Safety & Wellness
Inclement Weather Procedures
Midway ISD closely monitors weather conditions and makes decisions with one priority in mind: the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families. This page outlines how inclement weather decisions are made, what factors are considered, and how families can expect to receive information.
Our District and Unique Considerations
Midway ISD spans 87 square miles, covering both urban and rural areas. Roads across the district are maintained by TxDOT, city, and county agencies, and weather and road conditions can vary significantly from one area to another.
In addition, many Midway ISD staff members live outside district boundaries, sometimes in neighboring communities experiencing different weather conditions or closures. These factors are carefully considered when evaluating safety and operational readiness.
How Weather Decisions Are Made
When inclement weather is forecasted or occurs unexpectedly, district leadership works closely with multiple partners to assess conditions and make informed decisions, including:
- National Weather Service meteorologists
- County emergency management
- Local law enforcement
- City and county officials
- TxDOT
- Transportation officials
- Neighboring school districts
- Baylor University
The timing of weather events is critical. Conditions are evaluated based on when students and staff would be traveling—during morning bus routes, drop-off, and afternoon dismissal.
Weather Monitoring and Safety Assessments
- Weather conditions are monitored continuously using trusted forecasts and real-time data.
- Facility and road conditions are often evaluated hours before the school day begins—sometimes as early as 4:00 a.m.—and as soon as possible when unexpected weather occurs.
- Because conditions can change quickly, decisions may be made late at night or early in the morning using the best information available at that time.
Why We May Use a Two-Hour Delay
A two-hour delay does not always change weather conditions, but it can meaningfully improve safety and readiness during a variety of inclement weather events.
A delay provides:
- Families additional time to assess conditions and plan safe transportation, including carpooling or alternate arrangements
- Students time to prepare for the day under safer conditions
- Staff time to address family transportation needs
- District teams time to evaluate weather impacts, address operational concerns, and ensure campuses and transportation are ready
Operational Readiness During Inclement Weather
A variety of weather conditions common to Central Texas can create challenges that require additional time and evaluation before welcoming students and staff into buildings. These may include extreme cold, ice, severe thunderstorms, high winds, flooding, or power disruptions. Considerations may include:
- Ensuring school buildings are safe, operational, and accessible
- Allowing time to assess utilities such as power, water, and HVAC systems
- Addressing structural, mechanical, or safety issues caused by weather events
- Treating sidewalks, entryways, parking lots, or campuses when needed
- Evaluating the readiness of the bus fleet, which can be impacted by temperature extremes, high winds, or road conditions
Providing this time helps ensure our schools are safe, functional, and conducive to learning.
Transportation and Bus Safety
Our transportation team closely monitors road conditions and the operational status of the bus fleet. Inclement weather—such as ice, flooding, high winds, or extreme temperatures—can impact vehicle performance, routes, visibility, and overall fleet readiness. Additional time may be needed to evaluate conditions, adjust routes, or address safety concerns before transportation begins.
Keeping Students Safe Throughout the Day
In addition to getting students and staff to school safely, we also consider our ability to:
- Maintain safe conditions while students are on campus
- Ensure students and staff can return home safely at the end of the day
Our campuses are warm and secure and, in some situations, may be among the safest places for students during severe weather.
Communication With Families and Staff
If weather impacts school operations, Midway ISD will notify families and staff as early as possible using:
- ParentSquare
- District website
- Social media channels
- Local news media (when applicable)
Families are encouraged to ensure their contact information is up to date so they receive timely notifications.
Family Choice and Judgment
We recognize that weather conditions can vary across our community and that each family’s situation is unique. Parents and guardians are always encouraged to use their best judgment when deciding whether it is safe for their child to travel to school.
Student absences related to severe weather are handled with understanding.
How Families Can Prepare
Families can help prepare for inclement weather by:
- Updating Contact Information: Ensure ParentSquare contact details and notification preferences are current.
- Dressing Appropriately for Weather Conditions: Encourage students to dress for the forecast, whether that includes cold temperatures, rain, or changing conditions.
- Travel Safety: If driving, ensure vehicles are prepared for current weather conditions and stocked with basic safety supplies.
Home Emergency Planning: Have a plan for severe weather events, including potential power outages, flooding, or other disruptions, with access to food, water, and emergency supplies.
Staying Informed
Please continue to monitor district communications during periods of inclement weather. Decisions are made with care, using multiple data points and community partners, and updates will be shared as soon as they are available. Midway ISD appreciates the partnership of our families and staff as we work together to keep Panther Nation safe.
Safety & Wellness Programs
Security / Emergency Operations
District Emergency Operations Teams
District Safety & Security Committee:
The Midway ISD Safety & Security Committee consists of representatives from:
- City of Hewitt Police Department
- City of Woodway Police Department
- McLennan County Sheriff's Department
- McLennan County Office of Emergency Management
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Federal Bureau of Investigations
- MISD Board of Trustees
- MISD Administration
The committee meets in a public meeting forum three times per year to review and guide district policy, procedures, training, equipment, and audits.
Threat Assessment Team:
District administrators, technology department, and SROs work jointly to investigate potential threats to student safety. Tools include cybermonitoring, reporting systems, and investigation techniques recommended by the U.S. Secret Service.
Campus Leads:
Assistant principals from each campus meet monthly to review updated safety protocols and practice responses to emergency scenarios.
Reunification Team:
Midway ISD has established evacuation and reunification sites for every campus. The Reunification Team trains in effective logistics to transport students off-site and to coordinate safe returns to parents.
Counseling Teams:
School counselors are trained to support students in the aftermath of any situation, even scares from false threats. Regional partnerships provide additional counseling support and church partner connections.
Emergency Communications
Click here for the Parent Safety & Security Guide.
The safety and security of our students is of utmost importance to us. Please remember that, in the event of a campus evacuation, parents will be notified through the ParentSquare system. Secondary students will be notified through StudentSquare. As a result, it is very important that you keep your contact information up-to-date during annual registration or by contacting your campus front office.
In the case of an emergency, please follow all directions from the school. For example, if the school is in lockdown, please do not call the school or arrive to pick up your child. Parents who attempt to come to school during a crisis can prevent first responders from arriving on the scene in a timely fashion and will complicate an already difficult situation. Therefore, it is imperative that parents wait for further guidance from school staff, as the safety and security of our students would be foremost in our decision-making in an emergency situation.
Mitigation & Response
The mission of MISD in an emergency/disaster is to protect lives, mitigate the effects of the situation, fully prepare for various types of situations, respond quickly and effectively to emergencies, and aid in recovery from these situations.
The following items are an integral part of our Emergency Operations Plan:
- Consistent and ongoing communication and collaboration with local police and fire departments, including opportunities for these entities to train and perform drills on MISD facilities
- Strong partnerships with local police departments in the cities of Hewitt and Woodway
- Clear and accurate surveillance security cameras both inside and outside the buildings
- Secure visitor access procedures, including visual facial identification and ID screening of arriving individuals
- Emergency alert systems
- Increased presence of trained police officers, with enhanced response time
- Primary, alternate and handicap evacuation routes
- Pre-determined evacuation sites off campus
- Ongoing training for staff
- Procedures for staff and students for emergency situations, severe weather, fire, lock-downs
- Consistent schedule of practice drills including lockdown, secure, evacuate, hold, and shelter drills
- Administrator knowledge of utility access and shut-off points
- Safety “go bags” in each classroom with basic first aid supplies, class rosters, flashlight, etc.
- Administrators trained in FEMA’s National Incident Management System
- Implementation of the Incident Command System until relieved by first responders
- Assessment of hazards, with plans to reduce the probability of hazards causing an emergency situation, or lessen the consequences of unavoidable emergencies.
- Ongoing safety and security audits
- Regularly scheduled meetings with two committees tasked with school safety and security: Emergency Operations Planning Team and the School Safety and Security Committee (Both committees have trained police officers to provide expertise and knowledge on best practices.)
Tragic lessons in Newtown, Connecticut; Columbine, Colorado; Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe and Uvalde, Texas have prompted many governmental entities to recommend additional options for staff members to consider when protecting students from harm. Teachers and staff are being asked to take a more assertive role in keeping their students safe and surviving the unlikely event of an "active shooter" situation on campus by considering such options as avoid (escape if you can), deny (locked door, lights out, out of sight, barridaded doors), and defend (create obstacles, distract, be prepared to fight).
“Employing some or all of these tactics requires all parties to the issues of school safety - school administrators at all levels, parents, teachers and other community members - to give careful consideration to a basic conundrum: Freedom and safety are mutually exclusive. Whatever makes a school setting more free, will at the same time, make it more dangerous to its students, teachers and administrative personnel. And equally obvious, whatever makes the school safer will impinge upon that freedom” (Semone & Sokoloff, Sept. 2013, How Safe are Your Schools? National Association of School Superintendents).
MISD thanks you for your support of our security measures as we all work together to ensure our students are educated in a safe environment.
Safety Tip Line
Standard Response Protocols
View our Parent's Guide to Safety & Security.
Health & Mental Health
Bullying Prevention
The district prohibits bullying on school property, at school-sponsored or school-related activities, or in any vehicle operated by the district. Bullying may be verbal or written expression or expression through electronic means, or physical conduct. Bullying is not tolerated by the district and any student or parent of a student who believes that the student or another student has experienced bullying or that a student has engaged in bullying is encouraged to immediately report the incident. Retaliation against anyone involved in the complaint process is a violation of district policy and is prohibited.
Students or parents may report an alleged incident of bullying, orally or in writing, to a teacher, counselor, principal or other district employee. We encourage you to communicate with your designated campus administrator during this time.
More information about the district’s bullying policy can be found here.
Drug Deterrence
Further information is available in Policy FNF (LOCAL).
Use of trained canines:
MISD utilizes specially trained non-aggressive canines to sniff out and alert officials to the current presence of concealed prohibited items. The main purpose of this program is to deter students from bringing illegal substances to school. However, it also serves as a minimally invasive way of keeping our students and staff safe. The dogs will help MISD officials to locate and remove contraband from campuses.
During random/unannounced campus visits, the dogs will sniff the air around lockers, gym areas, restrooms, vehicles, vacated classrooms and school grounds as they search for potential contraband items. Before a classroom is checked, students will be asked to exit the classroom (for 5 to 8 minutes) while school personnel accompany the canine team. With an administrator or teacher present, the canine team will sniff the interior of the room including the air around any belongings left behind. This includes backpacks, purses etc. MISD policy precludes the use of their dogs sniffing any student, employee, visitor or anyone else while on district property or at any district event. The canines are friendly and non-aggressive.
If contraband of any kind is found, the possessing student shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
Drug-Testing
MISD requires drug testing of any student in grades 7-12 who chooses to participate in school-sponsored extracurricular activities. Students are subject to random/unannounced drug testing. The purpose is to deter student use of drugs, and help enforce a drug-free educational environment. Up to 30% of the students may be randomly selected for each random test date. The drug-testing laboratory utilizes a random selection method to identify students chosen for random testing.
Fentanyl
What You Need to Know:
While Midway ISD has not encountered any cases of fentanyl on any of our campuses, it is still important for families to be aware of the dangers posed by this drug.
Fentanyl poisoning can be deadly and is preventable. Fentanyl is a man-made narcotic that has a legitimate medical use under the supervision of a licensed medical professional. However, illegally manufactured fentanyl comes in many forms and is extremely potent; even the smallest amount can be fatal. It is often added to other drugs and fake pills that look like pills from a pharmacy and can even look like candy. Most of the time, an individual has no idea they are taking fentanyl.
What You Can Do:
Please take time to review information about fentanyl with your children. It's crucial to have an open and honest conversation about the dangers of drug use, emphasizing that even one pill can be fatal. Remind them never to consume any medication that wasn't prescribed by a doctor or obtained from a pharmacist. Stay vigilant and monitor your student's behavior, including their social media activity, for any signs of drug use. Early detection can help prevent potential tragedies.
What Midway ISD is Doing:
Although there have not been any instances of fentanyl in the district, Midway ISD is fully prepared to respond to emergencies. Narcan (Naloxone), a life-saving medication capable of reversing opioid overdose, is stocked on all Midway ISD campuses. Our staff members are trained to administer Narcan effectively in case of an emergency.
Midway ISD also hosts parent nights each year, providing resources on safety and wellness topics, and proactively educates students on each campus about substance use prevention.
Learn More:
ESSER III (Covid Emergency Relief)
- Use of Funds Planning Document
- Use of Funds Presentation to Board
- Stakeholder Input Communication Plan
- ESSER III Grant Application
- Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity Service Plan
- 2021 ESSER III Use of Funds Survey Results
- 2022 ESSER III Use of Funds Survey Results- In Progress
- June 2022 Federal Programs Use of Funds Presentation to The Board/ Community
Hunger Free MISD
Immunizations
Infectious Diseases (Covid, Flu, and others)
MISD's Covid procedures align with efforts to prevent and respond to any contagious illnesses.
Prevention
Prevention of contagions includes hygiene encouragement, provision of hand sanitizer, tissues, and hospital-grade cleaning supplies.
The role of parents is important in monitoring symptoms of known illnesses. Do not send your student to school sick. Students must be 24-hour fever-free without medication, as well as 24-hours without vomit or diarrhea.
Response
Campus nurses can coordinate with parents to advise return-to-school dates. Nurses can also facilitate virtual doctor visits via Goodside Health, including some opportunities for on-site testing.
Midway's custodial department plays a crucial role in sanitation efforts, including full-room disinfection spray in areas of outbreak.
Suicide Prevention
The Jason Foundation has been adopted as the main curriculum used in Midway ISD’s overall suicide prevention programing. The Jason Foundation is dedicated to the prevention of the “Silent Epidemic” of youth suicide through educational and awareness programs that equip young people, educators/youth workers and parents with the tools and resources to help identify and assist at-risk youth. More information can be accessed on their website: The Jason Foundation, Inc.
If you are experiencing a crisis, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text “Jason” to 741741.
Why talking about suicide is important:
- For middle and high school age youth (ages 12-18), suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death. (2011 CDC WISQARS)
- For college age youth (ages 18-22), suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death. (2011 CDC WISQARS)
- Over-all, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for our youth ages 10-24. (2011 CDC WISQARS)
- Each week in our nation, we lose approximately 100+ young people to the national health problem of suicide.
- 2013 - CDC Youth Risk Behavioral Survey:
- Over One out of Six of our nation’s youth (17%) seriously considered suicide in theprevious twelve months.
- Almost One out of Seven young people (13.6%) actually made a plan to attempt suicide in the previous twelve months.
- Over One out of Every Thirteen young people (8%) reported attempting suicide one or more times in the past twelve months.
- Firearms remain the most commonly used suicide method. Suffocation / hanging and poisoning have seen dramatic increases recently.
- Four out of Five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs.
- More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have demonstrated risk factors such as depression, other mental disorders or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders).
- Suicide is one of the LEADING causes of PREVENTABLE death in our nation today.
Panther Nation News
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