-
Lumberton ISD hallway
The Lumberton Independent School District is looking for a director of Safety, Security and Students Services, according to a recent posting seeking candidates for the position.
According to Mary Johnson, director of Communication and Community Relations, LISD has been considering the position for the last few years.
“We are not currently looking to implement our own internal police department,” she said. “We currently have a lot of measures in place in regards to the safety and security of our staff and students.”
During a recent “Ask The Superintendent” video segment on June 2, Dr. Tony Tipton said the whole world is saddened by the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
“Anytime something like that happens, it always causes us to rethink the things that we do,” he said. “It just heightens everyone’s sensitivity in awareness about the potential dangers that are in society today.”
Tipton stated the district has been receiving a lot of questions from the community and the media. The superintendent said a lot of the safety measures he “can’t talk about” because it’s something the district doesn’t want out in public.
“I want to think safety under three umbrellas – the people, partnerships and training – that we do. We have the technology and our efforts to harden our schools, and we have systems and planning,” Tipton stated, adding that at LISD, for several years, school resource officers (SROs) have been on the campuses.
“The SROs are on our campuses daily and they rotate between campuses, and they have that visible presence on campus,” Tipton said. “Sometimes their vehicles are in front of our schools and many times the officers are walking inside the school halls, visiting with teachers and staff. And, sometimes, they are making their way between campuses, patrolling the exterior.”
The superintendent noted several safety and security committees meet as needed.
Tipton stated the district has a quick response time from the police and fire departments.
“If we call them, they’re there,” he said.
Also, Tipton said the staff conducts training with local law enforcement officers inside the buildings, and reported that an alert training is scheduled for July.
“Our guarding group will be involved with local law enforcement inside of our buildings. That partnership really makes us strong,” he said.
Concerning technology and school hardening, Tipton said the district couldn’t have the safety measures without technology.
“We rely heavily on technology with our fire alarm systems and we have hundreds of surveillance cameras all over the district at different places,” he said. “We also have different alarm systems on campus, which we can’t talk about. But we have surveillance cameras on buses and we do have the Guardian program.”
Tipton said the school board has allowed certain individuals in the district that are trained to carry weapons and do whatever it takes to protect student safety.
LISD also has other monitoring and communication devices used to check visitors, along with an anonymous alert system that anyone can report suspicious activity.
Tipton said the district’s systems and planning are ongoing.
“We have drills and, at the beginning of the school year, have training for the staff,” Tipton said. “We also have safety and security audits every three years to cooperate with the Texas School Safety Center. And we do after-action reviews.”
Tipton added that LISD has standard protocol in “preparation for the unthinkable” and the district leader said he’s excited about hiring a director for Safety, Security and Students Services. Tipton said the director will work in Student Services and functions will include discipline and helping LISD monitor social media to make sure things stay safe.
“Coordinating all those efforts into one hub … will be a fantastic addition to our safety program,” the superintendent said.
Interested candidates can apply now at https://tinyurl.com/LISDJobOpenings.