SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) — For students in the Santa Rosa City School District, summer is officially over.
The new academic year begins on Wednesday and will look different than previous ones.
After numerous fights, gang problems and even a knife murder on campus in recent years, student safety is a top priority for the district.
“We’ve hired more staff. I think one of the biggest changes toward the end of last year was the changes in campus supervision,” said Omar Medina, chair of the SRCS school board.
He says that in addition to increasing staff numbers, the board also passed a measure that would allow police presence to return to campuses.
VIDEO: Masked teen intruder threatens Santa Rosa students with knife amid rising violence
Security problems and violence continue at Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa. According to police, a drunk 16-year-old boy wearing a ski mask trespassed and threatened a student with a knife.
Although this step is not yet feasible, it is a welcome sign for many parents.
“I think we’ve definitely been heard. I feel like there’s a willingness to listen and work together to improve,” Stephanie Taylor said.
Last school year saw numerous intense school board meetings where both parents and teachers expressed their safety concerns.
Kathryn Howell is the president of the Santa Rosa Teachers Association.
She is also satisfied with the district’s steps.
“We are trying to eliminate the danger, but also to remove the fear that children have that school is not a safe place,” Howell said.
VIDEO: Santa Rosa students demand more resources after fatal stabbing at school
After a 16-year-old was stabbed and killed at Montgomery High, Santa Rosa students, parents and teachers met to discuss school safety.
In addition to everyone’s safety, mobile phones were also an important topic of discussion.
According to Medina, two high schools in the district have new rules in place to limit cell phone use during class time.
“We’ve seen the impact of mobile phones in bullying, in linking to social media and in using them for recording,” he said.
While the measures are limited to each school, Medina believes a district-wide approach is needed.
“Parents want to be able to communicate with their children, and we have to find a balance,” says Medina.
Howell says she is excited to get started since so many new students are coming to the district for the first time.
“I want to be that teacher for someone. For someone who would otherwise fall through the cracks,” she said.
The district’s new superintendent is also expected to introduce herself to students on Wednesday.
Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.
