A smart-card entry system will be in place for visitors at Easton Area schools in a few weeks, according to the assistant superintendent.
Assistant Superintendent Alyssa Emili updated the school board at Tuesday’s meeting about the ScholarChip program.
She confirmed Wednesday that Easton Area High School students were issued smart cards at the start of the year. They’ve been using them at the school entrance to scan in and scan out every day.
“The students are responding very well to it,” Emili said during the meeting video.
She confirmed the system will roll out next month for students at Easton Area Middle School. Elementary schools won’t require students to scan in, although entrance kiosks will be in place at those schools.
“All of our visitors that are coming to our school buildings will be checking through the ScholarChip kiosks within a few weeks,” Emili said Tuesday.
Eventually students will also scan in and scan out when they get on school district buses. Emili hopes that system will be in place to start the 2019-20 school year.
The school board balked at a plan to put the card readers in each high school and middle school classroom. The card readers could monitor attendance, but some board members felt the technology could be too invasive and could turn schools into “cold institutions.”
Emili said it’s up to the school board to decide whether to take a second look at card readers in classrooms.
Board member Billie Weiss said Wednesday she’s in favor of in-classroom card readers.
“I think it’s a great idea,” she said.
Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.