McKinney | August 2023

2023 EDUCATION EDITION

CAMPUS UPGRADES McKinney ISD campuses across the city received security upgrades over the summer. The addition of security vestibules, along with converting open-concept kindergarten areas at select campuses into classrooms, cost the district over $2.9 million. Elementary school New security vestibule Middle school High school Other Open-concept space conversion Bennett Eddins Finch Glen Oaks McClure McGowen Minshew Press Wilmeth Wolford Cockrill Dowell Evans Faubion McKinney

SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE Safety measures are already in place across the district to limit entry points and monitor who enters a MISD campus.

1,800 security cameras at MISD buildings

Approximately 20 safety and security drills held each school year

16 school resource o cers

479 security cameras on MISD school buses

Text keyword “MISDTIP” to TIP411 (847411) to share suspicious behavior or concerns regarding MISD campuses. More information and a full list of campus-specic keywords can be found at www.mckinneyisd.net/safety-security/tip411.

McKinney Boyd McKinney North Lawson Early Childhood Center MISD Greer Annex Building

SOURCE: MCKINNEY ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

MISD safety strategies In addition to the campus security upgrades and implementation of new state-level safety requirements, MISD ocials are continuing to evaluate the district’s safety strategies. District leaders recently appointed Russel May as MISD’s new senior direc- tor of safety and security. May, who has 26 years of experience in law enforce- ment, will oversee security operations and security plan implementation, according to a news release. MPD ocials plan to continue

collaborating with the district to meet the HB 3 requirement. “MPD will hold joint training ses- sions with MISD employed armed security personnel,” McKinney SRO Sergeant Farrel Ritchie said in a state- ment. “These trainings will help to ensure a collaborative response to all incidents on MISD properties.” District ocials are also pursuing opportunities to receive additional fed- eral grant funding for safety and secu- rity upgrades. One resource the district is pursuing

is the Greenlights Grant Initiative, a project of actor Matthew McCo- naughey’s Just Keep Livin Foun- dation that raises awareness of available school safety grants and oers resources to school districts to apply for funding opportunities. “We’re going to start really getting aggressive with federal grants on top of the state grants,” Pratt said. As new strategies and resources are determined, district leaders continue to reinforce safety requirements and host annual sta training to increase

awareness. Pratt said alert and well- trained sta members are the dis- trict’s “best defense.” “We know a student who feels safe and secure in an educational setting is going to do well academically. … All these things are intertwined,” Marti- nez-Prather said. Additional reporting by Dave Manning.

For more information, visit communityimpact.com .

MCKINNEY EDITION • AUGUST 2023