This podcast contains comments from the September 23, 2024 Bryan ISD school board meeting.

School safety and security is publicized this week by administrators in College Station and Bryan ISD.

In College Station ISD, superintendent Tim Harkrider posted on the district's website this week, a message that included what is being done. The entire statement is at wtaw dot com. Some examples given by Harkrider are CSISD regularly practicing emergency procedures with students and staff; meeting with CSISD's safety and security committee; updating emergency plans and security infrastructure; and maintaining relationships and communication with local law enforcement. Harkrider asks CSISD parents to talk with their children about school safety and remind them that if they ever feel unsafe at school, to tell a teacher or administrator.

Monday night's Bryan ISD school board meeting included several administrators combining on a school safety and security presentation.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the September 23, 2024 Bryan ISD board meeting.

Bryan ISD's assistant director of safety and security Rich Himmel brought up a new state inspection that will be done every four years to assess the vulnerability of every campus building. That led BISD school board member Mark McCall to tell administrators to ask the board when items are needed to meet state security requirements.

One of Bryan ISD's school leadership directors, Linda Montoya, explained the district's standard response protocol...which is how BISD responds to emergencies and unusual situations on their campuses. She also brought up that each Bryan ISD campus has something called a safe and supportive school team.

Bryan ISD's technology director, Julea Johnson, explained the district's new emergency notification system that is in every classroom...officially known as Silent Panic Alarm Technology or SPAT.

Board members also heard about mental health services that are provided by Bryan ISD.

BISD's other school leadership director, Brian Merrell, talked about communication between students, parents, teachers, and administrators. That included students not receiving all communications related to safety and security incidents and that parents are no longer able to opt out of BISD emergency messages.

As for informing community members of safety and security incidents, that was not brought up by Merrell or other Bryan ISD administrators. And it was not brought up in the statement the College Station ISD superintendent posted this week on CSISD's website.