The lack of visitor protocol is a common problem in schools across all school districts. Most school administrators wrestle with how to properly establish visitor protocol, and every administration comes up with a different plan. This results in insufficient visitor protocol that puts the school at risk.

Some schools hire private contractors to greet visitors and to ensure proper sign in and sign out procedures. Others use their own staff including IAs (instructional assistants) and TAs (teacher assistants) to sit at the front desk. Hiring individuals who are untrained in visitor protocol offers little if any protection to your school. In most cases, there is a lack of compliancy when it comes to following the visitor protocol that the school has set forth.

There are many situations that could arise at the front desk when visitors arrive. Will the individuals sitting at the front desk know how to react to any given situation? Without adequate visitor protocol and compliance with this protocol, all efforts to maintain the security of a school will be wasted. For example, many schools spend a considerable amount of their budget on camera systems, card swipe systems, and other security systems. However, if standardized procedures are not set up at the front desk, these security measures will not offer much protection at all.

In an emergency situation, every second counts. Standardized visitor protocols will ensure that your staff is trained to handle any situation that may arise. This way, no matter who walks through the door or what situations occur, your front desk staff will know exactly what to do without question. This will guarantee that the situation is handled in the most efficient and suitable manner possible. With proper visitor protocol established at your school, you can rest assured that students, faculty, and your property will be much safer.