SAGE Capital bank, GISD partner to enhance safety with ‘Campus Eye’

GONZALES – Gonzales Independent School District continues its commitment to a spirit of excellence in caring, service and partnerships that equip students for continuous learning. Recently, GISD has been afforded the opportunity to support their district goal with a generous donation by Sage Capital Bank. The ISD is set to implement an interactive mobile app and web link reporting service known as Campus Eye.

According to GISD Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Strozier, Campus Eye enables students, faculty and staff to report a variety of safety and facilities-related issues using a customized mobile app or online through a link on the GISD website.

Strozier said Campus Eye is a nationwide program and is used in public and private school settings as well as colleges and the interactive communication app allows students to easily report safety, facilities or maintenance issues to administration.

"Safety is number one in any school setting. When we received the opportunity to implement Campus Eye with the sponsorship from Sage Bank we were very happy to work toward implementation," Strozier said. "Our expectation is to keep our schools safe and our culture a comfortable environment for everyone."

GISD is rolling out the first phase of training for Campus Eye this week. When Campus Eye mobile app users snap a photo, or upload a 10-second video, the app geotags it and creates a map with the location of the incident, along with report details which are posted so authorized administrators may view and manage reports in the secure online dashboard and in the mobile app.

The Campus Eye service will be available to North Avenue Intermediate, Gonzales Junior High and Gonzales High School providing for anonymous reporting introduced as part of a series of lessons supporting anti-bullying.

Gonzales Primary Academy, East Avenue Primary and Gonzales Elementary will continue in their daily social skill development of safety and order.

Strozier said app is an addition to the ISD's existing curriculum of values.

"GISD promotes great behavior and supports this effort through programming such as Early Act First Knight, sponsored by the local Rotary. We also have implemented The Apache Way. Both of these programs teach and reward students for exhibiting traits of excellence in character," Strozier said.

Strozier said she rates GISD campuses as "very safe".

"As I have said often, when you work with people, no matter what occupation, you should always be looking for a better way in all services. In GISD, we are continually reviewing our emergency operations planning in all areas to stay current in safety practices," Strozier said. "There are not specific incidents that led to the initiation of Campus Eye."

Strozier said the ability to make an anonymous report is so important that it could be the difference in reporting at all.

"Anonymous reporting ability has been a practice in GISD," Strozier said. "We previously used TIP 411 and still are members of Crime Stoppers Hotline programming."

According to Strozier Campus Eye provides for the ability to have a direct link, even conversation with an administrator anonymously, as well as providing new technology that takes reporting to new levels.

"For example, we know exactly where the call is placed from if the caller needs assistance and provides the function ability," Strozier said. "Additionally, the ability to actually have a link to the administrator for follow up questioning and clarification is also new."

Sage Capital Bank has fully funded the purchase of this program and Gonzales ISD is proud to partner with them in providing this service to our students, faculty and staff.