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WINTON – Students enrolled in Hertford County Public Schools (HCPS) will be required to use clear book bags for the upcoming 2024/2025 school year.

This is one of several safety measures effective in August as part of the district’s ongoing commitment to ensure the safety and security of its students and staff. By adopting clear book bags, the district aims to enhance visibility and prevent the concealment of prohibited items, thereby creating a safer school environment.

In addition to the clear book bags, HCPS is implementing several other safety measures as follows:

Centegix – Formerly known as Ident-A-Kid, has been installed in all HCPS locations to make the visitor management process the same throughout the district. Each Centegix station has a dedicated computer, driver license scanner, and two printers (one for visitor stickers and one for tardy passes). This initiative will help school officials identify campus visitors who have or have not checked in at the front desk.

Access Control – HCPS is working with to upgrade its access control systems (door access at all locations). This project will make access control uniform throughout the district and provide each staff member with an identification card as their key to enter a school building. Building access will be granted based on the staff member’s role in the district.

HCPS is implementing state-of-the-art surveillance on school buses to ensure the safety of students during transportation. Additionally there will be radios for schools and the buses, further enhancing communication capabilities, a critical component for effective emergency response and daily operations.

Additional security measures are introduced to safeguard school premises and events by adding metal detectors.