TASRO News

Fellow TASRO Members,

As we head into the holiday season, I am grateful to work alongside the outstanding men and women who serve our communities and protect our schools every day. Your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to students do not go unnoticed.

With that being said, TASRO continues to monitor the implications of Senate Bill 571, which became law in 2025 and changed child abuse reporting requirements, including requiring reports to be made to law enforcement agencies outside of school district police departments. While the law does not categorically prohibit ISD police departments from investigating these cases, it requires coordination with the "appropriate outside law enforcement agency". While TASRO supports transparency, accountability, and the protection of children, we are absolutely advocating for the integrity, professionalism, and investigative authority of school-based law enforcement.

Please take a moment to read the article from our TCOLE Coordinator, Jeff Foley, titled “Our Badge Has Not Changed.” It emphasizes the important role school-based law enforcement plays in keeping our campuses safe.

On a lighter note, we hope everyone survived Shocktober and is looking forward to some well-deserved food, fun, and time with loved ones this holiday season.

As always, thank you for your service and for being part of the TASRO family. If there is anything we can do to support you, please reach out to one of our Regional Directors or any board member!

Wishing you and your families a safe, happy, and restful Thanksgiving holiday!

With gratitude,

JD Simmons

President, Texas Association of School Resource Officers

jd.simmons@tasro.org

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." — Matthew 5:9

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" — Isaiah 6:8

Registration for our best conference yet is open now! Don't miss out on this awesome event!

Click HERE for more information!

We now offer a community forum feature in your Glue Up App! It works similarly to other social media apps in that there is a feed where people can post and comment, like, share, etc. You can also create specific groups for specific topics. This gives us a great way to communicate about successes, challenges, or questions throughout the year. Already we've had members posting about programs they are using and sharing ideas. Don't miss this opportunity to network and learn from each other!

TASRO launched a new website in 2025 and we want to ensure all of our users have the ability to access information!

If you attempt to Login, but the system will not allow you to, please click on the register button, and register your account. You should be able to locate your existing account through this process.

Once you have registered your account, you will be able to login with your username and password.

Once you have logged in, please go to your information screen and ensure we have your correct information.

We specifically ask that update your region (regional map located on the site), your birthdate, and your PID number.

For assistance with login, please email info@tasro.org

In addition to adding break-out sessions specifically related to your role as an SRO, this year

ALL ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE A FREE CONFERENCE SHIRT!

Courtesy of USA Advertising

Further suggestions?

Check out the online FORUM in the Glue-Up App. Let's start a conversation!

We recognize the importance of the partnerships our SROs have with their team of school administrators. TASRO is striving to offer training opportunities that benefit both SROs and school staff. We have added a new EDUCATOR tab under the "About Us" portion of our website. We also have educator specific resources under our "Resources" tab on the website.

We encourage you to invite your administrators and other relevant school leaders to our Annual School Safety Conference!

Each month we will be sharing valuable updates and resources. Some of the resources may be great for you. Some of the resources may be great to share with school staff, parents, or students. If you have specific questions related to Texas Education Code or school related matters, please feel free to submit questions to our Educator Representative- Dr. Stephanie Duer (sduer@esc6.net).

• Regular gratitude exercises, like journaling or writing thank-you notes, can boost happiness & enhance emotional wellbeing.
• Practicing gratitude shifts focus from negative to positive experiences, fostering resilience during challenging times.
• Incorporating gratitude into daily routines strengthens social bonds & increases overall life satisfaction.

Here are some activities to use with staff and students:

• Make a list- have students list 3 things they are grateful for. Make it part of your daily warm-up. After all, it works best when it is a daily practice.
• Thank you letters or notes- Have students write a thank you note to someone who has been helpful or someone they are grateful for. This is a great activity because it's good for the student to reflect on gratitude and its good for the person who receives the note as well!
• Class Gratitude Jar- Have students write down something they are grateful for on a slip of paper and place it in the jar each morning. On Fridays, pull 5 slips out of the jar and reflect on what we are grateful for.
• M&M's- Start each morning with a Marvelous & Magical moment. Have people volunteer to share their M&Ms.
• Peer Cheer & Shout-Outs: Partner students up to share one specific thing they appreciate or admire about each other that day, or set up a classroom shout-out board.
• ABCs of Thanks: Go around the room and have students name something they are grateful for starting with each letter of the alphabet from A to Z.
• Ten-Finger Count: Guide students to take a deep breath and extend one finger for each of the 10 things they are grateful for right now.

It's a busy season, all the more reason to prioritize self-care. We don't have time to slow down. We don't have time to be sick. So, be proactive and use these micro-resets during your day to make sure you are prioritizing your health so you can continue to be there for others.

Micro-Resets During the Day

• 1-3 minute breathing or grounding pauses

• Brief movement between sessions/classes

• Stepping outside or changing environment

• Noticing and releasing physical stress (body scan)

• Hydration and nourishment

Transition Rituals

• End-of-day decompression routine

• Music, silence, or intentional pause before going home

• Changing clothes or symbolic “reset”

• Setting a mental boundary: “Work stays here” (airplane mode)

• Brief pause before entering home (car or doorway)

To the Administrator Addressed Correspondence

89th Legislature Summary

SB12-Parent Rights

TEA Updates- School Safety & Security

Email: info@tasro.org
Website: www.tasro.org
Facebook: facebook.com/TASRO