A friend of mine from back home took this amazing photo of a West Texas sunset and it reminded me of my childhood. The sunset was every kid’s reminder to come home for supper. I never felt worried about being without adult supervision or having a door unlocked at my house or in my mom’s station wagon. I grew up in a time where my friends and I could run up and down the block without a care in the world. The feeling of security that I felt as a child is something that I have always cherished, and I want to keep feeling that way as an adult. I don’t only want this sense of security for myself; I want it for my own children and the children of Wylie ISD, too.
Times have changed. With the dangers that we have experienced in our schools, in our churches, and in other public places, we have been given reasons to change our mindset regarding how to keep ourselves safe. The days of unlocked doors and lack of supervision are behind us. It is now crucial to be aware of our surroundings and have plans in place should a crisis arise. Though this is not ideal, it is our reality. Now, more than ever, safety is the highest priority.
The feelings of safety that I had as a child came from the unconditional love that my parents showed me. No matter what happened, I knew they would protect me. As a parent now myself, I understand the innate need to protect my family. I share that same unconditional love for our kids and our Wylie ISD family. I would put myself in harm’s way to protect them, and I know our amazing employees would do the same. Finding the balance between creating safe environments and maintaining a welcoming atmosphere has been our goal for the past year, and we appreciate your support in helping us to determine the best path moving forward.
As a response to community feedback, and circumstances which have taken place in the world around us, we are introducing new safety measures that have just been installed and will be implemented during the next few months. These include campus access control systems and what we are calling “Wylie ISD pre-check systems” which will serve as new measures of security. It is our hope that these new systems will help to ensure the safety of our students, our staff members, and our visitors.
ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS
New campus access control systems are now being installed at Wylie ISD campuses. We have spent all summer planning for this project, and we have worked hard to communicate these plans to our stakeholders. We are so excited to announce that the equipment has arrived, and we will soon begin utilizing it in our schools. Thank you for the feedback you offered through parent and staff surveys. Your input, along with feedback from our first responders, was in line with Governor Abbott’s recommendations for keeping our schools safe. We appreciate you and the role you played in making this happen.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
These measures will provide an additional layer of security.
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New buzzer/camera systems will provide controlled access to schools during the school day.
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New buzzers/cameras will be installed outside of front doors.
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Additional electronic locks will be placed on the doors leading from the front offices to the main corridors of the campuses.
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Video monitors have been installed at each front office to allow more people to view the campus entrances with the ability to “buzz in” folks as quickly and safely as possible.
HOW THEY WORK
For your convenience, we have created a video with specific instructions on how the new systems will work.
This video and more are on the district’s safety and security website. Click on the picture below to access the website. We invite you to view them at your convenience.
Don’t forget that, once in the building, visitors will also need to be buzzed-in to gain access to the main corridors of the schools.
WYLIE ISD PRE-CHECK ID
But wait, there’s more! We want parents to continue to join their students for special school programs and celebrations. To help manage the large numbers of parents who attend elementary and intermediate school events during the day, Wylie ISD has implemented a TSA-style pre-screen system to keep schools safe AND speed up the process. Our goal is to reduce lines and wait times on these days.
Your ID is good for the entire school year at all Wylie ISD campuses.
SOME LIMITATIONS APPLY
For security reasons, our Pre-Check ID is NOT an “all access” pass. Misuse of a Pre-Check ID may result in it being revoked. In the event that a Pre-Check badge is revoked, individuals will be required to use the Raptor systems. While these methods may seem tedious, they are necessary to create safe environments.
THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we implement these new measures. We are working hard to increase the safety and security at all of our Wylie ISD campuses. While academics are important, our first priority will always regard keeping our Wylie family safe. We love our kids, our teachers, our staff members, and our families. We want to keep people safe because we care. We want to keep people safe because it’s the Wylie Way!
