-
At Denton ISD, the safety of your child and our staff is always a top priority. We have well-established safety protocols which we follow and practice on a routine basis.
In our more than 180 square mile district we partner with the Corinth Police Department, the Denton County Sheriff's Office, Denton Police Department, Little Elm Police Department, Oak Point Police Department and other law enforcement partners. Our Student Resource Officers (SROs) include more than 20 fully commissioned and armed law enforcement officers. Every middle and high school campus has at least one police officer assigned full-time. A full-time officer is capable of responding to every elementary within minutes.
All campuses conduct safety drills of all types to routinely affirm safety protocols as well as establish a clear chain of command. Students and staff practice drills regularly and document their procedures to ensure best practices are in place. Audits of safety procedures are conducted each year of all district facilities and are on file with the Texas Education Agency, including the recent inspection of locks on exterior doors.
Since each campus is unique, every individual school has an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that addresses their procedures. The plan is reviewed by their school’s Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) that is responsible for reviewing campus processes.
Denton ISD maintains an anonymous reporting system, STOPit, that is monitored 24 hours a day. Any student, staff or community member may report an incident of bullying, discrimination, drug or alcohol-related issue, potential threat/violence or cyber abuse by text, image or video through our system.
Security Procedures & Resources
-
District IdentificationBadges
All staff, as well as middle and high school students, are required to wear identification badges while on district property. All secondary students (grades 6–12) must carry their official school ID at all times when attending events at C.H. Collins Athletic Complex and Bill Carrico Athletic Complex. Students are required to present their ID upon request by stadium personnel, school officials, or law enforcement.
-
Visitor Registry
All visitors, including volunteers, are required to present identification and must register with the front office before having access to the building. -
Campus Armed Security Officers
The district employs two distinct armed security personnel programs to enhance campus security and ensure compliance with House Bill 3.School Security Officers (SSOs)At the elementary and middle school levels, Armed Security Officers are district employees who receive specialized training to monitor school grounds and facilities. These officers serve as essential personnel in maintaining the safety of students and staff during critical incidents.School Resource Officers (SROs)The district maintains strong partnerships with the Aubrey, Corinth, Denton, Elm Ridge, Little Elm, and Oak Point Police Departments, as well as the Denton County Sheriff's Department. Armed School Resource Officers from these agencies patrol Denton ISD secondary campuses, providing counseling and educational support in addition to their critical security responsibilities. -
Controlled Access
Each school features a secured entrance vestibule to thoroughly screen visitors prior to granting access to the building.Exterior building doors are remotely controlled and monitored, and are also equipped with propped door alarms. This system enables a faster response in emergencies requiring doors to be accessed or locked.Additionally, staff are trained to conduct instruction with classroom doors locked and closed at all times. -
Closed CircuitTelevision
The district utilizes nearly 2,700 cameras to monitor activity. These cameras are strategically placed throughout the interior and exterior of every school, enabling security control center staff to observe activities in and around all buildings around the clock. -
Crisis Communications Plans
Public address (PA) systems enable the district to deliver emergency notifications promptly to students and staff across all campuses.The district has implemented a comprehensive communication system to ensure that key administrators are immediately informed of any emergency situation. Parents and other stakeholders receive timely notifications - typically within minutes - through email, phone calls, and text messages via SchoolMessenger.The primary objective is to communicate critical information swiftly and accurately to first responders, district staff, parents, and community members, ensuring the safety of all students throughout any event. -
Emergency Training
Each campus regularly conducts a range of emergency preparedness training sessions, including:- Shelter-in-place (for severe weather)
- Evacuation procedures (including fire drills)
- Lockdown protocols
-
Emergency Response
The district collaborates with the I Love U Guys Foundation and adheres to the foundation’s Standard Response Protocol. This protocol establishes a unified vocabulary for emergency response across the district and with community first responders.Those responses are:- Hold
- Secure
- Lockdown
- Evacuate
- Shelter
-
Safety & Security Committee
