YISD uses new technology to monitor visitors

The Ysleta Independent School District is taking campus safety to a new level with a new visitor management system.

Since late August, YISD has implemented technology to give visitors access into any campus.

Before a parent, volunteer or visitor steps foot inside a school, they must first ring a doorbell at the main entrance where a video monitor is also located.

When a school staff member answers, they will be allowed to see who is at the entrance through the video monitor.

The visitor will have to show a form of identification before they are given access.

Once the visitor makes it inside the school, there will be a second check if ID and will be scanned against national sexual offender data bases to ensure the safety and security of the school environment.

“It targets everybody coming into our school and clears everybody. We’re making sure that one-hundred percent of the time we know who is on our campus,” said Roxanne Merfa, principal at Parkland Elementary School.

Visitors are required to wear a badge while they are on campus.

If a visitor is not authorized to be on campus, the principal and security will be immediately notified.

Visitors who will be required to use this system include are parents, guardians and other visitors who will volunteer in or observe classrooms or student activity areas.

Frequent visitors may request a unique key fob ID to make check-in/check-out scanning easier on future visits.

The visitor monitoring system was funded by the 2015 bond election approved by voters.