Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Gatesville Elementary School principal, Keegan Webb, along with the school secretary, Sherry Feather, check to make sure the exterior doors are locked near the school’s front office.
At a recent meeting of the Gatesville ISD School Board, it was revealed that two of the GISD campuses had received the first Door Safety Audits of the year by the state.
It was reported that the elementary campus and the high school campus both passed the audit with “flying colors.”
In the wake of the Uvalde tragedy, the state began random door audits of all public schools last school year. GISD Superintendent, Dr. Barrett Pollard said “In the 22-23 school year, the elementary, junior high, and high school all received random audits and passed. So far this school year, the elementary and high school have received random audits. I believe the state's goal is to reach as many schools as possible during each school year.”
According to Pollard, the auditor checks several exterior doors, and then checks up to ten interior doors to make sure they are locked as well.
“The auditor was very pleased with both campuses,” Pollard said.
The unannounced exterior door checks by the Texas School Safety Center are a part of the state’s increased emphasis on door security.
Inspectors often appear at random and will be wearing civilian clothing and will only self-identify if approached.
“We suspect that all of our campuses will ultimately receive an audit before the conclusion of the school year,” Pollard said.
