Safety Information

Beginning September 28, 2026, Willis High School is requiring clear backpacks for all students. This policy helps our staff and officers see what comes into the building and move students through entry points more quickly. 

Clear bags are also required at all district sporting events and district events, at any location.

Click to view pdf of Clear Backpacks Flyer in English and Spanish.

• Campus perimeters are fenced and gated to keep out unwanted visitors.
• Every campus has a secure entry vestibule that controls visitor access.
• Exterior doors stay locked at all times and are never propped open. Law enforcement checks them every day, and teachers whose classrooms are next to an exterior door confirm it has latched each time they use it.
• Classroom doors at every campus stay locked at all times, a practice Willis ISD began in 2012 following the Sandy Hook tragedy. Law enforcement and administrators monitor compliance.
• Law enforcement and administrators monitor the district's surveillance system continuously

• Every visitor is screened through the Raptor Technologies Visitor Management System, which checks against sex offender registries and district databases, including custody orders and banned visitors.
• Raptor connects with our student information system so students are released only to approved guardians.
• All volunteers are screened and background checked every year.
• Staff members approach anyone on campus without a visitor sticker and escort them to the front office to check in.
• Staff report any suspicious person or vehicle to a School Resource Officer (SRO).

• All campus staff are trained on district and campus safety procedures, including the nationally recognized Standard Response Protocol.
• Since 2000, law enforcement officers have trained all faculty and staff every year on how to respond to critical incidents.
• Since 2018, staff and law enforcement have used a mobile panic button app to report emergencies. Today, the district uses Raptor Alert, which lets any staff member call 911 and instantly alert everyone on campus to an emergency.
• Administrators, counselors, and teachers receive trauma-informed care training from the district's Director of Counseling, Kelly Locke, which helps them recognize and support students affected by stress or difficult experiences.

Students practice safety drills in a calm, age-appropriate way. Teachers use scripted conversations tailored to each age group (Pre-K and elementary, middle school, and high school) and practice procedures in their own classrooms throughout the year. Every campus also holds at least one schoolwide drill per month.

• An officer is present at all extracurricular events, including games, concerts, and performances.
• Clear bags are required at all district sporting events and district events.
• Metal detectors are used at Yates Stadium.

Our School Resource Officers
Willis ISD partners with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office to place dedicated School Resource Officers (SROs) on our campuses. Their mission is simple: keep students and staff safe so teachers can teach and students can learn.

Covering 158 Square Miles
Our SROs serve every Willis ISD campus, center, and administrative office across the district's 158 square miles. They're stationed on campuses throughout the district and patrol school zones to keep traffic safe during drop-off and pickup. If additional help is ever needed, the Sheriff's Office can quickly provide more deputies.

More Than Security
Our officers are also mentors and teachers. They visit elementary and secondary classrooms to talk with students about topics like the dangers of drugs and alcohol, bus safety, and staying safe while walking home. Their goal is to build positive relationships with students and help them make healthy, responsible choices.

Highly Trained Professionals
Every deputy has completed the state's law enforcement training academy, which includes training in mental health response, critical incidents, child abuse and sexual crimes investigations, cultural awareness, and racial profiling prevention. As noted above, our SROs also hold ALERRT active shooter certification and qualify with their weapons twice a year.

Working Alongside Our Schools
The Sheriff's Office School Division follows strict policy, legal, and constitutional guidelines. Officers enforce federal, state, and local laws while taking care not to disrupt the school day, so classrooms stay focused on learning.

Students and parents can report bullying, threats, or other concerns at any time through K-12 Anonymous Alerts. Reports can be made anonymously, 24 hours a day.

Please bring a photo ID when visiting campus, follow the clear bag guidelines, and talk with your child about reporting anything that makes them feel unsafe. If you have questions about campus safety, please contact your campus principal.

The Willis ISD Communications Department leads all communication with families and the media during an emergency. Parents will receive updates through phone calls, text messages, and email through the District's notification system, and information will also be posted on the District website and official social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Please make sure your contact information is up to date in PowerSchool so you don't miss important messages. We also ask families to rely on official District channels, since information shared on secondary social media pages during an emergency is often inaccurate.

Yes. In accordance with Texas law, an armed security officer is present at every Willis ISD campus during regular school hours. Willis ISD partners with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office to provide School Resource Officers (SROs), and every SRO is a state-certified peace officer. Our SROs:

• Are certified in ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) active shooter response
• Complete tactical training on Willis ISD campuses
• Qualify with their weapons twice a year, exceeding the state requirement of once a year
• Receive mental health training to help them support students who are struggling

Willis ISD maintains a Multi-Hazard Emergency Operations Plan, as required by Texas law. Our district developed its first plan in 1999, before the state requirement took effect in 2005, and we continue to review and update it as the district grows and needs change.

Our emergency response is built on the Standard Response Protocol, a nationally recognized approach to school emergencies. All faculty and staff are trained by law enforcement on how to respond to a critical incident and practice following a response checklist through regular drills.

Since 2018, staff and law enforcement have used a mobile panic button app to report emergencies, and in 2025 the district moved to Raptor Alert. With one tap, a staff member can call 911 and instantly alert everyone on campus, district leadership, and law enforcement to an emergency.

If students need to be evacuated or moved to another location, the district uses the Texas School Safety Center's K-12 Standard Reunification Method to safely and efficiently reunite students with their parents.

To protect the integrity of our plan, certain details are confidential under Texas Education Code 37.108(c-2) and cannot be shared publicly.

Every Willis ISD campus has a threat assessment team made up of administrators, a counselor, and an SRO. When a campus receives information about a potential threat, the team gathers information, evaluates the situation, and determines the appropriate response to protect students and staff. When needed, the team also connects students with counseling and support services. Our process follows best practices outlined by the U.S. Secret Service in its report, Averting Targeted School Violence.