ECHS OWL Update
January 19, 2025
Early College High School News
Mission Statement
Our ECHS Owls are taught to have H.O.P.E.--faith in the premise that they can create OPPORTUNITY and a better future through EFFORT, HARD WORK, and PERSONAL COURAGE. This idea of H.O.P.E. is woven into the fabric of our ECHS family.
Greetings ECHS Community!
Thanks to our students, teachers, staff and parents for helping to make the first full week of the Spring 2025 semester a success.
Monday, January 20, 2025 is a National Holiday to acknowledge the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. One of his famous quotes is, “Life’s most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” Without doubt, there are always things our school community can do (and is already doing) in service and support of others. THANK YOU!
As a reminder, the ACC Spring 2025 Semester is to begin on Tuesday, January 21st. Our ECHS students enrolled in ACC classes for the Spring 2025 Semester are reminded to reference their ACC Self Service accounts for details regarding their ACC Spring Course(s) and room location(s). Please know, our students have been and will continue to be contacted with details regarding needed ACC textbook pick up.
HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE the following ACC Alert provided today (1.19.25): “ACC is closed Tuesday, January 21, due to predicted winter weather conditions. All in person and remote classes, work and activities are canceled”.
Also, as mentioned in today’s Round ISD update, “All Round Rock ISD classes and before- and after-school activities are canceled for Tuesday, Jan. 21, due to the winter weather. All schools and offices are closed for the day. Canceling classes is not a decision we make in isolation. We are in constant contact with the National Weather Service and local, county, and state agencies and municipalities to make the best choices for our district.
We have four weather days built into our calendar, so students will not have to make up the day. All staff will be compensated for the day.
We will continue monitoring weather conditions and providing information about our Wednesday schedule. Stay warm, and continue to check roundrockisd.org as well as the district’s social media accounts for any further information. To learn more about our weather protocols, visit www.roundrockisd.org/inclement-weather-protocols”. Please know, we will communicate to our ECHS school community any further updates if and when they are received.
Please be safe and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
GO OWLS!
Dr. Wilson
UPCOMING Events:
1/20: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (Student/Staff Holiday)
1/21:UPDATE - All RRISD schools and offices CLOSED due to Winter Weather
1/21: UPDATE - ACC is CLOSED due to predicted winter weather conditions
CAMPUS REMINDERS:
ECHS “OWL”standing News!
SPRING 2025 ECHS Club Rush!
Final 8th Grade Recruitment Sessions
ECHS STUDENT AMBASSADORS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL INFO SESSIONS
We Greatly Appreciate Mrs. Holmes and Dr. Laugier for planning our Middle School Recruitment Visits during the day several Fridays (during the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semester); along with evening family information sessions within each learning community.
SHOUT OUT to our numerous ECHS student ambassadors, 9th - 12th grade, who have taken time to share during these events.
On Tuesday, January 14th, a final evening recruitment session with 8th grade parents & students took place in the Commons at ECHS. Also, Friday January 17th was the final recruitment session, during the day, at Chisholm Trail M.S. Our thanks to Mrs. Holmes for facilitating this session with student ambassadors!
Classroom Spotlights:
KUDOS to all our ECHS teachers and students for the engaging, collaborative teaching and learning happening in our classes!
ECHS AVID Senior Field Trip!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR OWLstanding ECHS Students nominated since the start of the 2024-2025 school year:
All of our ECHS Students!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR OWLstanding ECHS Staff nominated since the start of the 2024-25 school year:
All of our ECHS Teachers and Staff!
Glad to "Represent" in Senior Shirts with members of our ECHS Class of 2025! :-)
Helen Holmes (Students whose last names begin with M-Z)
Valerie Laugier (Students whose last names begin with A-L)
Wellness & Student Voice at ECHS!
Mental Health & Other Resources for 2024-2025
Crisis resources for anything related to mental health, dating violence, and substance use. This includes a 24-hour hotline and text line.
Community resources including financial, food, medical, dental, and mental health assistance.
More student and parent resources can be found on the district Counseling Services and Behavioral Health websites.
RRISD Health Services website for info and medical forms:
https://roundrockisd.org/health-services/
RRISD Covid website:
ACC UPDATES:
ACC RESOURCES
ACC library - Resources now online
Need more study resources tips, meet with an Academic Coach
FREE online tutoring here.
DISTRICT UPDATE:
Safety and Security Winter 2025 Focus - Jan. 14, 2025
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program
Texas Education Code requires school districts to have one AED device for every building. AED devices on campus increase the chances for full recovery of students and staff in a life-threatening cardiac situation.
Every Round Rock ISD campus has at least two AED devices, plus 32 portable devices that travel with our extracurricular activity teams. The district’s Risk Management Department oversees the maintenance of AED devices, conducting quarterly checks to ensure batteries and equipment are up to date. These devices, which feature user-friendly bilingual instructions, are an essential safety tool and require a significant financial investment.
Round Rock ISD’s AED devices have been used seven times—five times where shocks were advised; and two of the five patients were students.
CKC (Local) Review and Discussion
CKC Board policy has been updated for how families are notified in case of on-campus emergencies and other critical communications. Trustees will have a second reading of the policy at their Jan. 16 meeting.
CKC Policy summary:
Emergency notifications — The district will:
Notify students, staff, and families
Provide timely, adequate information
Every incident that may pose a serious or continuing threat
In real-time
By text messages and email
Student privacy — Student privacy shall be maintained as required by law, which may include emergency exceptions.
Behavior Threat Assessments
With the passage of Senate Bill 11, Texas became one of the few states to mandate the implementation of behavioral threat assessment teams in public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools.
Behavioral Threat Assessment is a proactive, evidence-based approach to identifying individuals who may pose a threat and providing interventions before a violent incident occurs (Texas School Safety Center, 2025).
Texas Public School Board of Trustees is required to establish a safe and supportive school program team that conducts behavioral threat assessments to serve each district campus. The Board must also adopt policies and procedures for the teams consistent with the model policies and procedures developed by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC). Additionally, each team must complete training provided by the TxSSC or a Regional Education Service Center (Texas School Safety Center, 2025). Training will increase capacity at the campus level to conduct thorough and detailed threat assessments, institute interventions, and case management plans.
Redbud Elementary School zone
Round Rock ISD received feedback from concerned parents and faculty about the absence of a school zone around Redbud Elementary School.
While the district does not have the authority to set speed limits or establish school zones—this responsibility lies with the municipality where the school is located—the district collaborated closely with the City of Round Rock’s traffic engineers to address the safety concerns.
As a result, the City of Round Rock has installed signage reflecting the updated ordinance near Redbud Elementary. When the school zone is active, Round Rock ISD police and other law enforcement agencies can now enforce the reduced speed limit, enhancing safety around the campus.
Intruder Detection Audits and monitoring of drills
District schools have a safety audit passing rate of 95% passing rate. During the 2024 Fall semester, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) conducted safety audits at 29 of our 56 campuses.
These audits, required by the Texas Education Code, are conducted randomly throughout the year until all campuses are reviewed. They identify potential hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities, helping schools enhance physical and psychological safety.
During these audits, TEA assesses whether:
Unsecured or unauthorized access to the building is possible,
Any exterior doors are open or unlocked, and
Campuses are performing and documenting weekly door checks accurately.
The Safety and Security Fall 2024 Focus reported district schools with a 96% passing rate for 14 schools on safety audits conducted by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
All 56 district campuses have 100% compliance with the required fire drills in December.
Round Rock ISD Police Department and Student Support Services
Police Chief Ryan Urrutia presented department priorities and collaboration with district student support services social workers and counselors.
Build relationships with students, staff, and the community.
Prevent weapons from entering campus.
Help identify potential threats through the behavioral assessment process.
Maintain a standardized law enforcement response in collaboration with local agencies.
Proactively identify students who need support, using individual needs assessments and close collaboration with mental health professionals.
Continuous assessment of student behavior, academic progress, and mental health.
Safety and Security Committee
The Safety and Security Committee meets at the Old Hopewell Building, 1311 Round Rock Ave., in Round Rock, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays: Nov. 6, 2024; and in 2025, Jan. 8, March 5, May 7 and Aug. 6.
If there is a need to schedule a called Safety and Security Committee meeting in addition to the dates above, the district will email information out as early as possible.
Thank you for your ongoing support of Round Rock ISD and for helping to keep our schools and students safe.
Richard Andreucci
Round Rock ISD
Director of Safety and Security
This Week’s Inspirational Quote:
Have you seen Early College High School on Facebook and on Twitter?
Early College High School is on Facebook and Twitter!
Please like us on Facebook @RRISDECHS and follow us on Twitter @ECHS_RRISD to see what is happening at ECHS!
In an effort to maintain our good health, safety and well being; we are ALL encouraged to please continue following the current restrictions instituted within our school district, city, state and nation.
Please take care of yourselves!
Round Rock ISD Early College High School
Email: web_master@roundrockisd.org
Website: https://earlycollege.roundrockisd.org/
Location: 4400 College Park Dr, Round Rock, TX 78665, USA
Phone: 512-704-1650
Facebook: facebook.com/RRISDECHS
Twitter: @ECHS_RRISD