New weapons detection system, visitor scanning system, fewer bus routes highlight first day of school for Columbia students

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools students returned to class Tuesday for the new school year.

There were 18,838 students enrolled on Tuesday, according to an unofficial number provided by CPS later in the day. The official enrollment number is computed on the last Wednesday of September, an email from the district stated.

With the first day of school, a visitor management and weapons detection system made its debut.

"We're always looking at ways to ensure the safety of our scholars or teachers and the staff, as well as allow us to welcome in our parents and community," CPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood said. "So this was another layer, it's a system that's been used across the country and we wanted to ensure that, again, those that are coming into our schools, come in and have a great time, but we also want to make sure that our schools remain safe.” 

CPS is implementing a visitor management system called "Raptor" that will be placed in all school buildings. It is an electronic system that adds an extra safety layer while welcoming guests and replacing paper sign-in sheets.

The Raptor system requires all visitors to scan their IDs to gain entrance. The system will do a check against the sex offender registry as well as check for anyone who may be banned from visiting.

"They scan your ID, and they make sure that you are who you say you are, then they take the identification and they run it against the sex offender database," said David Rogers, who is the chief marketing officer for Raptor Technologies.

The only data the system will collect is a person's name, image and date of birth. The information will not be shared with any outside agencies. Raptor uses firewalls, encryptions and prevention systems to protect data entered into the system. The system will not be used at large events held at schools, as they are considered exceptions.

Yearwood said the reason this system is being used now is because the city is growing as well as the school district.

"We want to always be thinking of ways that we can ensure the safety of our schools, ensure the safety of scholars and teachers and staff and, you know, we have to think innovatively and this is but one way that we can ensure that safety," said Yearwood.

Rogers said the Raptor Visitor Management System is used nationwide.

"We're in all 50 states, over 5,300 school districts int he country utilize this technology," Rogers said.

Also being added this year is the weapons detection system that will be at Rock Bridge, Hickman and Battle high schools. The system can detect weapons such as blades, guns, knives, brass knuckles and razor blades while ignoring everyday objects like keys and cellphones.

However, students at Rock Bridge High School Monday morning had to wait to enter the school due to backups at the weapon detection systems. Yearwood said the backup is expected for about two weeks while students and staff learn the protocol.

"It's a learning curve, not only for the scholars that are coming in, because, you know, they will realize, OK, I can't have this, I can't have that," Yearwood said. "And that will basically be taken care of as well, as the adults that are monitoring the system, you know, they would be learning better ways and better systems."

Some common items that set off false alarms with the weapons detection systems include laptops, three-ring binders and umbrellas. With the return of school, CPS wants to remind the community to be mindful of increased traffic, school zones, bus stops and students walking or biking to school.

According to a release ABC 17 News got by email from CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark, some bus routes will not be running for at least the first week.

"We have 4 elementary routes and 4 secondary (middle/high school routes) that will not run this week," the email. "These are routes within a 1 mile (elementary) or 2 mile (secondary) radius, which is additional transportation CPS offers beyond the state requirement of 2 miles or 3 miles."

The release also states the district must prioritize state-required routes before expanding their services. Yearwood is asking for patience from students and parents while they figure out a solution.

"As we are working through the process I just ask for a little bit of patience, as we, work through our routes and get everything situated that too is a process," Yearwood said.