The Highline School District announced Tuesday (May 14) that “more extensive staff training and strong coordination with local law enforcement are the hallmarks of a proposal to improve safety and security” at local schools.
The proposal (download PDF here) will be presented to the community at a public meeting from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the ERAC Center on Monday, May 20.
“If adopted by the school board, the district Safety and Security plan would not bring major changes to staff structure,” reads an announcement. “It does call for significant improvements in the extent and types of training required of Safety and Security officers. It also outlines joint training and collaboration with local law enforcement agencies.”
The proposal includes a vision statement and guiding principles that emphasize building relationships with students as a way to prevent school violence. It envisions Safety and Security personnel as mentors who students trust to help them solve issues that could lead to conflicts at school. The plan includes a rigorous hiring process to ensure that the best candidates are selected as Safety and Security staff.
The proposal was developed after several months of study that included input from staff and community members. The police chiefs of Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, and SeaTac and the South Precinct Commander from the King County Sheriff’s Office gave input on the plan. Safety consultant Roger Baker, a retired Des Moines police chief, did an analysis of the current safety program and made recommendations for improvement.
The public is invited to learn about the proposal at a community meeting:
Monday, May 20, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
District Central Office (ERAC)
15675 Ambaum Blvd SW, Burien
As many of our Readers may recall, the school district recently denied reports that it was going to disarm its security guards – read our coverage about that here.