Spokane Schools Preparing To Face The Unthinkable Officials Work To Get State, Federal Grants To Add Security Officers For Middle Schools

Spokane School District 81 is beefing up security with help from a veteran police officer, who is now the district’s top cop.

Administrators also plan to apply for federal money to put police officers in the district’s six middle schools and for programs for hard-to-control kids.

Plans for increasing security were in motion well before Tuesday’s mass shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, but Spokane educators say they’re shoring up to avoid similar violence and events that might lead to it.

“We’re really excited,” said Joe Madsen, the district’s transportation and safety director. “We’re poised to do an awful lot with safety and security.”

Rob Alderson, who spent 25 years with the Spokane Police Department before coming to District 81 in February, will be the district’s point man should Spokane ever face a crisis like the one outside Denver, authorities say.

He’d set up a command post, document and photograph the scene, coordinate with hospitals and serve as the district’s liaison with police, Madsen said.

His routine duties include coordinating the work of security officers already in the district’s six high schools.

Alderson, a former police academy trainer, said he’ll pass on his expertise in investigating crimes, writing police reports and deciding whether misdeeds qualify for discipline or arrest.

“It’s kind of like a foreman in a union,” he said, describing his role. “I’m holding them to higher standards.”

Alderson will earn $44,967 a year, including training and clothing stipends. Medical, dental and other standard benefits amount to another $11,851, Madsen said. He also will have a school district car around-the-clock.

He’ll work alongside three district-wide security officers with offices in the downtown administration building.

Alderson will also help complete detailed security reviews of all District 81 schools, which cover everything from lighting to locks to alarm systems. Pratt Elementary’s review has already been completed; fencing and outside lighting were added as a result.

Madison Elementary’s report is being completed and a review is planned for Hutton Elementary before the school year ends.

The remaining schools will get their turn next school year, with improvements being made over the next three to five years, Madsen said.

District administrators are also working with city officials to apply for federal money that could lead to officers in middle schools, Associate Superintendent Mark Anderson said.

At the same time, they’re worried about losing a state grant that has paid for the high school officers for six years.

Anderson believes the money will be spread among more districts next year, leaving Spokane with less “because neither the governor nor state schools superintendent put more money in their budgets for security,” Anderson said.

If the district loses the more than $200,000 in grant money, it’ll probably dig into the general budget to keep the officers, he said.

“We’ve become too dependent on the service they provide at the high schools. They’ve been a very good deterrent for keeping nonstudents off campus, which has tended to be our highest security issue.”

In an effort to get middle school officers, administrators are working with the police department, which would apply for the state grant in conjunction with the school district, Anderson said.

If that works out, new city officers would be placed directly in the schools, and possibly in Libby Center and Bancroft Center, where classes for disruptive students are held, he said.

Herb Rotchford, principal at Sacajawea Middle School, said he’d love to have an officer working with kids at the South Hill school.

“I don’t really envision a security officer walking the halls in uniform, playing the role of a (typical) policeman,” he said.

An officer could, however, develop a rapport with kids and stop crises before they start, Rotchford said. And he would’ve loved to have an officer on hand the time a student shot a hole through his own pants and the floor a few years ago.

“I think it’d be a tremendous addition to middle schools,” he said.

These 2 sidebars appeared with the story:

1. RESOURCES FOR SAFETY The following is a list of resources for parents and students. The list was compiled earlier this year for “Learning the Hard Way,” a cooperative effort of The Spokesman-Review and newspapers statewide.

Resources for parents Mothers Against Violence in America (MAVIA). Founded in 1994, the nonprofit organization has its headquarters in Seattle and chapters in more than 30 communities. It’s dedicated to reducing youth violence through preventive education and grass-roots advocacy. Contact 800-897-7697 or www.mavia.org. Washington State PTA. Connects parents and educators and provides information on legislation and child advocacy. Contact 800-562-3804 or wastatepta.org.

Resources for students Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE). Student organization to combat violence. Sponsored by Mothers Against Violence in America. Contact 800-897-7697 or www.mavia.org/save.htm. Peace It Together. Youth-geared Internet site provides links to violence prevention resources, a chat room, a gallery of youth art, an interactive comic strip and a Web Zine. Produced by Harvard School of Public Health and the Education Development Center. Contact at phoenix.mcet.edu/peace/index.html.

Crisis hotlines Youth Crisis Hotline. Provides 24-hour counseling and referrals. Contact 800-448-4663. Kid Save. Provides 24-hour referrals and counseling for parents and youth. Contact 800-543-7283.

Other Resources Washington Family Policy Council. The council is comprised of legislators, heads of state agencies, a representative of the governor’s office and the superintendent of public instruction. It’s charged with making systematic changes to improve outcomes for children and families. The council works with the state’s Community Public Health and Safety Networks, which are volunteer boards. Contact 360-407-0809 or www.wa.gov/ fpc. Washington Ceasefire and Ceasefire Foundation of Washington. Provide information on gun violence and sponsor youth-oriented events with anti-violence themes. Contact Washington Ceasefire at 206-322-7564 and the Ceasefire Foundation at 206-322-1236 or www.waceasefire.org. Committee for Children. The nonprofit organization, based in Seattle, conducts research, trains educators and provides information for the prevention of child abuse and youth violence. Contact 800-634-4449, www.cfchildren.org. Center for the Study and Teaching of At-Risk Students (C-STARS). A cooperative effort between the University of Washington and Washington State University. Professors work with schools and community organizations to develop and evaluate partnership models that unite schools, social service organizations and health agencies. Contact 509-335-0184 in Pullman or 206-543-3815 in Seattle. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. This Portland-based nonprofit organization provides resources and development assistance on a variety of educational topics. It was recently awarded a grant to operate a national school safety center. Contact 503-275-9500 or www.nwrel.org. National School Safety Center. Affiliated with Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., the nonprofit organization offers training and information for creating safe schools. Contact 805-373-9977 or www.nssc1.org. Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior at University of Oregon. Provides information on components of violence. Contact 541-346-3592. Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at University of Colorado. Compiles resources and offers assistance for the development and evaluation of violence prevention programs. Web site provides extensive list of links to related resources. Contact 303-492-8465 or www.colorado.edu/ cspv. Center for Adolescent Studies at Indiana University. Provides workshops and resources for students, parents, counselors and educators on violence prevention, peer mediation, health issues and more. Contact 812-856-8113 or education.indiana.edu/cas/ cashmpg.html.

2. TIPS FOR PARENTS The following is a list of tips for parents on how to create safe schools. The list was compiled earlier this year for “Learning the Hard Way,” a cooperative effort of The Spokesman-Review and newspapers statewide. The National School Safety Center’s Web site at www.nssc1.org and “Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools,” created by the U.S. departments of Education and Justice, offer tips to help parents create safe schools. The guide is available on the Web at www.air-dc.org/cecp/guide or by calling 877-433-7827.

Here are some of the suggestions for parents: Keep an open line of communication with your child. Review homework. Attend teacher-parent conferences, parent-teacher association meetings, school programs and school board meetings. Become a member of a community violence prevention group. Take part in parenting classes. Schools and community counseling agencies often provide training in resolving conflicts with children. If no such class exists in your community, start one. Discuss the school’s discipline policy with your child. Show support for the rules and help children understand the reasons for them. Help children understand the consequences of violence. Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television, in video games and possibly the neighborhood. Get to know your child’s friends and talk with their parents. Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be exhibiting troubling behaviors. Share this information with a school counselor, principal, teacher or other trusted professional. Enroll children in programs provided by schools, church groups, youth clubs, sports organizations or city recreation programs. Such activities build self-esteem and help children make friends. If no such programs exist, encourage schools to start them. Provide care for youths in your neighborhood before or after school or during weekends. Become a foster parent or an advocate for children from broken homes through a juvenile court. Find out whether your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities.

Here are tips for students: Listen to your friends if they share troubling feelings or thoughts. Encourage them to get help from a trusted adult, such as a school counselor, church leader or other professional. If you are very concerned, seek help. Share your concerns with your parents. Create or join student organizations that combat violence. Work with local businesses and community groups to organize youth-oriented activities. Organize an assembly and invite your school counselor and students to share ideas about how to deal with violence, intimidation and bullying. Participate in student mentor groups like Natural Helpers or be a tutor for peers or younger children. Ask for permission to invite a law enforcement officer to your school to conduct a safety audit and share safety tips. Participate in activities that promote student understanding of differences and that respect the rights of all. Be a role model. Know your school’s code of conduct and act responsibly.