Brownwood ISD Superintendent Dr. Joe Young provided an update on the impending 2023-24 school year, which begins Tuesday, Aug. 15, on KOXE Friday morning, and a couple of new laws put in place by the Texas Legislature were front and center.

First, Texas House Bill 3 states all campuses must have armed personnel at all times as of Sept 1, according to Young. Currently, BISD has school resource officers Fred Bastardo at the high school and Robert Lee at the middle school.

By 2025, BISD and the Brownwood Police Department are working to have seven school resource officers in place – one for each campus. In the meantime, however, BISD is accepting applications for security personnel.

“It will be a full-time position for someone who preferably has a background in law enforcement or a background in the military,” Young said. “They will be uniformed, visible security officers and we hope to have enough to include all campuses.”

Young stated there is a list of qualifications for those who apply, and there will be a training component, certification and a psychology exam that must be completed by anyone who applies.

While BISD is seeking full-time security personnel, Young stated part-time employment will also be an option.

“We’d like to have five full-time and six and seven back ups,” he said.

Applications for security personnel are available at the BISD website, https://www.brownwoodisd.org/, or by calling the central office at 325-643-5644.

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Possession of vapes will result in alternative school

Young also addressed the new Senate Bill 2428, which states any student caught possessing, using or delivering a vape device — or any part of a vape device — must now be placed into DAEP (Disciplinary Alternative Education Program).

Therefore, students in possession of a vape will now be sent to alternative school for at least a week, according to Young, and possibly longer.

“It’s not a slap on wrist, and you don’t have to be using it, you just have to be possession,” Young said. “You will be sent to alternative school which means you will be banned from campus and all activities.”

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Free breakfast and lunch for all students return

Young also shared Friday morning that free breakfast and lunches for all students have returned for the 2023-24 school year.

“That’s a big deal for our community,” Young said. “We took it out of the budget because the budget was tight, and it’s still tight, but it was such a big deal that we needed that to be a priority for us. We still ask that you fill out the breakfast and lunch applications. That has to do with funding and if you fill it out for us we get reimbursed at a higher rate for the free lunches we give you and we’ll continue to be able to have the program.”

Those forms can be found on the BISD website or for more information contact the central office.