FOREST GROVE, Ore. — All schools in the Forest Grove School District are implementing a new security system Monday that will require visitors to go through additional steps before being allowed to enter a school building during school hours.
Under the new system, once school begins, any visitor will be asked to push a buzzer, look into a security camera, speak with the front-desk secretary, and provide detailed information on why they need to enter the school.
"It gives us a chance to have the doors locked during school time," district spokesman David Warner said. "The visitors or whoever is coming up to the school will have to hit a button that will interface with a secretary or someone at the front desk."
If the secretary decides the visitor is not a threat, the visitor will be buzzed in, and the visitor will be directed to report to the office.
"I love the new system," Fern Hill Elementary School principal Rogelio Martinez said. "Anything we can do me have the students be safer throughout the day, I think is a positive."
The district paid for the security lock and intercom systems with existing bond money.