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Waxahachie ISD crisis team to update emergency plan, discuss SRO staffing and large-scale reunification
Summary
At a June 2 meeting, the Waxahachie ISD Crisis Management Team approved minutes, reviewed mandated Emergency Operations Plan updates from the Texas School Safety Center and TEA, discussed recent graduation and campus security incidents, and noted staff and SRO staffing changes and an upcoming August meeting to approve revisions.
The Waxahachie ISD Crisis Management Team on June 2 approved minutes from its previous meeting and discussed required updates this summer to the district's multi-hazard Emergency Operations Plan, including changes to the promulgation statement, an active-threat annex and the creation of reunification and communications annexes, staff said.
The updates follow guidance and templates provided by the Texas School Safety Center, a staff member said, and the team plans to reconvene in August to approve the revised plan. "They provide all the information that they want you to have in there. We just have to kind of make it ours, and list who takes on roles as far as the things for the preparedness mitigation response," the staff member said.
The team also held a closed session under Government Code A7551.076 and Education Code A737.108 to deliberate on "deployment-specific occasions for implementation of security personnel and devices and drills in response to potential threats," review district performance on intruder audits conducted by the Texas School Safety Center, and consider a TEA vulnerability assessment. The team returned to open session at about 12:15 p.m.; no additional public actions from the closed session were disclosed at the meeting.
Members reviewed recent security operations at events and campuses. Officials said school staff, marshals, security and SROs managed an outdoor graduation that required metal detection and multiple fire/EMS calls related to heat exposure. A campus near Marvin was placed on secure status after a domestic incident across the street raised concern that an individual might be armed; the secure was lifted after the situation was resolved, a staff member said.
"I just can't brag enough on our staff and our principals and our teachers. They take these things very seriously," the meeting facilitator said, praising personnel for conducting drills and reunification exercises. The district described its reunification procedures as frequent and operational, and said the next significant test will be a full reunification drill at Waxahachie High School, which the team noted would involve about 3,000 students and present logistical challenges for venue, traffic and weather.
The group discussed staffing for the district's SRO program and security team, saying several officers have left and others are starting; no formal personnel actions were taken during the open meeting. The team also recognized a longtime member, Thomas, who is retiring and has been training a replacement.
Next steps include drafting the new annexes to the Emergency Operations Plan to align with the Texas School Safety Center templates and reconvening in August for formal approval of the revised plan.
