Police EMS ISD: Safety & Security

School safety and security is a top priority here at EMS ISD. We want to share some exciting updates that we have been working on over the summer to further enhance safety and security in and around our schools. Now is also a great time to share some reminders of how each member of the EMS ISD community can do their part to make this a safe school year for our scholars of all ages.

Traffic and Road Safety

When driving to/from/near a school, please keep safety and mind and consider these reminders:

• Please allow yourself extra time if you plan to bring your child(ren) to school and pick your child(ren) up from school. If your child rides a bus, please remember traffic and construction may also cause unintended delays in routes.

• Keep an eye out for school buses, and remember to stop when the bus has stopped, has red lights flashing, and the stop arm out. It’s the law and, more importantly, stopping ensures the safety of our children and saves lives.

• Use extra caution at crosswalks, especially those closest to schools, and obey crossing guards and school zones.

• Remember to slow down when you’re driving through school zones. EMS ISD Police along with our partners Saginaw Police, Fort Worth Police, Blue Mound Police, and the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department patrol school zones to ensure safety.

Behavior and Personal Safety

It is the responsibility of every member of the EMS ISD community to practice responsible behavior, even in times of conflict or disagreement. Please remind your child(ren) about how to behave when they are at school so that all children and staff can have a safe and positive learning environment. Please also review the following reminders for behavior expectations of students, staff, parents, and visitors to our campuses:

• It is the expectation at Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD that students will treat each other and their teachers, staff, and administrators with respect. We also expect that level of respect to be returned to our students.

• Students best meet this expectation when they see their parents, teachers, school staff, and administrators modeling this behavior. Anyone who acts outside of professional decorum, or who is aggressive, unruly, or threatening, will be removed and further restrictions could be assessed.

• All members of the EMS ISD community are expected to treat others with kindness and respect. Please join us in this effort, as it is an important component of a student’s education.

EMS ISD Police Department – Officers Coming to All Schools

EMS ISD leaders remain focused on continuing to strengthen safety and security measures and operations across the district. A primary component of this includes a large expansion of School-Based Law Enforcement (SBLE) officers in our EMS ISD Police Department. Now in its second year, our EMS ISD Police Department has spent the last few months hiring to ensure that every school in the district, including all elementary schools, have a dedicated EMS ISD SBLE officer working on campus.

In the most recent Texas legislative session, a bill was passed requiring every school in the state to have an armed security officer, specifically a commissioned peace officer, present during regular school hours each day. While districts have alternatives to meeting this requirement, EMS ISD is proud to have prepared for the expansion of our district police department to meet this expectation. This summer, the Board of Trustees approved 19 additional SBLE positions and, throughout the summer, our Command Staff have been diligently hiring to provide dedicated SBLE officers for our elementary schools. These officers will join the team of officers already supporting our middle and high school campuses.

A few things to remember:

• This process is ongoing as our team works to hire licensed peace officers who are not only skilled in law enforcement but who also have the ability to build positive relationships and work with children at various age levels.

• While the dedicated SBLE assigned to your child’s school may change as more officers are hired and trained with district standards, EMS ISD Police will be visible and available to our staff, students, and families across all our district campuses.

As we expand our police department, it’s important to keep in mind the role of the SBLE on campus:

• These individuals are licensed peace officers, and they are charged with protecting our students and staff and keeping our campuses safe.

• They will connect with our students, develop positive relationships with students and families, and be a positive presence around the school, but they have a specific reason for being on campus – safety and security – and that will be their primary focus.

• As licensed officers, they are not allowed by law to intervene in matters of school discipline unless there is an immediate safety concern. Students, staff, and parents should always contact a school administrator if they have a discipline question.

• Officers will conduct, as needed, investigations and searches related to campus-based law enforcement duties. They also will assist with traffic flow and can write legally binding tickets for traffic violations around our campuses.

Physical Enhancements and Operational Procedures

Another major safety upgrade to EMS ISD schools this year that is not noticeable is the addition of shatter-resistant film to designated doors and windows. This film makes it more difficult to break glass and enter a school. When you arrive on campus, you should not notice a difference, but this enhancement has been proven to be an effective deterrent.

EMS ISD will continue to use the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) if a situation arises on campus that necessitates a change in normal daily procedures. These include: Hold, Shelter, Evacuate, Secure, and Lockdown.

We encourage you to review the webpage www.emsisd.com/srp with your child(ren) so your family knows what it means and what to do when a change in operating status takes place. There are short videos featuring members of our EMS ISD Police Department demonstrating what to expect in each of these situations.

Please take a few minutes to learn or refresh these protocols.

Safety and security remain ongoing priorities in EMS ISD, and it takes every member to be vigilant and supportive to maintain safe and positive campus environments each day. As the school year gets underway, we encourage you to be an active part of your child(ren)’s school community. Please reach out to the campus about volunteer opportunities, spend time at school during events and activities, and even stop by to have lunch with your child(ren) if possible. It is our #EMScomUNITY that makes our school district special.

If you have any questions or ideas, please reach out through Let’s Talk at EMSISD.com/LetsTalk.