Frisco ISD ensures exterior doors on campuses work and lock properly before start of school
FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Assistant Principal Travis Volk checked every exterior door at the Frisco ISD Career and Technical Education Center to make sure they're working and locking properly before the new school year begins next week.
"We value every child that comes in here," Volk said. "Our biggest thing is to make sure our building is secure from the outside first. If there's anything wrong, we get them fixed immediately."
This has taken place at Frisco ISD's 75 school campuses and other facilities.
The Texas Education Agency is requiring all the state's 1,000+ school districts to do so before the start of classes this month.
After the school year starts, the exterior door checks are mandated each week.
It comes after the deadly mass shooting in Uvalde claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on May 24.
The Texas House Committee investigating the tragedy found the gunman was able to enter an unlocked door at the school.
It should have been locked.
The report also found teachers there often used rocks to prop-open exterior doors.
Volk said he, teachers, and staff regularly ensure doors are locked when walking the halls and that staff are always monitoring cameras that are posted at every door.
"It's a district expectation that doors are not to be propped open," Volk said. "They're not to be left unlocked."
Director of Emergency Management at Frisco ISD, Jon Bodie said in their district, there's a reason their assistant principals are responsible for conducting the exterior door audits.
"No one really knows the campus better than the campus leadership team and that includes not only the principal, but the assistant principal or assistant principals at FISD campuses," Bodie said.
Aside from the exterior door checks, all school districts must also complete the required partial safety audits at each campus.
They include questions about emergency drills and security procedures.
Volk said he, teachers, and staff regularly check to make sure classroom doors are always locked, which is a district requirement.
"In a moment's notice, we can close that door and it's locked from the outside. Once our students are inside the classroom for class time, our doors are shut and they're closed, and they're locked. So in order for me to gain access to go in there, and visit a classroom, I have to use my key to gain access there."
At Robb Elementary, the gunman was able to enter a classroom filled with students because the door was not locked.
For years now, all of Frisco ISD's campuses have been mapped out with the city.
That way, it's easier for police and fire to know exactly where to go if there's an incident on campus before they arrive.
Bodie said it's not just the mapping, but that police have access to the cameras inside all their campuses.
"So our first responders can see the camera feeds and the mapping instruments from within their multiple display terminals, not only in the patrol cars but also in the fire truck as they're approaching one of our schools," Bodie said. "I would tell you it's not only crucial, but it's also one of a kind."
He said he's not aware of any other school district that has a similar arrangement.
Even so, Bodie said the district is always adjusting and making enhancements to its emergency operations plan year-round.
