Round Rock Independent School District Superintendent Steve Flores, Ph.D., announced today that Jeffrey D. Yarbrough will join Round Rock ISD in March as the District’s next Director of Safety and Security.
Yarbrough has extensive experience in executive leadership positions in a variety of organizations including school districts, municipalities, and local and state law enforcement agencies. He currently serves as Chief Operations Officer and Chief of Police for Bastrop ISD.
“I can’t express enough that the safety of our more than 50,000 students and nearly 7,000 staff members is our absolute top priority. Our mission at Round Rock ISD is to prepare students for a bright future, but we know that students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe,” Flores said. “The person in this position fulfills a critical role for our District and I could not be happier with our choice. Jeffrey Yarbrough brings the experience, skills, knowledge and heart for kids that this job requires.”
In Yarbrough’s current position, he oversees safety operations, emergency services, security, transportation, food services, maintenance, construction, facilities, energy management and more. He has also served as an investigator in the Public Integrity Unit for the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, a senior investigator for the State Bar of Texas, and Assistant City Manager and Chief of Police for the City of Tulia. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Yarbrough served in the 101st Airborne Division and was a Distinguished Honor Graduate of the Advanced Training Program.
He holds a master’s degree from Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Brownsville.
“I believe wholeheartedly in public education and I am proud to have the opportunity to ensure we are doing everything we can to provide a safe and welcoming learning environment for students,” Yarbrough said. “Round Rock ISD is one of the finest school districts in Texas and I am excited to join the team and work alongside and support the administrators, teachers and law enforcement partners who all play such a critical role in keeping children safe.”
Round Rock ISD’s Director of Safety and Security is responsible for coordinating security for all campus and District events and serves as the liaison between the District and law enforcement agencies in emergency situations, ongoing training and security issues, and the School Resource Officer program, currently staffed by officers from the Round Rock Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and the Austin Community College Police Department. Among several other duties, the director also monitors and ensures emergency drills are conducted, coordinates security audits, trains staff on security procedures and equipment, and assists Risk Management with emergency operations.
