Bryan ISD highlights new safety concern, security progress in workshop meeting

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – As schools across the state work to improve their on-campus safety, Bryan ISD found a new security concern they’re looking to address.

Students aren’t lining up in the cafeteria for lunch, they’re using apps and services like DoorDash to have their favorite foods delivered right to school.

But the district is concerned about who – or what- may be delivered; especially as they crack down on school security.

“Safety is always at the forefront, you never want to sacrifice the safety of our students and our staff,” Dr. Julie Harlin, Bryan ISD board of trustees president, said.

The district safety and security committee delivered an update during Monday’s workshop meeting, raising a new concern surrounding delivery drivers.

District officials said there’s not enough time to properly vet each delivery as it comes in.

“The ability to order up a delivery onto a school campus, you can see where the worst case scenario might be,” Rich Himmel, assistant director of safety and security, said.

Schools receive a high volume of these deliveries daily.

“They weren’t necessarily prepared for the influx of all these drivers coming at once, it’s just challenging to try to manage,” Harlin said.

Some campuses in the district have banned students from Doordashing food, while others still allow it.

According to Himmel, the next step is looking at a consistent policy regarding deliveries across the district, but no decisions have been made just yet.

“To handle I don’t know how many dozens of deliveries on a daily basis occur, but that may be beyond what we’re capable of,” Himmel said.

But Harlin said this safety conversation sends a positive signal about the state of campus security in Bryan ISD.

“Delivery drivers for food, for lunches and such being one of the critical safety issues in this district, signals to me that we’re in a pretty good place,” she said.

Campus security is measured across the state in part through intruder detection audits, which were implemented shortly after the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.

Himmel said Bryan ISD has performed ‘exceptionally well’ in these random audits.

The audits are designed to help schools identify areas of security that need to be improved.

Someone will show up to a campus unexpectedly, and look for ways to get into the school from the outside, while also ensuring that safety measures are being followed inside.

The district is proud of its performance, with only one paperwork-related issue arising so far.

”It wasn’t a physical security issue. So like I said, we’re exceptionally proud of our, of our administrators and school employees for the vigilance they show on a daily basis,” Himmel said.

If districts do not pass their audits, they’re required to complete more safety training relating to the results of their audit.