Alice Independent School District is taking new steps to further enhance campus security, starting with the installation of window wraps at some campuses with glass entrances. While these glass windows are bullet resistant, the wraps add an additional layer of security by obscuring an outsider’s view. This is just one piece of a larger, district-wide effort to improve safety for students and staff.
To get a closer look at these initiatives and what they mean for the community, we spoke with Alice ISD Superintendent Dr. Anysia Trevino to discuss the district’s approach to school safety. Dr. Trevino has been with the district since early 2023 and has spearheaded some of these initiatives.
The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity:
Thank you Dr. Trevino for taking some time out of your busy day to speak with us, I really appreciate it. Before we get into specifics, I’d like to know what school safety means to you.
Dr. Trevino: “School safety means that the child overall feels safe in school buildings and all of our facilities. It means parents feel comfortable sending their kids to school. It means that we are prepared for any emergency situation the district may find themselves in.”
The next question I have is specific to those window wraps that the district recently installed. For initiatives like that, are they typically funded through grants, the annual budget, or a combination of both?
“It’s a combination but mostly we’re using grant monies so we can spend those first. So we wanna clear out all the grant monies that pertain to safety before we hit the local budget.”
Looking ahead, are there any new initiatives or programs being considered to enhance school safety?
“So we are trying to continue the fencing around our multiplex system as well as our Ag farm.We prioritized all of our school buildings first. We recently installed new cameras at the high schools and repurposed any functioning ones for other campuses and facilities.
“We have a new app called ‘SaferWatch‘ in which staff is able to call in immediately or get notified immediately of any school issues if action needs to be taken, such as a lock down. All staff members at that particular school will get notifications.”
As we wrapped up our discussion, Dr. Trevino also mentioned a recent vulnerability study that was conducted through the Texas Education Agency or TEA. She says Alice ISD was the “best secured district in the state that they had seen.” She also went on to mention that TEA wanted to send district officials from other cities across Texas to visit Alice ISD due to the resoundingly positive results of our district’s safety audit.
With Alice ISD prioritizing student and faculty safety through new protocols and partnerships, Dr. Trevino emphasizes the district’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe learning environment. As new challenges arise, the district remains focused on proactive solutions to keep schools safe.