The gist
The district will not move forward with the finalist at this point in time, said Scott Warstler, FISD’s chief operations officer, during an Nov. 13 board meeting. He went on to explain that this does not mean the district won’t move forward with the company in the future.
“We will continue to look at all options moving forward to ensure the safety of our kiddos and our staff members in the district,” Warstler said.
The backstory
The FISD board of trustees claimed an exemption to newly passed state legislation regarding security officers due to a lack of available qualified officers Aug. 14. As part of the resolution for the exception, the board of trustees directed district employees to provide monthly updates concerning safety and security for the district.
District officials released proposal requests from third-party services for armed security guard companies Aug. 11. The district had 19 companies apply, which was narrowed down to three for in-person interviews, Warstler said. The interviews were conducted by four administrative staff as well as two school resource officers from Frisco Police Department, he said.
In other news
The Texas Education Agency has conducted 20 intruder detection audits at 20 different FISD campuses—about one-fifth of the district’s facilities—as of Nov. 13.
The audits have the purpose of gauging the ability for an intruder to access district buildings through exterior doors, said Jon Bodie, FISD director of emergency management. The district also performs its own safety and security audits on an annual basis through a third-party independent auditor, he said.
The results of the audits will not be shared with the public as the state has informed districts it is in the best interest of students as it may “compromise operational security,” Bodie said. As required by the state, detailed results were shared with the board in executive session and discussed with the district’s Safety and Security Committee.
“The support from the state in conducting these intruder detection audits is invaluable action,” Bodie said. “It’s one of many actions taken ... to ensure our schools are safe for learning.”
