Central Valley School Staffers Get Tips On Heading Off Violence

Central Valley School District’s 1,100 employees got a lesson Tuesday on how to keep violence out of schools.

Their instructor was Jesus Villahermosa, a deputy sheriff in Tacoma who stressed taking a proactive approach to preventing violence. He’s delivered his message to 50,000 school employees, students, parents and business groups nationwide.

“Proactive is not something you just choose to be,” Villahermosa told CV’s staff, who gathered Tuesday at Central Valley High School’s gym. “You have to choose to be it every day. It’s a commitment to safety.”

A recent spate of youth violence has forced school officials to re-examine security and safety policies. The latest example of extreme youth violence in the Valley occurred Aug. 20. Three youths were injured by shots fired by occupants of a passing car at the intersection of Argonne and Buckeye.

This year, security personnel will patrol the halls of all Valley high schools.

Much of Villahermosa’s training centered on how to handle campus visitors, who officials blame for many of the problems at their schools.

Role playing with staff members and keeping the audience laughing with a steady stream of jokes, the 5-foot-6, 130-pound Villahermosa demonstrated safety techniques.

Those techniques included hand signals staff should use to alert each other to potential danger. He also told them how to break up a fight and how to keep spectator students under control during a fight.

At the very least, Villahermosa said, staff members will know how to approach visitors to the campus.

Villahermosa also strongly advocated a “zero tolerance” policy toward fighting which he said would return authority to teachers. Under the policy, when a teacher approaches a fight and orders the crowd to disperse, anyone who does not leave immediately receives the same punishment as the fighters.

When he explained the policy, the crowd broke into wild applause. CV spokesman Skip Bonuccelli said the school board is exploring the possibility of a zero tolerance policy in the district.

“The first staff member to get hurt by a campus intruder, you will adopt this policy. Proactive or reactive?” Villahermosa asked the crowd.

“Reactive,” they replied in unison.

“You see folks,” Villahermosa said. “We have the time now.”

This is the first time the entire CV staff, including janitors, secretaries and teachers, has been addressed on campus safety and violence prevention.

“It was wonderful,” said Cathy Holmes, a secretary at Chester Elementary who said she felt more secure after Villahermosa’s presentation. In a violent incident, she said, “I’d have a plan instead of a big void or blur.”

“It was great,” agreed John Moore, a teacher at Greenacres Junior High. “(Villahermosa) was open about things that we’ve been trying to ignore.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TAKING CONTROL Here is some of Jesus Villahermosa’s advice to school staff on handling violent or potentially violent situations: Walk briskly, do not run, to a fight. Running increases feeling of panic and decreases authority. Address youths fighting at school by name to show them that you know who they are. Do not allow students to address you by your first name. This diminishes your authority. In breaking up a fight, put hands out first. Most injuries sustained by staff members are to the head. Ask another staff member to accompany you when approaching visitors to the school. There’s safety in numbers. Use agreed-upon hand signals to alert other staff members and help them understand the nature of a situation - for example, to tell a staff member passing in the hall that a campus visitor is not cooperating with you. Always behave professionally. Students emulate adults.