A longtime Hays County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) official has been tabbed to take over Hays CISD’s Director of Safety and Security position.
Jeri Skrocki, who has been with the HCSO since 1989, was hired by the district in July, filling the role held by Mountain City Mayor Phillip Taylor, who was killed in a vehicle wreck in March.
The position, created in 2018 following the Santa Fe High mass shooting, helps students and staff members in the district prepare for emergencies and keep district facilities safe and secure, according a press release.
“Our district is incredibly lucky to have Jeri joining our team. Her skill, experience, and leadership in terms of student and school safety is unrivaled,” said Superintendent Eric Wright.
During her 30-year tenure with the HCSO, Skrocki worked her way up to the rank of Lieutenant and most recently was supervisor of the county’s Criminal Investigations Division.
Skrocki helped to implement a single response protocol for school districts in Hays County, as well as managed the HCSO’s School Resource Officer program (SRO). Skrocki was recognized by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in 2018 for her role in coordinating the county-wide standard respose protocol.
Skrocki is a Master Peace Officer, a certified Mental Health Peace Officer, a certified expert in the area of child abuse, and a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) instructor with a record of several hundred hours of teaching law enforcement trainers. She is also the commander of the award-winning Hays County Crisis Negotiation Team.
Her volunteer work includes having served on the board of the Hays Caldwell Women’s Center. Skrocki holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University. She graduated with honors, completing her education in four years while working and paying for college on her own.
In a statement, Skrocki said she believes the community’s most precious resource is children and the dedicated men and women who serve them.”
Skrocki made the transition from the Hays County Sheriff’s Office to Hays CISD by working two days a week with the district in June. She started full-time at Hays CISD in mid-July.
