Bob Keeler / Souderton Independent - 2/18/2009

Visitors are welcome at Souderton Area schools. Predators aren't. A computerized system that scans a visitor's driver's license and checks it against more than 100 databases nationwide was recently installed at Souderton Area High School. "This year, it's in the high school. We're studying to see how this might be used at the middle level," Frank Gallagher, director of pupil services/special services, said at the Feb. 4 Souderton Area School Board Policy Committee meeting.

The Raptor system just installed at Souderton has been used for the past few years at North Montco Technical Career Center.

"We liked it and decided to try it at our high school," Gallagher said.

District administrators are planning to ask that funding to expand the system to the two middle schools be included in next year's budget, he said.

It takes only a few minutes for the database check to be completed for a first-time visitor and even less time during further school visits by the same person, Gallagher said.

Proposed revisions to the school visitors policy are also ready to go to the full school board for its review, he said.

The existing policy has not been changed since it was first adopted in 1985.

"It doesn't reflect our current practices with visitors and our whole safe schools guidelines," Gallagher said.

The existing policy says visitors must register and be given permission to be in school buildings and that school principals must give their approval before a visitor can speak to a student at school. The proposed new policy addresses a lot more issues, Gallagher said.

"During the school day, any person on school property who has not registered with the school office is illegally on school property, and may be asked to leave the school grounds," reads a portion of the proposed revisions. "If the visitor refuses to leave the school grounds or creates any disturbance, the principal has the authority to request aid from a law enforcement agency."

Except in emergency, classroom visits must be scheduled. Home and School Association meetings and other programs for which parents or guardians receive a written invitation are considered to be a scheduled appointment.

"Classroom observations by parents/guardians, community members or interested educators can be valuable, even though they have potential for disruption. The principal or designee will evaluate the benefit of the visit relative to maintenance of the instructional process," reads a portion of the proposed revisions.

Written requests for classroom observation should be submitted at least two days before the visit, according to the proposed revisions.

For health and security reasons, students from other schools are not allowed classroom visits or to shadow Souderton students, the revised policy says.

In most cases, only parents or their surrogates will be permitted to speak to a student in school and only after first getting permission from the school, according to the proposed revisions. "Visits or conferences with students during the school day can be disruptive and are generally discouraged," the policy says.

The policy also directs that there be signs at public entrances to school buildings telling visitors to go to the principal's office.