All 15 schools that make up the Carmel Clay Schools system are now equipped with a doorbell entry system that allows the schools to keep their front doors locked throughout the day, according to school officials.
Located at the main entrance to each school, the system provides a notification button for visitors. Once activated, the “doorbell” rings in the school office and alerts staff to the visitor. Office staff can then visually confirm the visitor’s presence and electronically unlock the door.
To enter any of Carmel’s 11 elementary schools, three middle schools or high school, visitors must push the doorbell when they arrive at the main entrance. Office staff will then “buzz” them in and direct them to the office where they will begin the Schoolgate Guardian check-in.
The Guardian system quickly scans and processes each visitor’s state issued ID. The system then archives the details of the visit, including the date and time, a photograph of the visitor and who they were there to see.
Also, the visitor’s identity is instantly compared to the national database of more than 704,000 registered sex offenders. If a match occurs, the system displays detailed information about the actual sex offender, such as height, weight, eye color and body markings to help prevent the chance for a false positive.