SCHOOLS Pupils to get ID swipe cards

High school students will get the ID cards in January.
NILES -- The school board has approved a swipe card system intended to improve security and efficiency at city schools.
John Soltesz, chairman and CEO of Zerco Systems International Inc. of Brookfield, made a presentation Thursday night to school board members on the company's laser swipe card safety identification program.
Each pupil will be provided a card in which his or her photo, fingerprint and signature can be digitally scanned, Soltesz explained.
The laser card will permit entrance to and exit from the school the pupil is enrolled in, which will help eliminate strangers from entering a school building.
It also will serve as a meal card, and parents can add money to the card to be used in the cafeteria. The pupil's fingerprint will identify only that pupil so he or she will get credit for a meal.
Additional features, such as a parking pass, can be added to the card at no extra cost, Soltesz said.
Only the school board will have access to the information that is provided on each card, but in the event a child is missing, the information can be a useful tool for the police to use because of the fingerprints.
The federal government will pay for 95 percent of the cost of the cards. High school students will be the first to get the cards starting in January.
Other business
The board will have a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in the admissions building to discuss improvements to the buildings in conjunction with FirstEnergy.
The board also will have a special meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at the high school to discuss the upcoming school levy that will be put on the special election ballot in February.
A meeting will be held every two weeks after the Dec. 9 session to continue discussions about the need for the levy. The meetings are open to the public.
The next regular board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 at Washington Elementary School.