Emergency Planning
In 2005, the district completed a comprehensive district safety assessment to determine security needs at each EISD campus and facility. The initial assessment has been updated and will continue to be done on regular intervals. Each assessment yields recommendations that are evaluated for potential implementation. Many facility improvements from the 2005 assessment were made possible by the 2006 bond program, such as security cameras, fencing and access control devices.
Staff members have attended many types of emergency preparedness training in areas such as emergency planning for schools, safety procedures, management of hazardous items, communication, air quality control, CPR/AED and shelter management.
Drills
Each campus and department has a multi-hazard emergency plan as mandated by Senate Bill 11, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2005.
All Eanes schools regularly practice fire evacuation drills, lockdown drills, and inclement weather drills so that all staff and students will be prepared to address an emergency.
Emergency School Closing
In times of inclement weather, the Eanes ISD management team led by the Superintendent, uses an established decision-making process to determine if school should be cancelled, delayed, or released early. The Superintendent and Safety Coordinator consult with the local Office of Emergency Management, other school districts and local meteorologists before making a decision. The Director of Transportation drives district bus routes and uses a system of district-wide "spotters" to report on road conditions. Maintenance and Operations staff are consulted to determine if facilities are in good working order. Consideration also is given to event schedules, staffing and any special conditions that may affect student safety.
In the event of an emergency, if a decision is made to cancel school, release early, or delay the start of the school day, several methods are used to notify parents, students, and staff:
- Local media (live broadcasts/scrolls/media websites)
- District Website
- District-wide listserv message, potentially reinforced by school listserv
messages. Click here to sign up for
Listserv.
- Flash News email and text notification alert system (see Parent Notification System for more information)
- Staff email
Parent Notification System
For time-sensitive notifications, Eanes ISD uses two primary methods of delivery:
- The district's in-house email system to parents subscribed to schools/district list-servs. Click here to sign up for List-serv.
- Flash News text-messaging alert system to cell phones, pagers, etc. For more information on this system click here. To sign up for Flash News alerts, visit www.flashalert.net.
National Security Alert Codes
Following the establishment of the national alert system for security in 2001, schools adapted the coding system with definitions appropriate for schools. The district's emergency plan corresponds with the levels of alert defined in the Eanes ISD School/Homeland Security Advisory System.
