Dear Round Rock ISD community,
Creating a safe school environment means giving every student a place where they feel valued, supported, and free to be themselves. When safety comes first, students can focus on what matters most—learning, connecting with others, and growing with confidence and peace of mind.
At Round Rock ISD, we believe in being ready for the unexpected. That’s why we regularly plan, train, and practice for a wide range of emergency scenarios. From weather events to medical situations, our goal is to ensure every staff member and student knows what to do, just in case. It’s one more way we prioritize safety, preparedness, and peace of mind for our school communities.
We prepare, just in case.
· Security at every school
· Silent panic alarm to get first responders as quickly as possible
· Train and inform all students and staff to recognize potential harm
· Secure campuses with fencing and safety film
· Communication to parents and community
Emergency preparedness looks a little different on every campus. While each school follows the same district guidelines, schools develop plans tailored to their unique layout and needs. A shared, practiced response plan helps keep everyone safe; by using clear, consistent language, students, staff, and families can understand what’s happening and how to respond. This is known as the Standard Response Protocol.
For students, this provides continuity of expectations and actions throughout their educational career.
For teachers, this becomes a simpler process to train and drill.
For communities, it leverages the growing adoption of the protocols from residents of all ages.
For first responders, the common vocabulary and protocols establish a greater predictability that persists through the duration of an incident.
People easily understand the practices and can reinforce the protocol. Additionally, this protocol enables rapid response determination when an unforeseen event occurs.
Hold is followed by the Directive: “In Your Room or Area” and is the protocol used when hallways need to be kept clear of occupants.
Secure is followed by the Directive: “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors” and is the protocol used to safeguard people within the building.
Lockdown is followed by “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” and is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep occupants quiet and in place.
Evacuate may be followed by a location, and is used to move people from one location to a different location in or out of the building.
Shelter and state the Hazard and Safety Strategy for group and self-protection.
The SRP is action-based, flexible, and easy to learn. Its development is ever-evolving, created with extensive collaboration between experts such as first responders, public safety, schools, districts, and communities. It rationally organizes tactics for response to weather events, fires, accidents, intruders and other threats to personal safety. Its tactics are data-driven, researched and based on experience and contemporary practices.
At the May Safety and Security Committee meeting, our health services team shared the work happening behind the scenes to keep our schools prepared for health-related emergencies. So far this year, 103 dedicated staff members have been trained in life-saving CPR and AED use, and 162 are certified “Stop the Bleed” instructors—ready to respond quickly in a crisis. Our team is also working to grow the number of campuses recognized as “Project Adam Heart Safe Schools,” with three already certified and three more on the way. Their efforts are a powerful reminder that caring for our students means being ready for anything.
Starting in August, we’ll begin preparing for a district-wide safety audit led by an external agency. This important review helps us ensure that every campus is meeting the highest standards of safety and care. It’s about more than checking boxes—it’s about making sure our students, staff, and families feel secure every day. Our Safety and Security Committee will be the first to hear the results and help guide the steps we take to strengthen and support our schools.
The Safety and Security Committee meets at the Old Hopewell Building, 1311 Round Rock Ave., in Round Rock, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays: Nov. 6, 2024; and in 2025, Jan. 8, March 5, May 7 and Aug. 6.
If there is a need to schedule a called Safety and Security Committee meeting in addition to the dates above, the district will email information out as early as possible.
Thank you for your ongoing support of Round Rock ISD and for helping to keep our schools and students safe.
