Dear Parents and Staff,
We know that last Friday’s tragic event at Santa Fe High School may have you feeling anxious and uncertain about school safety. We want kids to feel safe and secure at school and we know that at this point, many of them may not. I want to assure you that we are doing everything possible to keep our schools safe. This letter is to remind you of safety measures already in place. Following the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, I directed our staff to review campus emergency operations plans and ensure each employee understands his or her role in the event of a school emergency. Staff members undergo regular training throughout the school year. Local law enforcement agencies also have conducted onsite active shooter training in the District over Spring Break and more training is planned for June. Besides knowing what to do should an active shooter come into our facilities, Texas City ISD is working on continued training in threat assessment. This past March, central office administrators, campus principals and a counselor from each of our schools were trained in threat assessment from Sigma Threat Management Associates. We were trained how to build and operate threat assessment teams and programs, helping us develop our own ability to assess and manage threatening situations in accordance with best practices. Our educators learned how to use best practice for preventing school violence, conducting threat assessment inquiries, developing case management plans and gaining practice working through threat scenarios. We believe that this is an important piece in preventing school violence. Additional training will be conducted with staff before school starts. Texas City ISD contracts with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office for security. They are highly trained law enforcement deputies and know our schools inside and out and they know our kids. They, along with hall monitors, make sure that all doors are locked and report any suspicious activity. In light of the Santa Fe High School shooting, we will be bringing in additional deputies through the last day of school, May 30, 2018. The Texas City Police Department and La Marque Police Department also are great partners and are always willing to increase patrols and presence at our schools. I am thankful for their partnership and support. In addition, we went through a safety audit in the fall and we are using those findings to enhance and improve our facilities for safety with school bond money. Our goal is to make our buildings very difficult to breach. Parents, we need your assistance. Bags and Backpacks If your child does not have to bring a backpack, gym bag, or purse to school, please keep these items at home. If they do need to bring a bag to school, check the bag for prohibited items. Effective Monday, bags may be subject to search under heightened security measures. Social Media Monitoring As adults, we know children gravitate to social media as a means of communication and collaboration. We also know this is a place where threats, credible or not, are created and shared quickly. Please monitor your child’s social media account and remind them to always be respectful online. In the event they see a post that is suspicious or threatening, tell them not to share it but rather report it immediately to you or a trusted adult. All threats will be investigated by law enforcement and criminal charges will be pursued when appropriate. Making a terroristic threat involving a school is a felony offense, as is possessing certain unlawful weapons, including firearms, on school premises. See Something, Say Something Whether it is a post on social media or suspicious behavior, please say something. Here are ways to report anonymous tips. The most powerful weapon in the effort to improve school safety is for our students and families to partner with the schools. Call: 409-916-0TIP (0847) Email: crimestoppers@tcisd.org Smart Phone App: smart phone free app called P3 Campus Rules about IDs, Dress Code and Doors Parents, we have rules in place to help with safety.
Some of those include wearing visible IDs, not wearing oversized clothing, and not opening side doors even for other students. We need students to comply and take control of their own safety and the safety of everyone on their campus. We need you to remind your children that those rules that they may not like are in place to keep them safe. I realize we are living in uncertain times, and our
children are looking to you and me for comfort and reassurance. I want you to know that we don’t just work on school safety after a tragic event happens. School safety is something we focus on each and every day. We need you to work with us because it takes all of us working together for safe schools and a safe community. Thank you for your continued support of the Texas City Independent School District and please keep Santa Fe ISD in your prayers.
Rodney Cavness, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
