Starting in the 2023-24 school year, students at all Poudre School District schools will check out of the cafeteria line with a quick tap of a finger.
Families have the option to opt their student out of using this system, and you can find more info about that below.
We know that anything having to do with biometrics prompt questions, so here’s what you need to know:
If meals are free this year, why do PSD students have to check out of cafeteria lines?
- PSD is participating in Colorado's Healthy School Meals for All program starting this school year. That means all PSD students can eat breakfast and lunch free of charge at school, regardless of their household income.
- Even though students don’t pay for meals, they need to stop at the register so PSD staff can verify that the items on their tray meet federal requirements for a balanced, nutritious meal. Every meal must be counted in order for PSD to receive state and federal funding.
- Although we can’t know for sure how many more students will eat meals at school now that they’re free, we are estimating that our Child Nutrition Department will serve about 1.2 million more this school year than last.
- Schools have limited time for breakfast and lunch and can’t flex too much without having to make school days longer. Rather than make a change like that, we are using technology to help us with speed. Enter the identiMetrics scanners.
Fast facts about PSD’s biometrics program
- identiMetrics scanners are integrated directly into PSD’s existing Point of Sale (POS) system.
- It takes about 2 seconds to scan a finger.
- This technology DOES NOT take or store a picture of users’ fingerprints. This is a finger scan, not a fingerprint.
- PSD does NOT have the ability or desire to store or recreate student fingerprints for any reason.
- The computer software develops a grid of intersection points from the swirls and arcs of the scanned finger, creates a template showing the finger’s unique points, and converts the template into a binary number that is encrypted and stored.
- The data collected will be maintained locally by PSD and NONE of the information is sent out externally/to the internet or to any agency.
- The system was found to be a more secure, accurate and convenient method of authentication. Meal-serving periods that used this technology were more consistent and faster than those using pin numbers.
Additional resources from the scanner manufacturer about identiMetrics’ finger-scanning process:
- Check out identiMetrics’ biometric-scanning FAQs
- Watch the “How Biometrics Work" video
Opting out – an option for families
- Families have the option to opt their students out of participation at any time.
- The form will be available in the services tracker in ParentVUE, where other school and district forms are available.
- Those who need a paper copy of the form may call Child Nutrition at 970-490-3557 or email nutrition@psdschools.org.
- Students opted out will give the cashier their student ID number for entry.
- The scanners will NOT work for students who have been opted out.