$2-Million Plans Made for School Safety

With nearly $2 million on the way from the state to improve school safety, Ventura County leaders met Wednesday to decide how to spend it.

Their conclusion: more counselors, more police officers and more surveillance cameras.

The school safety summit drew about 40 educators and representatives from law enforcement agencies to Vista Del Mar Hospital. The specter of Littleton, Colo., hung over the meeting. Since the April shooting, student safety has become an urgent priority for educators and police officers.

“When kids are scared, it’s not a good environment for learning, nor is it a good atmosphere for teaching,” said Assistant Dist. Atty. Greg Totten. “We need to recognize that these things can happen in Ventura County, and the more we can do to prevent these problems the better.”

Wednesday’s summit provided an opportunity for county leaders to figure out ways to do that, but the turnout was low. Only a quarter of Ventura County’s school districts were represented.

However, Simi Valley Supt. Joyce Mahdesian said the meeting was useful.

“Any time ideas are shared it’s helpful,” she said. “This is a community problem and it needs to have a community solution.”

With $100 million in state funding next year, California school district officials will have more resources to expand old programs and implement new ones. In 2000, each district will receive $40 more per student in grades eight through 12. For Ventura County schools, that adds up to almost $2 million.

The legislation says the money can be used to hire counselors or social workers, improve campus communication, expand staff training or form partnerships with law enforcement.

“No one group--not schools, law enforcement or mental health--can solve the problems alone,” County Superintendent of Schools Chuck Weis said Wednesday. “But if we collaborate, we can make a difference.”

Several of the districts have already spent or earmarked their share of the money to pay for school resource officers, fences, walkie-talkies, counselors or cell phones.

Fillmore Unified installed surveillance cameras and plans to hire an additional campus supervisor. Max Beaman, principal of Newbury Park High School, said he is considering implementing a conflict resolution program and improving campus communication through two-way radios or surveillance cameras.

Other county officials suggested expanding mentoring programs, training teachers in symptoms of depression, getting rid of lockers, practicing emergency drills and hiring more school resource officers.

“It’s a balance,” Sheriff Bob Brooks said. “Schools don’t want to be armed camps. But on the other side, some law enforcement presence is helpful.”

When police officers are a constant presence at school, students become more trusting of law enforcement, Brooks said. The Sheriff’s Department also helped schools review their safety plans and is taking aerial photos of campuses.

During Wednesday’s meeting, several officials also emphasized the importance of educating all children. In addition to providing mental health and substance abuse counseling for troubled students, schools must find a way to teach them.

“It is our mandate to educate all children, irrespective of their behavior,” said Superior Court Judge Steven Z. Perren, who supervises Juvenile Court. “It’s easy to educate the good student. That’s not why we’re here. We’re here because of the kids who are difficult to educate. We refer to them as at risk. It’s our job to remove those risks.”