Community gives feedback on proposed SHS hall pass

SANDPOINT — Parents and stakeholders voiced concerns during a Wednesday evening information session about a new digital hall pass Sandpoint High School administrators planned to implement for the remainder of the school year beginning Monday. 

Attendees were apprehensive of data exposure risks and the change’s effect on students' sense of trust; SHS Principal Jacki Crossingham and Assistant Principal Chris Taylor said they would review the input with staff and evaluate before implementing the technology.

“It’s evident we need more discussion,” Crossingham said. “We’re going to take this feedback and bring it to our team and have a discussion. What they can bring back to us will help us determine whether we move forward.” 

SHS administrators introduced a proposal to replace the school’s physical hall pass system with SmartPass — a software designed to provide staff and faculty with analytics for student attendance and participation — after a new semester began Jan. 27. 

Under the proposed system, students would check out virtual passes through their school-issued computer and leave the room. While the student is away, administrators, campus security officers and their teacher would be able to see their stated destination, track their time away from class and ensure they stay on task. 

Taylor told attendees administrators are seeking to use the technology to address in-school truancy by helping staff identify students consistently leaving the classroom for extended periods. 

“It is only a few students that are really exceeding the normal expectations of using restrooms,” Crossingham said. 

Several attendees expressed concern about digitizing a traditional system and the potential for data collection or exposure; multiple commenters said they trusted SHS staff and administrators but not a third-party technology company.

SmartPass’ website states the software doesn't use GPS tracking, doesn’t share or sell student or school data and complies with a collection of data security regulations.  

One attendee pointed to a December 2024 data breach of PowerSchool, LPOSD’s student information system. After the cyberattack, district IT staff notified students and staff that their names, addresses, emails, grade levels and other personal information (not including Social Security numbers) may have been compromised. 

Raptor Technologies, SmartPass’ parent company, was discovered in January 2024 to have inadvertently exposed to the public more than four million records including threat reports, safety protocols and evacuation plans that could be exploited by someone planning to attack a school. 

In response to the concerns, SHS administrators said they would consult LPOSD’s IT staff to evaluate the platform’s safety and security. 

Another commenter wondered whether the new technology was necessary for all students if a majority of them are already complying with administrators’ expectations, and if the change would create a sense of surveillance in the building and make students feel like administrators don’t trust them. 

“I hope that this doesn't impact any of the kids that are doing it right,” Taylor said. 

“That 90% that you talked about that are doing it right? I hope this doesn't change anything for them,” he added. “I hope it helps me identify the 10% that I do need to go intervene.”

Crossingham thanked attendees for offering input and said the school would consider feedback from staff, students and parents going forward. 

“For every solution there’s a problem; for every problem there’s a solution,” she said. We're just trying to find the best one for a majority of our students.”