Dear Parent/Guardian:
I hope you and your family had a great summer and the 2019-20 school year is off to a good start.
In order to better protect our school community, the district is changing its school building entry protocol. Effective immediately, all visitors will be required to show a valid, government-issued ID. Every ID will then be scanned using a computer software program produced by Raptor Technologies to check, among other things, sex offender status. If a visitor is “cleared,” he or she will be given an ID badge and granted building access. If a visitor is “flagged,” school administration will determine if he or she should be granted building access. If allowed to enter a school building, school administration will decide what precautions need to be taken. 
The new protocol is a major piece of the district’s Smart Schools Bond Act project. The Smart Schools Bond Act, approved by New York State voters in 2014, authorized the issuance of $2 billion to finance improved security, technology and critical infrastructure in public schools. Approximately $972,000 was allocated to the Westmoreland Central School District.
Last winter, phase one of the district’s Smart Schools Bond Act project was completed. As part of the phase, existing access control points at entranceways and security cameras in each of the district’s three school buildings were replaced with new card readers and more technologically advanced cameras. Over the summer and before the start of the school year, phase two was completed. Work included the installation of “lockdown strobes,” which are strategically positioned in several interior and exterior locations to indicate if the district is under a lockdown, new clocks and phones in all classrooms, which have the ability to display important messages in the event of an emergency, and a new public announcement system. The final phase of the project, phase three, will start later this school year. All classroom doors will be replaced with new, bullet resistant doors that automatically lock in a lockdown.
While the district would have preferred to use the funding it received from New York State to enhance our educational program, we recognize the changing times we live in. As a result, we remain committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our students, staff and community members.
In closing, I kindly ask for your understanding of the district’s new security measures and protocol and cooperation moving forward. We want our school campus to be welcoming, but also as safe as possible.
Should you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact the district office at (315) 557-2614.
Sincerely,
Rocco Migliori Superintendent of Schools