Back To Class For Stafford, Katy And Fort Bend Schools

KATY, TX -- The first school bell of the 2018-19 school year welcomed students back to class in three Fort Bend County School Districts on Wednesday. The summer break ended early for students in Stafford, Fort Bend and Katy school districts as they joined nine other districts in the Houston area.

Security and safety of staff and students were among the issues concerning to some, particularly in Stafford and Katy school districts.

Students in Katy started their new school year with a clear backpack policy for all students, and controlled access points at all the campuses, officials announced recently. Katy students won’t be allowed to carry large purses on campus either, according to the new policy.

Katy officials also announced the roll-out of a new anti-bullying app that allows students to submit tips directly to a school administrator. The app allows students to report instances of campus bullying or cyberbullying along with photos and screenshots. Officials said the district has been working on the app for about a year.

Officials in Stafford Municipal School District found themselves grappling with the possibility of not having a police presence on their campuses. For 37 years the City of Stafford provided two police officers whose sole duty was to provide security. The officers were provided at no cost to the district, which violates state statutes.

Representatives approved a deal on Monday that allows the city to provide three security officers at the campuses through the school year at a cost of $183,000 to the city.

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