Visalia Unified adds intercom system to all schools, buildings to boost security

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- As students go back to school in the Visalia Unified School District, they'll have new security systems in place.

In a way, school for students is like a second home.

So if you're a visitor, it shouldn't be a surprise that when you arrive, you need to ring the doorbell to get inside.

Raquel Pena's son, Cruz Pena, will make the transition to La Joya Middle School this fall as a seventh grader.

"He's very excited, but he's also a little nervous about middle school," Raquel said.

While Pena is worried about her son finding his classes and eating lunch, she says the new Verkada Intercom technology at the front office is giving her peace of mind.

"It makes me feel more comfortable. It makes me feel like he can do his job at school without thinking about the other things," Raquel said.

Principal Dr. Andrew Bishop says all doors and gates will be locked during the day.

If someone needs to come on campus, they'll no longer be able to just walk right into the office.

Staff will first look to see who's there and speak to them over the intercom.

"It's really just an added layer of safety for us," Dr. Bishop said. "Kind of think of it as a Ring doorbell. They'll ring the doorbell for the school to come in, and we're basically verifying what purpose they're here for."

Superintendent Kirk Shrum says it's the latest layer of security for the district.

Schools already have the Raptor system, which requires visitors to scan their driver's license or identification card into the system.

The "Transfinder" app is fully implemented for every student and bus route in the district.

It allows parents to track exactly where their child is while on a school bus.

"The overarching idea is we want our parents to have confidence in what we're doing. We want them to know that we have processes and procedures in place to keep our campuses safe and secure," Shrum said.

Parents like Pena say they're glad the district is adding layers of security to keep their kids safe at their home away from home.

These intercom systems are also installed at every Visalia Unified School District building.

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