December 11, 2022 -
Last week, we notified you about security concerns raised at the Junior High. Each concern was investigated by campus administration with the assistance of Snyder PD. After investigating the allegations, we could not identify the source of the rumors or trace any credible threats to a student. We also want to note that despite rumors circulating among students and on social media, there was NOT a gun found on campus.
To keep open communication lines with our school community, we are providing a summary of events, security measures taken on Snyder ISD campuses, and tips on how you can help us keep schools as safe as possible.
Summary of events
On Thursday, December 8th, the junior high administration was notified that a fight was planned among students. Campus administration immediately began investigating the situation. It was later reported that there might be students who planned to bring weapons. Investigations continued.
The school resource officer and Snyder Police Department were on-site and assisted with the investigation on Thursday and Friday. Campus administration and Snyder PD interviewed students, and staff could not identify the source of the rumors or trace any credible threats to a student. Despite rumors circulating among students and adults on social media, there was NOT a gun found on campus.
Camera footage was reviewed to identify students who may have attempted to provoke a fight and was addressed according to our discipline policy.
Parents and staff of Junior High students were updated at 4:58 pm on Thursday, December 8th. A follow-up was sent at 8:31 am on Friday, December 9th; both notifications were sent through ParentSquare.
We released a ParentSquare at 12:31 pm Friday, December 9th, to all Snyder ISD parents and staff to provide a summary of the events and reassure concerned parents that we had not found any credible threats, nor did we believe there was an imminent threat to the junior high. We also had not received any credible threats to any other campuses.
As an extra precaution, SJH adjusted passing periods on Thursday and Friday to minimize students in the hallways. The decision was made to continue, and parents, students, and staff were notified through ParentSquare on Friday, Dec 9 at 5:30 pm.
Ongoing and Additional Security Measures at Snyder Junior High School:
Students must use the e-hall pass or paper pass system to be allowed to the restrooms. We will continue to make accommodations for students with a doctor’s note (ongoing)
Bathrooms will be closed during all passing periods (new)
We shortened and staggered our passing periods. Grade levels will be dismissed separately, and students will have approximately 2 - 3 minutes to move from one location to another; this keeps them moving quickly and prevents gathering in the hallways (ongoing)
Ongoing Security Measures on All Snyder ISD Campuses:
We take precautions daily to ensure safety on campus. Some of these measures include:
Exterior doors are locked and monitored
Interior doors are secured using controlled access
Video monitoring of campuses
Staff present in the hallways during passing periods
Campus visitors are screened in the front office
Officer Rackley, the School Resource Officer, makes rounds on each campus
A comprehensive list of all security measures and response plans are not released for security reasons. We meet with our safety and security committee to assess the latest research and determine if any new measures are available or necessary. We are evaluated by a third party annually to determine the effectiveness of building security. For more information, visit https://www.snyderisd.net/page/safety-security
What can you do?
Report information about weapons, threats, fights, drugs, self-harm, suicide, harassment (of any form), bullying, or any other concerning disclosures made to you or posted online to campus administration immediately. You can contact the administration through ParentSquare, email, or call 325-574-8700. You can also submit non-emergent concerns using the “See Something Say Something Form” https://www.snyderisd.net/page/safety-security
Talk to your students about reporting safety concerns immediately to a school staff member. Ask them to provide details so we can resolve the issue quickly.
Talk to your students about the dangers of making false threats. Again, all threats will be taken seriously and investigated by the school administration and the PD. Students making false threats are also subject to disciplinary action.
In an emergency, we will send instructions to parents through ParentSquare’s emergency alert system. Users will receive a phone call, text, ParentSquare post, and email according to the information parents entered when registering their child for school. Our first priority will be the safety of our students and staff. We know parents may want to rush to pick up their children. This is understandable but perhaps problematic. Law enforcement will respond if there is an actual threat inside the building. It is unlikely that parents will be granted access to the building, which could interfere with the response.
Consult the school directly for factual information. As parents, we understand the concern that arises when your child might be in danger. We are also committed to investigating any threat quickly and thoroughly and communicating findings to our school community. Due to confidentiality reasons, we cannot disclose student names or the disciplinary action taken against that student; we are not trying to hide anything; we are abiding by confidentiality requirements:
Here’s how to contact us:
Call the campus directly: Snyder Primary 325-574-8600, Snyder Intermediate 325-574-8650, Snyder Junior High 325-574-8700, Snyder High School 325-574-8800
Call the administration office 325-574-8900
Send a direct message to a staff member using ParentSquare
Comment on a ParentSquare post (all comments are private and only post authors receive notification of a new comment on the post)
We want to thank our parents for their patience and understanding as we investigated the concerns and always encourage you to bring any concerns to our attention. We also want to thank our students for bringing their concerns directly to a staff member. The more specific information we receive, the quicker we can resolve the issue. We also want to thank our staff, who remained vigilant and flexible to ensure the safety of our school.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know.
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December 9, 2022 - UPDATE - Snyder Junior High is aware of continued rumors among students at the junior high. We do not have any evidence or information that any of these rumors are credible but we will continue to investigate any concern that is brought to our attention.
We take safety precautions daily to ensure safety on campus. These include:
Staff present in the hallways during passing periods
Officer Rackley, the School Resource Officer, makes rounds on each campus
Exterior doors are locked and monitored
Interior doors are secured using controlled access
Video monitoring of campuses
Because of the recent concerns raised, we have also temporarily modified our passing periods and are dismissing students in small groups to minimize the number of students in the hallways.
We have taken every precaution to ensure our school is safe, and classes continue. We always encourage our students, staff, and parents to report any concerning behavior to us immediately.
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December 8, 2022
This afternoon, the junior high administration was notified that a fight was planned among students. Staff is always in the hallway during passing periods. However, today, we adjusted our passing periods to minimize students in the hallways. We reviewed camera footage from earlier in the day to identify students who may have attempted to provoke a fight and addressed it according to our discipline policy.
Additionally, it was reported that there might be students who planned to bring weapons. After interviewing students, we could not identify the source of the rumors or trace any credible threats to a student. Officer Rackley, our School Resource Officer, was on-site and assisted.
Understandably, we have had parents reach out to us concerned. We do not have reason to believe there is an imminent threat to our school. We always encourage our students, staff, and parents to report any concerning behavior to us immediately.