Ident-a-Kid system offers middle school added security
By CASEY FERRELL

	Tabitha Atwater uses the new Ident-a-Kid kiosk at A.L. Stanback Middle School before picking up her little sister from the school. “I think it’s great,” Atwater said of the security system. Photo by Casey Ferrell

Tabitha Atwater entered the main office at A.L. Stanback Middle School to pick up her little sister and even signed in — at least on paper.

Instead, she went to a laptop computer, clicked on the “Visitors” icon and entered her name and the reason for her visit. Then a

small camera attached to the computer snapped a photo of her. A tiny printer spat out a yellow label with her name and the date and time.

The system is called Ident-a-Kid, and it’s part of a growing number of increased security measures at public schools. It’s also the first of its kind in Orange County Schools.

“With all the heightened alerts in the schools, and trying to increase security, we thought it was a good thing to have,” said the school’s principal, Clara Daniels.

“It’s a more efficient way of checking in and checking out.”

The system, which was installed only a week ago, is for all visitors to the school, including late-arriving students, parents, volunteers, substitute teachers and even staff. The time-stamped photos of each person are archived for future reference if necessary.

It has already paid dividends.

Daniels said a mother came to the school last week to sign out their child, but that child had already left with the child’s father because of a miscommunication between the parents. The mother was relieved to be able to see that it was, in fact, her husband who had signed their child out.

“Before, we had pen and paper saying it was dad, but now we can [show a photo and] ask, ‘Is this dad?’ She was thrilled we had a system to better protect kids in the school.”

The system, valued at $486, was installed at no cost to Stanback, Daniels said. The company that supplies the software will offer nationally recognized child ID’s for the students next year at a cost, helping them recoup their investment.

“It was very easy,” said Tina Walker, the school’s technology specialist. “I just had to get the computer ready.”

Daniels said she expects “more and more schools will be going with this system in the future.”

Other security measures are also in various stages of being installed in the district’s schools.

Daniels, for instance, can look at 16 different camera angles from her office desktop. The security cameras monitor outside and inside the school and can pan and zoom.

Daniels said that the reaction from parents to the Ident-a-Kid system has been overwhelmingly positive.

Atwater, seconded that notion.

“I think for security purposes, it’s great,” she said as her little sister was called to the office. “It makes me feel more comfortable about who children are leaving with.”