At last night’s Huron Board of Education meeting, Huron School District Transportation Department Team Leader Kathie Bostrom gave a report on the Zonar ZPass system. ZPass is technology which allows school officials to identify when a student enters and exits a district school bus through a scannable card. The data that is captured can then be used to help locate a missing child or shared with the student’s parents. The district adopted the technology after receiving a grant last August.
Bostrom says the new technology has been a success but there is room for improvement.
Bostrom says she would like to see the program expanded.
When asked by board member David Wheeler why she proposed only making ZPass mandatory for students up to middle school age, Bostrom said her recommendation was partially based on financial considerations.
Superintendent Terry Nebelsick says whether or not ZPass is made mandatory will come down to service to the community versus safety.
Nebelsick says Bostrom’s report was intended to start the dialogue on the issue. He says he wanted to bring the idea to the board’s attention so any proposed change could be reflected in next years student handbook which will printed in a few weeks.