Whitney Independent School District Superintendent Todd Southard announced changes related to school safety and security in a letter to parents last week.
Southard said that each Whitney ISD campus will employ an armed security guard this school year. Daniel Turner will be working at the elementary school, Heath Yeager will be at the intermediate school, Corbin Schwalm will be stationed at the middle school, and Tim Oldfield will return to the high school campus.
“I want to thank these gentlemen in advance for all their hard work keeping our kids and teachers and staff safe,” Southard wrote. “They are going to be very active and visible, and, when you get a chance to say ‘thank you’ to them, please do so. They have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders.”
In addition, the district will have an armed security guard present at each home game for all sports at both the middle and high school levels.
The superintendent said that “black boxes” will be installed in classrooms, with contents that would be a vital part of the response to an active shooter threat. The boxes will be protected with a pass code, and students will be instructed that any attempt to tamper with them will result in an immediate referral to the disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP).
The district has also standardized “Go Kits” to ensure teachers have the proper supplies in the event of an emergency.
Southard said that increased staff training has also been part of the effort. “Stop the Bleed” training will be provided to Whitney ISD employees, and teachers will be trained on how to properly barricade a classroom.
“As always, the most important factor in keeping a school safe is communication,” the superintendent wrote. “If you see something, hear something, or know of something, alerting the proper people immediately is vital to everyone’s safety.”
The first day of school at Whitney ISD is Wednesday, August 14.
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