Our children's safety is always a priority

For obvious reasons, the safety of the children in our schools is always on the minds of parents and staff. They want to know what we are doing to make sure our students are safe after they are dropped off in the morning. Many California schools represent a significant challenge due to the layout of our campuses. When schools were built in California, they took advantage of our great weather and were built in wide open campuses, with many classrooms leading to the outside rather than into a central building that can be easily secured.

With everything that is in the news these days, we have put some thought into how to make our campuses more secure and how to provide an environment conducive to learning. The investment enabled by Bond Measure L has allowed us to add some features to our campuses. For example, we have made sure that all of our elementary schools are completely enclosed by fencing that is at least 6 feet tall. Access is limited to one main gate during the day, so that any visitors to our schools must stop in the office first before going anywhere else. It is important to be able to keep track of who is coming and going while students are at school. 

This year, we installed security cameras at each of our 13 schools. We have also installed simple lock-down devices on the inside of each classroom door, so that teachers can easily and quickly secure their classroom in case of an emergency. 

A couple years ago, I helped BUSD secure a grant to buy and install Automated External Defibrillators at each of our district sites, including the District Office, Central Kitchen, and Maintenance Yard. Our staff has been trained in their use, in case anybody is the victim of sudden cardiac arrest. We also have added a second district nurse to make sure we are able to adequately care for our 7000 students.

The social and emotional well-being of students is important to maintaining a safe learning environment. Therefore, we have invested in social workers at each of our 13 schools. Along with our counseling staff, these valuable employees are able to work with students who are a behavioral risk, which reduces incidents that lead to unsafe interaction between students. We have also put in place an anonymous reporting service at our middle schools so our students can report bullying and other 

I am very proud of all the enhancements we have put in place during my tenure on the Board to keep our students safe and secure. I will continue to make the safety of our students a priority.