Hays CISD’s partnership with Lightspeed Systems® began with Lightspeed FilterTM as an extension of their current on-premises firewall filtering capabilities. As the IT Department learned more about Lightspeed Alert, an at-risk student identification solution that monitors and analyzes student online activity for signs of self-harm, violence, and bullying, they realized this was something their district needed and spearheaded an initial pilot of the solution. “We were surprised because we didn’t really know what to expect. But when we saw the things that were going on, it was eye- opening,” recalls Kris Peterson, Director of Administrator Support. Within weeks, they gathered enough data to support the district-wide implementation of the solution for online student safety.

Hays CISD leverages Lightspeed Alert’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology to scan online student activity—across web browsers, social media, YouTube, and Google and Microsoft productivity apps—and flag potential risks and threats for further review. This comprehensive coverage gives the district visibility into warning signs they would not normally see. “Externally, kids might not show signs that something’s going on, but they’re confiding in their devices these days, and we had no way to monitor that,” says John Gonzalez. In fact, shortly after implementing Lightspeed Alert, Gonzalez noticed that many flagged alerts came from searches and web activity, underscoring the potential signs of students suffering they would have previously missed.

The district’s process for managing alerts has evolved over time with increased collaboration and communication across departments to promote online student safety. “This is a brand-new thing for us. This is new digital information that we didn’t have access to in the past. And we originally had no idea what we were getting into,” admits Gonzalez.

What began as a two-person IT team reviewing all alerts and then delegating to the appropriate campus personnel has expanded into a cross-functional team effort. At the district level, the offices of the Director of Counseling, Chief of Safety and Security, and IT are now involved, as well as counselors, principals, and assistant principals at each campus level. Notification and case management features enable the central office to easily delegate alerts to campus staff based on self-harm or violence and confirm action has been taken. Designated district and campus personnel can then review alert details, view recent web searches and site history, and update case notes.

Lightspeed Alert’s human review component has been essential to the district’s satisfaction with online student safety. Flagged alerts are sent to both designated district personnel and Lightspeed’s team of highly trained safety specialists. These safety specialists evaluate alerts 24/7/265 and immediately escalate all high-risk or imminent threats to the district. This both expands staff bandwidth by taking the initial alert triage off their plate and prioritizes urgent concerns.

“Initially, our counselors were getting emails after hours, and they didn’t know how to handle it. We now delay notifications until the next business morning. For example, if an incident occurs on Friday at 8 PM, they won’t get that alert until Monday at 7 AM. But if it’s a critical event, we know a Lightspeed Safety Specialist will call us about it. This has reduced staff anxiety about missed alerts,” explains Gonzalez. With the peace of mind that the most pressing concerns will be prioritized and escalated to the appropriate district contacts, staff can devote more time to building relationships and creating a safe and connected school environment for all students.