McKinney, Texas — McKinney ISD is proud to announce that 12 of its schools have officially achieved the prestigious Project ADAM “Heart Safe School” designation. This major milestone marks the first phase of a district-wide safety initiative committed to certifying all of its campuses by the end of the school year.
Developed in partnership with Cook Children's Health Care System the Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillation in Adam’s Memory) program equips schools with the protocols and training necessary to prevent sudden cardiac death on school grounds. This proactive rollout comes as Texas public schools prepare for the full implementation of Senate Bill 865, also known as the Landon Payton Act, which mandates standardized Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs) and practiced drill procedures across the state.
The first 12 McKinney ISD campuses to complete the exhaustive safety checklist include:
Burks Elementary
Caldwell Dual Language Academy
Glen Oaks Elementary
Lawson Early Childhood School
Minshew Elementary
Press Elementary
Reuben Johnson Elementary
Walker Elementary
Wilmeth Elementary
Dowell Middle School
Evans Middle School
Scott Johnson Middle School
To earn individual Heart Safe designations, each of these 12 campuses completed a rigorous series of safety assessments. Every school established a designated Cardiac Emergency Response Team, placed highly visible Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) within rapid reach and put staff through extensive hands-only CPR and AED operational training. Crucially, these schools ran live, unannounced cardiac arrest drills to turn knowledge into reliable muscle memory.
Project ADAM Texas is spearheaded by Texas Children's Hospital, working to build cardiac emergency infrastructures across Texas communities.
By standardizing these safety measures, McKinney ISD is actively bridging the gap between a cardiac event and the arrival of emergency medical personnel. The district plans to announce subsequent campus certifications as the school year progresses.