Jenkins Independent not being cavalier about school health precautions

JENKINS, Ky. (WYMT) -With schools across the region slowly returning to in-person classes, the Cavaliers are being anything but.

Jenkins Independent Schools invested in new android devices to better serve its students and staff.

The new equipment uses hands-free technology to detect temperatures of people as they step into the frame of the camera and sensors and face recognition technology is used to make sure everyone is wearing a mask. A normal temperature gives students the green light and a high temperature is answered with a red light, warning the person monitoring the students as they enter.

School officials say the technology scans quicker than a thermometer, allowing students to enter the building at a quicker rate and avoid long lines in the entrance.

The devices also connect to a network to keep track of students, which Jenkins High School Principal and Assistant Superintendent Rondall Baker says will be useful for contact tracing if an issue arises.

The machine is already in use as staff enters the building and it has received positive feedback by the administration. Though the district has not yet decided on an in-person return date, Baker says he feels confident that the schools are doing everything they can to prepare a safe environment.

“We really don’t want to bring a potential person with symptoms inside the building, so it lets us scan in the lobby and then gets them to a containment area until a parent can pick the child up,” he said.

Baker said the idea to return after fall break is currently being discussed and the current setup will be useful in isolating any potential COVID-19 cases.

“We made the decision over the summer, with the anticipation of bringing kids in from day one. Just something else to make it quicker to get kids in the building and for the sense of security that it gives parents,” Baker said.