The Williamsburg Independent Board of Education held its regular meeting on Aug. 12 at Williamsburg City School to discuss changes aimed at enhancing student safety. A special-called meeting is scheduled for Aug. 28, when a public hearing will be held to set the tax rate.
Grant Henderson, the Network Specialist for Williamsburg Independent Schools, shared a list of improvements designed to make the district safer, both physically and digitally. The district is transitioning to a system called Raptor for parent pickup, visitor check-in, and volunteer background checks. This system will scan IDs, check them against a national database, and keep digital records of who signs out students and at what times.
“I’m excited about that,” said Superintendent Tabetha Housekeeper.
Additionally, the “Volunteer Safe” program will ensure that all field trip chaperones are properly vetted. Teachers will also begin using GoGuardian, which allows them to monitor student activity on their Chromebooks in real-time. If a student starts typing something concerning, whether it’s related to trauma, a safety threat, or off-task behavior, the system will send alerts to multiple staff members. The goal is to intervene early and respond quickly.
“It’s really helpful when you’re having a conversation with a parent to show them exactly what a student searched,” Housekeeper said. “It’s a step in the right direction for trauma-informed care.”
The district has implemented weekly cybersecurity scans through a federal agency, introduced new internet access points, and established a single sign-on system.
“It’s a lot of changes, but hopefully in the future, it’ll improve things,” Henderson concluded.
In other news, the Williamsburg Board of Education provided students with school supplies. Aaron Brock thanked the board, stating, “For so many people, it is a big burden. That is a huge help to many families.”
He also expressed gratitude for the board’s responses to “all the legislative issues that were passed,” acknowledging the difficulty in tackling such matters.
Board members approved the first readings of the 2025-2026 emergency management and district evaluation plans. They agreed to a travel request for Dana Hail and Chandel Chin to attend a conference in Portland, Oregon. They approved a service agreement with Brenda Sears for student evaluations.
The board approved the 2025-2026 student handbook, along with Policy 08.2324, which needed to be enacted by the first day of school. Superintendent Tabetha Housekeeper noted that this policy includes updates discussed in previous meetings.
Finance officer Dalton Sizemore reported a current tax collection rate of 86.9%, which is nearly three percent higher than this time last year. The annual audit is expected to take place during the week of Oct. 6.
