Harrison County Schools

HARRISON COUNTY SCHOOLS

408 E. B. SAUNDERS WAY

POST OFFICE BOX 1370

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA26302-1370

(304) 624-3325

FAX (304) 624-3361

Dear Parents,

This year, Harrison County Schools is implementing a biometric finger scanning identification program at WashingtonIrvingMiddle Schoolin an effort to provide students with a safe and easy way to identify them when eating school meals in the cafeteria.

What is Biometric Identification?

Biometric identification is the use of automated methods to recognize a student based upon a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Harrison County Schools has selected a biometric finger scanning identification computer program because it is fast, accurate, cost-effective and non-intrusive. All fingerprints are unique and that makes them ideal for personal identification.

How does finger scanning identification work?

Using a finger scanner, the software scans the fingerprint to create and store individual templates of unique points that identify each student. When the student returns, the software again scans the finger and looks for a match in the database. When a match is found, the student is identified!

What about my child’s privacy?

Although the computer softwarescans the finger for personal identification, it does not store a copy of the fingerprint. Instead, the computer program creates a template of the unique fingerprint characteristics. This insures the privacy of each student. AT NO TIME IS A FINGERPRINT IMAGE STORED. NO FINGERPRINTS CAN BE RECREATED OR DELIVERED TO ANY AGENCY – GOVERNMENTAL OR OTHERWISE!

Thanks for being involved!

It is important to us that your child’s experience in school is educational and rewarding. We hope you will find this new way of identifying your child to be safe, easy, accurate and efficient. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. THIS PROGRAM IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY. If you do NOT want your child participating in this program, please complete the form attached and return it to school. If you choose for your child NOT to participate in the finger scanning program, it will be your child’s responsibility to have his/her lunch card on them in the meal line when they eat either lunch or breakfast. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You may contact either your school principal or me at the Harrison County Board of Education Office at 326-7341.

Sincerely yours,

Christina Babyak

Director, Child Nutrition

Please return this form to school only if you DO NOT want your child to participate in the finger scanning program.

I do NOT want my child ______participating in the

finger scanning program at______School. I do

understand my child will need his/her lunch card on him/her each time he/she

eats a school meal.

Parent/Guardian Signature

Date