Victoria ISD detailed its hurricane-preparedness timeline and campus protocols at the board meeting on June 19, 2025. District staff described steps to protect technology and equipment, deploy emergency preparedness kits to campuses when a storm threat grows, and coordinate with local emergency partners.

Why it matters: The district said lessons from Hurricane Harvey shaped a clearer set of actions to protect students, staff and district property and to speed post‑storm recovery. Officials said improved coordination with city and county agencies and routine inspections of generators and other systems reduce uncertainty about whether schools can reopen quickly after a storm.

District operations staff gave a run-through of the timeline the district uses when a hurricane is forecast in the Gulf. The district activates campus-level protocols at roughly 96 to 120 hours (four to five days) before expected local impacts. Campus duties include unplugging electronics, covering items with plastic, removing outdoor furniture or equipment that wind could hurl into windows, and updating staff contact trees.

The presentation described ‘‘emergency preparedness boxes’’ — large Rubbermaid containers kept in maintenance that include plastic sheeting, tape, documentation forms, flashlights, maps and other supplies campuses should use when a hurricane threatens. The boxes are issued only once a formal hurricane watch is issued for the Victoria area.

The operations presenter said the district maintains a schedule of actions across departments, with responsibilities for facilities, technology, transportation and food services spelled out on a day-by-day checklist as a storm approaches. As part of pre‑storm work, the district inspects backup generators and fuels vehicles and buses; it stocks sandbags and bottled water and readies cleaning and sanitation supplies for post‑storm recovery.

Officials emphasized the district’s reliance on external emergency partners. Victoria Emergency Operations (VOM) and other local agencies share daily National Weather Service updates as a storm approaches, host cross-agency coordination calls (increasing frequency as the storm nears) and help align school decisions on closures or sheltering.

After a storm the district uses a staged damage-assessment process. Maintenance crews perform initial safety checks and issue placards before assessment teams (food services, technology, transportation and other specialists) document damages with photos. The district said it notifies insurers and coordinates adjuster visits as soon as possible. Decisions about reopening are based on those assessments and on safety clearances.

Board members asked about generator capacity and availability; the presenter said the district has “quite a few small generators” and some unit-specific backup but not enough to fully power all facilities and that staff welcome donated generators for larger sites. Community members at the meeting praised the district’s planning and the role volunteers played after Harvey.

Ending: District staff said they would continue refining the timeline and working with local partners, and they invited the board to ask further questions as hurricane season develops.