Dear Parents and Guardians,

The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority for Homewood City Schools. To further our commitment to a secure learning environment, we are pleased to announce the implementation of Raptor Technologies emergency response software.

Over the past several months, our teams have been installing this system and undergoing comprehensive training. This new technology provides every staff member in our buildings with a wearable badge capable of instantly initiating an emergency response if needed.

How it enhances our safety protocols:

• Multi-Purpose Response: This technology is not just for school lockdowns. It strengthens our response to a wide range of on-campus situations, including medical emergencies, unexpected weather events, and other incidents requiring an immediate, coordinated response.

• Precision and Speed: The system provides the exact location where an alert is initiated, allowing for a faster and more coordinated response.

• Instant Communication: Raptor immediately alerts staff and school leadership to follow established safety protocols and facilitates real-time communication with emergency responders.

While we work every day through threat assessments and safety plans to prevent the need for an emergency response, this technology ensures that if a situation does arise we can act with greater speed and clarity.

Please note as we introduce this technology we anticipate a few false alarms. We will communicate with you, as always, any time we are in a safety protocol or emergency vehicles are on campus – including for a false alarm.

We are proud to add this layer of protection to our schools. If you have any questions regarding this new system, please feel free to reach out to your school’s administration.

Sincerely,

Dr. Justin Hefner, Superintendent