District considers resolution on school security

Officials eye installation of a visitor management system districtwide

Whether it’s a new fence at Valley View or the new systems currently being installed in the Saugus Union School District, nearly every district in the Santa Clarita Valley has considered implementing additional security functions at its schools sites.

The Sulphur Springs Union School District is no different as members of the board consider a resolution Wednesday which seeks to enhance school security by installing Raptor Technologies’ visitor management systems districtwide.

The prospective security method is designed to provide the district with a standardized and efficient method to process visitors by reading the visitor’s driver’s license and comparing the information to a sex offender database, according to the agenda.

“We thought it would provide a great service and ensure security at a nominal cost,” board President Ken Chase said. A successful pilot at Fair Oaks Ranch Community School led the board to believe the system should be installed at all nine of the Sulphur Springs school sites.

“The district is always considering other options for security,” Chase said. “We previously approved plans for fencing at all our sites,” which created a single entry point at the office.

“We are also in the process of creating systems where you have to ring to get in the office,” Chase added, which “we believe would also be very beneficial to students and staff.”

He was unaware of any problems that occurred during the Raptor test rollout, he said, so he plans to introduce a few discussion points, which were previously voiced by Hart district officials, during tonight’s meeting.

Superintendent Katherine Kawaguchi was able to counter most of the points presented to the board on Wednesday night, so members were comfortable passing the resolution and continue the implementation of the new security system at schools in the Sulphur Springs district.