Schools to start using Raptor system Jan. 3

WOODBURY - Beginning January 3, 2019, Cannon County Schools will begin using the Raptor Visitor Management System in all of our schools to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and faculty.

"Part of keeping students and faculty safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system will allow us to do that, Director of Schools William Curtis said. "The Raptor system will better allow us to screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff."

Upon entering a district building, visitors will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver's License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person's name into the Raptor system.

The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not entering our school campuses without our knowledge. The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders.

The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. A visitor's badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.

Director of Cannon County Schools, William F. Curtis, stated, "The safety of our students is our highest priority and the Raptor visitor management system allows us to quickly identify those that may present a danger to our students. Thank you in advance for your understanding and your support in enhancing the school safety protocols in our district."

For media inquiries, please contact Mr. William F. Curtis, Director of Cannon County Schools at 615-563-5752 Extension 235 or at williamf.curtis@ccstn.netfor local Cannon County Schools information.