SCHOOL NEWS
Safety a top priority in school planning
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
While this week’s Bowie Independent School District meeting was focused on budget issues, it also discussed pressing issues for the new school led by school safety.
In June the district received letters from the governor and Texas Education Agency on required school safety action steps to be completed before the first day of school. The push on school safety of course was prompted by the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
Superintendent Blake Enlow previously explained those include the local agency’s safety and security committees to review the emergency operation plans and the active threat plan, ensure all staff including substitutes are trained on their specific agency and campus safety procedures, schedule mandatory drills for the school year, ensure all threat assessment team members are trained and review and if necessary update access control procedures. Enlow said these are already in the works and would be completed.
Two new items joined that list: A summer targets partial safety audit and an exterior door safety audit. Enlow explained TEA and the Texas School Safety Center have prepared an audit tool of 50 questions for each instructional facility with half related to campus procedures and the other half to the campus physical plant.
As part of that audit each district must inspect every exterior door of each instructional facility. The purpose according to TEA is to verify each door closes and locks as intended to ensure appropriate levels of campus security the letter states. Once completed the district can take steps to immediately remedy any issues. Enlow said this audit must be complete and sent to the TSSC before Sept. 1.
Read the full story in your weekend Bowie News.
Bowie Junior High Principal Jeneanne Fleming said she is proud of her student participants and coaches as they won the District 7AAA University Interscholastic League Academic Zone Meet by approximately 200 points on Dec. 6.
Henrietta and Jacksboro were the other two schools competing.
Fleming explained students committed to practicing before and/or after school, and they attended the meet on a day they didn’t have school.
Read all the results in the mid-week Bowie News.
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 16 for the final session of 2024.
An executive session is set for the board to receive the intruder audit report. Superintendent Blake Enlow said the Texas School Safety Center recently conducted an audit at one or more of the campuses.
The audit tests whether a campuses is accessible to an unauthorized individual and is part of the state’s school safety directives to help districts identify ways to improve safety. Enlow said the report had one finding and corrective actions have already been implemented.
In action items, Assistant Superintendent Lee Ann Farris will provide information on possible action related to the BISD school library collection development per House Bill 900 and the gifted and talented policy and procedures. The student transfer list also will be presented along with an update on the SAFE grant
Bowie Elementary School students have a busy holiday season with its popular Christmas musical program on Dec. 12 and a visit from Santa Claus on Dec. 18.
The first and second graders will perform for parents and the community on Dec. 12 in the high school gym. The first grade opens the evening at 5:30 p.m. followed by the second grade at 6 p.m.
Students will be wearing festival colorful Christmas outfits complete with Santa hats. This evening is always jam packed with family and friends to enjoy the holiday music.
Santa Claus has scheduled a stop at the school to meet students on Dec. 18 in the library for photos and a quick visit. The 18th also is Polar Express Day where students are invited to wear PJs reminiscent of the popular holiday movie.
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