit regularly or participate in field trips only need to do this once. If you don’t have government-issued identification, we will enter the information manually. Within a few seconds, the Raptor system will check a visitor’s name and date of birth against a national database of registered sex offenders to ensure that offenders aren’t entering a school without our knowledge. No other information from the ID will be gathered or recorded.
Once an entry is approved, Raptor issues a visitor badge. Should the system find a match in the offender database, however, the school administrative assistant will receive a notification but no details. Only the assistant superintendent of human resources will have access to the results. You can watch a short video about the new system here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xp8iJg27uo
The safety of our students is our highest priority. This new system provides the schools a quick and efficient way to identify anyone who might present a danger to students. For additional information, we have provided a list of frequently asked questions, below.
Thank you for your understanding as well as your support for improving safety in our schools. If you have any questions, please call Dr. Sandy Wiley, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, at 961-1233.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Raptor Screening System
Effective January 3, 2018
Will everyone who enters the building, including parents, be scanned?
Yes, everyone who comes inside will be instructed to come to the office to check in.
How long will it take to be scanned?
The process generally takes a couple of seconds.
What if I don’t have my ID and/or any identification?
The Raptor System allows for staff to type in your first name, last name, and date of birth.
Will I need to have my license scanned at each visit?
Not necessarily. If you are an occasional visitor, you’ll be asked for your identification for scanning each time. If you are a regular school volunteer, you may not be scanned at each visit.
How will this work for volunteers who work after school hours, such as at book fairs, after school clubs, etc.?
Volunteers and visitors won’t be scanned after school hours.
Who will have access to the results of the scan?
Only the assistant superintendent of human resources will have access to the results of negative scans.
Will Raptor record my information?
No, Raptor will not record or retain information from your identification.
What criminal databases does Raptor check?
Raptor checks identification against a national database of registered sex offenders.
If you plan to volunteer in a school, please read the information below regarding the application process:
All volunteers must complete an online application (also available on the Human Resources web page) https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/NTk0OmVuLVVT. Level 2 volunteers – those who do one-on-one tutoring or monitor children without the direct supervision of a WGSD staff member – must provide a social security number with the online application. The system will not store that information. Once it processes your application, it deletes your social security number.
If you’re a level 1 volunteer (for field trips, book fair, school event, etc.), you don’t need to provide a social security number.
We ask that volunteers complete the application for two reasons. One is so you can let us know which school you’ve chosen for volunteering. In addition, the application allows us to inform volunteers about the district’s confidentiality policy and have them sign it.
How long does it take to be approved as a volunteer?
The approval process for level 1 volunteers takes 3-5 minutes for the online application and seconds for scanning your identification.
The approval process for level 2 volunteers takes about 48 hours.
What does this system replace?
This process replaces the former method that required volunteers to submit paper documents.
If a parent has already filled out the volunteer paperwork for this school year, would he or she also have to fill out the online application?
No, if a parent has already filled out the paperwork, he or she would only need to provide their identification to be scanned at the school.
Will volunteers need to complete the application every year or just once?
The application and the ID scan must be done each year.
Is the online application faster than the old, paper system?
Yes. It’s quick, simple and much more private than completing paper documents and submitting them to schools.
Do you have a paper system for people who don’t have access to the internet?
Unfortunately, no, we won’t have a paper application. However, the schools will make internet access available to those who wish to fill out a form.