March 23, 2023
On June 1, 2022, Governor Abbott directed the Texas Safe School Center, in coordination with the Texas Education Agency (TEA), to develop and implement a plan to conduct random, unannounced, intruder detection audits to determine any school safety and security weak points in all Texas school districts and to determine how quickly the intruder could penetrate into buildings without being stopped. The audit also included an examination of each exterior door and its individual security capabilities. Additionally, the audit examined interior doors and other security measures used to detect or respond to intruders inside the buildings.
The first audit was conducted on November 17, by the Texas Safe School Center. The “Intruder” was stopped by school personnel outside the rear of the high school campus, thus defeating the intruder's access to any facility. The Auditor then tested the school screening process before being allowed into the school. Interior and exterior doors were checked for proper security functionality, as well as active and passive security measures. Overall the audit did not detect any safety or security concerns and the district received a 100% pass rate.
The Texas Safe School Center conducted its second Intruder audit on March 23 and once again school personnel stopped the “Intruder” from attempting to access a rear exterior door at the Elementary campus. Procedurally, the Auditor then went to the elementary front door to test the screening process and once again was found to effective and safe. In escort with the principal, the Auditor then checked all exterior doors, interior doors as well as the weekly log which is kept on exterior door functionality.
“Long before the tragic events on May 24, 2022, Sabinal ISD has been vigilant in our efforts to keep our schools safe and secure for our students and staff with numerous layers of defense from an intruder. Our district has been a leader in conducting annual meetings with local, county, and state First Responders to ensure proper communication and reaction if a situation were to occur in our schools” stated Superintendent Richard Grill.