The safety of our students, staff and facilities is of the utmost importance. In that regard, Snyder ISD works closely with our local law enforcement partners regarding school safety initiatives. Additionally, the district has a number of programs and protocols in place to promote safety and security.

For non-urgent concerns, use the  “See Something, Say Something” form.  This form is found on the Snyder ISD website and in the links section of ParentSquare and StudentSquare.  Report information about weapons, threats, fights, drugs, self-harm, suicide, harassment (of any form), bullying, or any other disclosures made to you or posted online that are concerning. However, in the event of an EMERGENCY OR IMMEDIATE CONCERN do not use the form, CALL 911.  

Student safety is of vital importance and we encourage you to share concerning information with us so that we may take appropriate action. This includes information about:

• weapons

• threats

• fights

• drugs

• self-harm

• suicide

• harassment (of any form)

• bullying

• or any other disclosures made to you or posted online that are concerning.  

BACKGROUND CHECKS
Criminal history background checks are required for applicants for employment and volunteers.

CAMPUS EMERGENCY PLANS AND DRILLS
As required by state law, campuses are required to conduct various emergency drills throughout the year to help practice emergency procedures.

All campuses conduct safety drills several times a semester for each of the following scenarios:

• Evacuation

• Lockdown

• Secure

• Shelter

ENTRANCES & VISITORS
For the safety of our students and staff members, all exterior doors are locked during the school day. Front office staff utilize a video or visual based entry monitoring system to grant visitor access through a specified door after their identification has been verified and the nature of their visit is made known. All visitors must enter in the main entrance of each school, and go through a proper vetting process before they proceed.

All Snyder ISD campuses and facilities use the RAPTOR electronic visitor management system. The RAPTOR system, which requires the visitor to present a driver’s license or other acceptable form of government-issued identification, logs the visitor into the building and provides the visitor with a temporary, photo-identification badge to wear while in the building. The visitor management system also checks the visitor’s identification against a nationwide database of registered sex offenders.

Weekly perimeter checks of all exterior doors by the administration.

Snyder ISD has coordinated a Standard Response Protocol with our local law enforcement agencies. In the event of an emergency, we will send a notification will be sent out to parents/guardians on ParentSquare as soon as possible. Please understand that the safety of students and staff is our absolute first priority. Depending on the nature of the situation, we may not be able to provide exact details or as much information as you would like to know. This may involve a post, or in some instances, a text, phone call, and a post. If you are not receiving these messages, please check to make sure the contact information you have entered in Skyward is correct. Below is information to familiarize you with the terms we will use.

A critical ingredient in the safe school recipe is the classroom response to an incident at school. Weather events, fire, accidents, intruders and other threats to student safety are scenarios that are planned and trained for by students, teachers, staff and administration.

Our school is expanding the safety program to include the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). The SRP is based on these four actions, Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. In the event of an emergency, the action and appropriate direction will be called on the PA.

• HOLD - "Remain in classroom, clear hallways"

• SECURE - “Secure the Perimeter”

• SHELTER - “For a Hazard Using a Safety Strategy”

• EVACUATE - “To the Announced Location”

• LOCKDOWN - “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight”

Please take a moment to review these actions. Students and staff will be trained and the school will drill these actions over the course of the school year. More information can be found at 
http://iloveuguys.org

Lockout/Secure is called when there is something dangerous outside of the building. Students and staff are brought into the building and the outside doors will be locked. The schoo lmight display the Building is Secured poster on entry doors.

Should parents come to the school during a secured/lockout event?

Probably not. Every effort is made to conduct classes as normal during a secure event. Additionally, parents may be asked to stay  or nearby windows. Inside, it will be business as usual. 

What if a parent needs to pickup their student?

Depending on the situation, it may not be safe to release the student.

Will parents be notified when the school goes into secure/lockout?

When a secure event is brief or the hazard is non-violent, like a wild animal on the playground, there may not be a need to notify parents while the Secure is in place.  With longer or more dangerous events, the school should notify parents that the school has increased their security. 

A Lockdown is called when there is something dangerous inside of the building. Students and staff are trained to enter or remain in a room that can be locked, and maintain silence.  A Lockdown is only initiated when there is an active threat inside or very close to the building. 

Should parents come to school during a lockdown?

The natural inclination for parents is to go to the school during a Lockdown. Understandable, but perhaps problematic. If there is a threat inside the building, law enforcement will be responding. It is unlikely that parents will be granted access to the building or even the campus. If parents are already in the school, they will be instructed to Lockdown as well. 

Should parents text their students?

The school recognizes the importance of communication between parents and students during a Lockdown event. Parents should be aware though, during the initial period of a Lockdown, it may not be safe for students to text their parents. As the situation resolves, students may be asked to update their parents on a regular basis. 

In some cases, students may be evacuated and transported off-site for a student-parent reunification. 

What about unannounced drills?

The school may conduct unscheduled drills, however it is highly discouraged to conduct one without announcing that it as a drill. That’s called an unannounced drill and can cause undue concern and stress. 

Parents should recognize that the school will always inform students that it is a drill during the initial announcement. 

It’s important to differentiate between a drill and an exercise. A drill is used to create the “Muscle Memory” associated with a practiced action. There is no simulation of an event; this is simply performing the action.

Can parents observe or participate in the drills?

Please contact your child's campus principal if you are interested in observing or participating in the drills.

If you receive an emergency alert message from the school, please do not come to the school until instructed to do so.

In the event of an emergency or immediate concern, call 911.

Definition of Bullying 

Bullying occurs when a person is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself. Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions. Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time. Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength and is considered bullying if it interferes with a student’s education or substantially disrupts the operations of the school.

Definition of Cyber-Bullying

Cyber-Bullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group that is intended to harm others. “Cyber-Bullying” is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phone. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking. Adult cyber- harassment or cyber-stalking is never called cyber-bullying.

• Student Crisis-Welfare Intervention

• Safe and Supportive School Climate

• StopBullying.gov

• Internet Safety: Cyberbullying

• Report Bullying at SISD (English form)

• Report Bullying at SISD (Spanish form)

Snyder ISD would like to remind parents of our policies regarding school delays, closure, weather-related (or emergency) early release, and the communication resources utilized for SISD announcements. Keep in mind that if there is no announcement made from SISD, classes will be held on a normal schedule.

Student, staff, and community, safety is our top priority. When inclement weather is a possibility, SISD district administrators monitor weather conditions during the overnight and early morning hours. The district considers several factors before deciding to cancel, delay, or dismiss school early due to inclement weather.

In the event of inclement weather causing a delay or cancellation of classes, Snyder ISD will communicate with the community, parents, and staff via the following:

• Parent Square: This will notify you via the app or by the phone or email you have on file. 

• SISD Facebook

• SISD Website

We will also provide the information to the following news outlets: 

• KSNY 101.5 FM Radio-Snyder/Big Star Radio Group

• Snyder News

• KGWB WTC FM 91.1 Radio-Snyder

• KTXS 12 Television-Abilene

• KRBC 9 Television-Abilene

• KTAB 32 Television-Abilene

• KCBD 11 Television-Lubbock

• KLBK 13 Television-Lubbock

• KJTV Fox 34 Television-Lubbock

To learn more about bad weather procedures, click here.