Campus safety remains our top priority. The Round Rock ISD police department is committed to providing students, staff, and families with a safe and secure learning environment. We know that students and staff can concentrate, enjoy learning and achieve great things when they feel safe.
Creating a safe and protected learning environment requires a collective effort from everyone involved. Online and offline threats to campus, student, and staff safety demand serious attention. To ensure a secure environment, we encourage students to familiarize themselves with the student code of conduct handbook. This comprehensive resource outlines behavior expectations both on-campus and online, with a specific focus on addressing cyberbullying issues. By staying informed and mindful, we can collectively work towards maintaining a safe and positive educational experience for all.
After joining the Round Rock ISD team, I spent a lot of time understanding our most pressing security challenges. As a result, we’ve undertaken three big initiatives this Summer: internalizing our police dispatch services, implementing a new public safety radio system, and upgrading our police software systems. Together, these efforts will result in the following benefits:
- Significantly reduced District police officer response time,
- enhanced officer safety,
- improve our responses by delivering better situational awareness, and
- have better control of costs associated with these functions.
The recent legislative session yielded new school safety laws. Under House Bill 3 (HB3), all public and open-enrollment charter schools must have at least one armed security officer on campus during regular school hours, effective this year. Right now, as staffing permits, Round Rock ISD currently has two officers at each of our comprehensive high schools, one officer at each of middle schools and an assigned rotating officers that support our elementary schools. To address the requirements outlined in the guidelines of HB3 that extend beyond our current safety protocols, we are developing an action plan, with the guidance of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), to present to the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees for approval during an upcoming regular or called meeting. While we do not have an exact date scheduled at this time, I encourage you to stay connected to the Board Meetings agendas as all regular and called meetings are open for the public to attend and broadcast live.
This work builds upon the proactive stance we have taken on school safety for the past few years. As part of the Voter- Approved Bond 2018, the District installed silent panic alert devices in classrooms and portable buildings. Installation for remaining classrooms will continue this year. Bond 2018 also included the installation of nearly 3,000 security cameras across the District, including portable classrooms, upgrades to door locking hardware on campuses and updating our visitor management system, which helps us with vetting all visitors.
When you visit your student’s school, you must show identification using the video intercom system before entering and then register using the visitor management system. This necessary safety measure applies to all campus visitors.
When you see one of our officers on campus, please feel free to introduce yourself, ask questions, or say hello. And if I can be of any assistance, please email me.
Respectfully,
Dennis Weiner
Chief of Police
Round Rock ISD Police Department
David’s Law/Senate Bill 179
“David’s Law,” or Senate Bill 179, makes it a Class A misdemeanor and allows a temporary injunction against social media accounts used to electronically harass or cyberbully someone under age 18 through text message, social media, websites, or other means with the intent of causing them to commit suicide or harm themselves.
The law requires school districts to include cyberbullying in their district bullying policies, notify parents by the next day if their child has been bullied, and inform the parents of the alleged aggressor within a reasonable time. Also, schools have the authority to investigate cyberbullying and to work with law enforcement on such investigations.
If a student believes they are a victim of cyberbullying or if a teacher, administrator, or other school personnel know about a cyberbullying incident, they can report it using the District’s Anonymous Reporting incident reporting system. Anonymous Alerts satisfies the law’s requirement to have a system that allows for anonymous reporting and provides immunity to those who file a report. Read Senate Bill 179.
Anonymous Reporting
Anonymous Reporting allows students or parents to anonymously submit any sensitive or urgent student issues quickly to school officials. Students, staff, or parents can submit reports such as bullying, cyberbullying, depression, dating violence, drug or alcohol use, threats against the school, weapons on campus, and more. All messages submitted remain completely anonymous.
Students use SMART Tag to badge on/off the bus
Round Rock ISD has one of the most technologically advanced and comprehensive systems available for school transportation, designed to increase student safety and enhance efficiency.
Our District buses are outfitted with SMART Tag, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, and a cloud-connected tablet computer system. The SMART Tag system allows parents of eligible riders to receive text alerts when their student is nearing their stop(s).
Bus riders must place their campus-supplied SMART Tag ID badges on the tablet’s sensor each time they enter and exit the bus. The SMART Tag system wirelessly transmits information to our transportation department staff, including the location of each bus, the names of the students on board each bus, and notification of an approaching bus. It also enables staff to track a student’s ridership activity accurately.
Students’ badges do not transmit a continuous signal, which means they are not trackable. Only the SMART Tag tablet mounted on the bus is tracked. The badge does not store student data.
Parents can register to receive “SMART Alert” text messages notifying them that their child is 10-15 minutes from their bus stop. The portal may be accessed through the Round Rock ISD mobile app or from any device with a web browser.
Should you have any questions or concerns about the SMART Tag system not addressed on our website, please contact the Round Rock ISD Transportation Department at 512-428-2450 or 512-428-2480.
Safety Starts at the Bus Stop
Students should arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive and wait for the bus: at least three giant steps (six feet) away from the curb. Please remind younger students that the bus stop is not a place to run or play. When the school bus arrives, students should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the door opens, and the driver says it’s okay before approaching the bus door. Your child should use the handrails to avoid falling.
Bus drivers use yellow flashing lights to indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles. Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Texas law dictates motorists to stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.
Bus Safety Rules
🚍 Buckle seat belts – It’s the law!
🚍 Bus riders are required to have and use SMART®Tag.
🚍 Riders are to remain seated at all times.
🚍 Students can only get on and off at their assigned stops.
Pedestrian Safety Tips
For children ages 5 to 19, unintentional pedestrian injuries are the five leading causes of injury-related deaths in the U.S. Teenagers are at the most significant risk due to the distraction of cell phones, headphones, and other electronic devices.
- Teach kids early to look left, right, and left again before crossing the street. Then remind them to continue looking until they are safely across.
- Teach kids to put phones, headphones, and devices down when crossing the street. It is particularly important to reinforce this message with teenagers.
- It’s always best to walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
- Children under 10 need to cross the street with an adult. Every child is different, but developmentally, most kids cannot judge the speed and distance of oncoming cars until age 10.
- Be a good role model. Set a good example by following the same rules you teach your kids.
- Wear lightly colored or reflective clothing at night and brightly colored clothing during the day.
- Walk-in well-lit areas, especially when crossing the street.
- If possible, make eye contact with drivers in stopped vehicles to ensure they see you before you cross in front of them.
Clear Bag Policy
We enforce clear bag policies at all large-scale District events held at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex and Dragon Stadium. These include varsity football games, band marching contests, and other highly attended events. Clear bag policies are in effect for Board of Trustee meetings and as needed at our performing arts center and auditoriums.
Bags that are permitted include:
- Bags that are clear plastic and do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″
- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags
- Small clutch bags or purses that do not exceed the size of a hand
- Bags not permitted include:
Backpacks, printed pattern plastic bags, fanny packs, purses, reusable grocery totes, mesh or straw bags, duffle bags, large totes, camera or binocular cases.
Diaper bags are not allowed. Items normally carried in a diaper bag must be put into a clear plastic bag for venue entry.