TEXARKANA, Texas -- The four local school districts -- Liberty-Eylau, Pleasant Grove, Texarkana, Texas, and Texarkana, Arkansas -- recently shared what precautions are being taken to protect students.
With recent school safety legislation being passed, Texas schools are being pushed to update security plans and bolster active shooter drill responses. This has been made easier on districts due to state funding being opened up specifically for security-related costs.
Liberty-Eylau Communication Director Earl Gill said the district has started to update its security measures across the board.
"The district is using an AI detection platform, the technology will be layered on top of the school's existing security cameras to help identify illegally brandished guns and dispatch orders for safety personnel and law enforcement throughout our district," Gill said.
Gill said each school has a safety officer, along with a badge system for all entry doors.
"We take (the card badge) serious that's why we ask all employees to have their badges visible on their person," Gill said.
Gill said the schools also utilize a safety vestibule which allows for campus guests to be cordoned off, then granted access after they are analyzed for a threat.
"We have daily and weekly door sweeps for the exterior doors, on the campuses they go through and check doors and write reports," Gill said. "We keep things transparent throughout our district. ... We also have bulletproof shields coming, I'm not sure where they're going but they're coming."
Gill said all teachers receive mandatory training against security threats and can receive more training on the matter if they desire.
Pleasant Grove Marketing and Communications Director Haley Turner said the district takes the safety and security of the students and staff very seriously.
"We are constantly reviewing and updating our security measures to ensure that we are providing a safe learning environment for everyone. Currently, we are following all of the mandated guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas School Safety Center," Turner said.
Turner said teachers receive security threat training from the "I Love You Guys" foundation, which provides standardized protocol for emergency response drills.
"This protocol provides standardized emergency response drills for staff and students that cover a variety of emergency situations, from natural disasters to active attacks. This training ensures that our staff is well-prepared to respond to any emergency situation that may arise and prioritize the safety of our students and staff," Turner said.
Turner said the district has a behavioral threat assessment team that identifies individuals who can pose a threat to themselves or others and allows the team to provide intervention to prevent school violence. The district has additionally added three police officers to their employment roster, which allows for regular safety audits.
TISD Chief Communications Officer Todd Marshall said the district has its own police force with nine full-time officers and six security guards.
"Each campus has comprehensive safety protocols that include access control to all campuses and buildings, security cameras, A-I Phones and fencing projects are getting underway," Marshall said.
Marshall said TISD follows guidance from the Texas School Safety Center, which requires online staff training about school safety, including threat assessment, mental health and safety drills.
"This year, districts across the state have undergone an initial round of state school security audits. As a result of these audits, we have continued to evaluate our systems and protocols with additional input from TISD stakeholders," Marshall said. "Our district's Safety and Security Committee has played a key role in this process. This team, which includes TISD staff, parents, security experts, and community leaders, recommends additional security measures to consider for adoption as part of the district's safety and security master plan."
Marshall said the district works year-round to make sure students are aware of mental health resources that are available to them, such as counseling. The district also has a crisis response team that can provide immediate support to students and staff.
TASD's director of safety and security, Terry Taylor, said all teachers and staff receive training from active shooter training to intruder and disaster training.
Taylor listed the district's current security features as:
-- Electronic access controls for high frequency use exterior doors
-- Security cameras for school campuses; accessible only by designated individuals
-- A grand master key system for the school district
-- Safety measures for buses and transportation (communication, cameras on buses)
-- Weapon detection equipment on each campus
-- Commissioned School Security Officer on each campus (all armed)
-- Intercom/communication system that allows two-way communication between staff across the district
-- District campuses have fencing and gates that limit access to the school entrances, especially the main entrance
-- District master keys provided/accessible to local law enforcement for use during a critical incident
-- First aid materials and equipment
Taylor said the district plans to add features such as visitor management system on each campus, covers for vision panels on all classroom doors that prevent viewing from the inside, visible signage on school campuses to clearly identify visitor requirements, closed campus areas and traffic flow, modifications to establish a single secure visitor point of entrance, ideally with a secured vestibule, and physical barriers to prevent access, including bollards, landscaping, fences, etc., especially at the main entrance.
The security director said the updates have already begun and that he anticipates they will be completed by August of this year, with funding from Federal School Cop grants, State School Safety grants and district funds.
"The school District works in partnership with our school counselors, mental health counselors and local mental health agency to provide identification and treatment for students," Taylor said. "The Texarkana Arkansas School District is committed to providing a safe environment for all of our students and we will continue to strive, evaluate, monitor and adjust all of our safety protocols to provide safe campuses for all our students."