Phoenix Union High School District Next Gen Safety and Security in Phoenix Union The school safety landscape is constantly changing. There have been several school shootings in America in recent years – many in high schools. The tragedy in Florida in 2018 was one of the worst in the history of K-12 education. Social media and other virtual threats are on the rise. Immigration enforcement has caused great unrest and harm in many communities. Nationally, the school-to-prison pipeline, including disproportionality in discipline and law enforcement notifications, has yet to significantly improve. Racial and political tensions now leak into classrooms, cafeterias, and board rooms. Bullying, depression, anxiety, suicide, addiction, and mental illness are at an all-time high in this country. To add to the complexity, because of reductions at the federal, state, and local levels, funding for school safety has decreased significantly. Capital funding has been cut by 90% in Arizona. The state is still yet to fund schools at pre-recession levels. New dollars to schools are earmarked for the classroom only, not for safety and security. In addition, at one time, funding for School Resource Officers (SROs) was all but guaranteed; today, grant funding is very limited. In fact, in February of 2018, Phoenix Union was notified that the C.O.P.S. grant will be eliminated as of September 30, 2018. Phoenix Union has three officers funded by this grant. Students want to focus on learning. Teachers want to focus on teaching. Leaders want to focus on leading. Internal and external stakeholders, including parents, demand “safer” schools – socially, emotionally, physically, professionally, academically. In order to address these and other concerns and opportunities, Phoenix Union is implementing a new safety plan titled, Next Gen Safety and Security. The primary objectives of Next Gen Safety and Security are the following: 1) Increase overall campus and community safety 2) Enhance campus climate, culture, and care of both students and staff, including social and emotional wellness 3) Improve lockdown and crisis readiness 4) Improve security measures through technology 5) Decrease reliance upon School Resource Officers as a primary source of safety 6) Expedite the use of Restorative Practices district-wide There are several major components to Phoenix Union’s Next Gen Safety and Security plan: Infrastructure Component 1: Redesign campus entrances and perimeter fencing Component 2: Upgrade classroom and building door locking mechanisms Component 3: Replace and upgrade cameras and other technological security measures Updated Page 1 of 7 Phoenix Union High School District Disciplinary and Restorative Practices Component 4: Expand the Restorative Justice pilot; establish Restorative Justice regional trainers as well as a district-level regional Restorative Justice coach to support the Restorative Justice initiative Component 5: Train and develop teachers and other staff on restorative practices, traumainformed teaching, and other proactive strategies to improve connections with students Component 6: Conduct annual reviews of student discipline policies, student handbook language, and school discipline data to ensure progress on key indicators Safety and Security Personnel Component 7: Assign School Resource Officers (SROs) to Communities Component 8: Create a Safety & Security Specialist position on each comprehensive campus Component 9: Improve training and development as well as job descriptions for current personnel responsible for campus security Other Safety and Wellness Measures Component 10: Create specific safety and security systems for Evening School Component 11: Develop safety and security plans for evening, weekend, and holiday activities such as sporting events and open houses Component 12: Establish Resource Centers on every campus Infrastructure Component 1: Redesign Campus Entries, Perimeter Fencing, and Facilities The District is engaging the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center to conduct a full vulnerability assessment for each campus, DSF facilities, and CEE. This comprehensive threat assessment will be conducted at no cost to the district. The assessment will identify areas of vulnerability, specific to fencing, gates, entry locations, lighting, surveillance cameras, security alarm systems, windows, landscaping and visibility, doors and key controls. The assessment will also evaluate parking lot safety, specific to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. District Capital Override funds will be used where needed and as appropriate. Bond funding may also be used to address building and infrastructure deficiencies. During the 17-18 school year, District Bonds were dedicated to the redesign and upgrade of the entry points for the Trevor Browne and Desiderata administration. 2018 summer Bond projects will include redesign and upgrade of the campus entry points and parking for Central and Betty Fairfax. Updated Page 2 of 7 Phoenix Union High School District Component 2: Upgrade Locking Mechanisms All classroom doors that did not already have a locking mechanism have been completed with the exception of the South Mountain Academies renovation. One September 1st, a crew installed cylinders at all released classrooms. This will leave Building F as the only remaining building as it has not been released yet. Camelback administration (25 cylinders) has not been completed. This is special order hardware, and the quote has been requested. The final phase involves changing out any non-common locking cylinders, panic bar allen wrench locks or any other additional locks requested per campus. Over 4,000 cylinders have been installed District-wide. Component 3: Improve Security through Technology Phoenix Union will create and maintain a comprehensive integrated security and surveillance system to more effectively track visitors. Relying on sign- in sheets to manage and track visitors, volunteers, and vendors is an outdated process. Utilizing Bond and Override funds to purchase automated visitor management systems will allow our front desk staff to confirm visitors’ identification by using formal identification credentials. Credentialing will not include verification of citizenship, country of origin, or any other data point that may deter engagement or jeopardize the personal safety of a parent or community member. Guest badges will be digitized with photos, specific facility access, date, and name. Bond funds will be used to upgrade surveillance cameras and video systems that allow security teams to quickly set access permission levels and track cards for faculty, students, visitors, and vendors to know who is where and when. Security team members will also receive hand-held devices to quickly respond and communicate with the lead security team as they manage the day-to-day operations as well as during emergency situations. Technology updates will also include smoke, fire, intercom, and other life safety technologies. Disciplinary and Restorative Practices Component 4: Restorative Justice Coordinators and Trainers Expansion of the Restorative Justice Pilot In 2018-2019, expand the Restorative Justice pilot from two schools (Fairfax and Camelback) to five schools (adding Hayden, Bostrom, and Bioscience) School Coach Restorative Justice School Coaches is a program developer, facilitators of student groups and relationships, coordinators of program logistics and administration, and consultants & coaches to key school stakeholders around discipline and culture and climate systems. RJ School Coaches primarily work with students, teachers, and other key stakeholders to create and manage a school’s Restorative Justice programming to influence the school-community to become restorative, inclusive, and connected. Updated Page 3 of 7 Phoenix Union High School District When harm happens, RJ School Coaches, in partnership with administration and teachers, work directly with students to solve conflicts, discipline, and behavior situations with a student-centered, restorative approach. Before harm occurs, RJ School Coaches collaborate with key stakeholders to support schools in creating restorative climates for students, teachers, and staff through proactive restorative practices. Additionally, RJ School Coaches support administration in building staff capacity by providing coaching and professional development to school staff around the integration of Restorative Justice into school and classroom practices; and support the creation and implementation of systems and documentation practices related to Restorative Justice that ultimately serve as containers and operating procedures for restorative practices. Regional Trainers Phoenix Union High School District Regional Trainers are educators and skilled facilitators who effectively build capacity with staff to improve school culture and climate. Regional trainers will provide staff learning opportunities beyond contract time: after school and on weekends. Learning will focus around relationship-building. Facilitators will focus on having participants better understand their students both academically and socially. Participants will also reflect on their own beliefs, experiences, and values that impact their students. An essential outcome for this work is that students feel connected and maintain a positive working relationship with adults at school. Also, all teachers will build and maintain classrooms that are safe and where high levels of learning are taking place. Component 5: Teaching and Staff Training Create and deliver training and professional development for teachers and staff to enhance connections and relationships with students. Trainings will include, but may not be limited to, the following: A) Restorative Practices B) Trauma-Informed Teaching C) Adverse Childhood Experiences Component 6: Annual Review of Policies, Handbook, Data In order to ensure progress alignment, Phoenix Union will annually review the following: A) All Governing Board policies related to student discipline B) The Phoenix Union Student Handbook which provides guidance for students and staff on school rules, procedures, and discipline guidelines C) All major school discipline and school climate data (from suspension rates to student attendance to mandatory law enforcement notifications) Updated Page 4 of 7 Phoenix Union High School District Safety and Security Personnel Component 7: School Resource Officer (SRO) Placement Phoenix Union is developing a plan to create 5 School Safety Communities. These 5 Communities would be as follows: South: Academies at South Mountain, Cesar Chavez, Betty Fairfax East: Camelback, North, Central, Wilson, Coding Northcentral: Carl Hayden, Alhambra, Metro Tech, Linda Abril West: Maryvale, Trevor Browne City: Bioscience, Bostrom, Franklin, Desiderata Using the Communities model, Phoenix Union would no longer assign School Resource Officers to individual schools yet rather to School Safety Communities. SROs would support entire Communities as needed, not specific schools. The SRO assigned to the City Community would act as the lead SRO. Because of the number of students who attend in that area and because of the central location, the City SRO would serve in an even greater roaming capacity, supporting in any of the other School Safety Communities as needed. At the launch of the 2018-2019 school year, Phoenix Union would reduce the number of SROs from 12 officers to 9 officers. Placement of officers would be as follows: South: 2 Officers West: 2 Officers East: 2 Officers Northcentral: 2 Officers City: 1 Officer Throughout the implementation of Next Gen Safety and Security, the District would monitor school and community safety, discipline, suspension, and arrest data, and other relevant factors (such as annual surveys). If the data supports a further reduction of SROs, the following placement would occur, resulting in a reduction from 9 officers to 6 officers: South: 2 Officers West: 1 Officer East: 1 Officer Northcentral: 1 Officer City: 1 Officer Updated Page 5 of 7 Phoenix Union High School District If reduction of School Resource Officers has proven to be successful (per safety, discipline, suspensions, etc.), the District would further reduce the number of officers from 6 to 3 officers: South: 1 Officer West & City: 1 Officer Northcentral & East: 1 Officer Although School Safety grants are not guaranteed for various reasons, this phase-down plan could result in an annual savings of $200,000–$500,000. These program efficiencies will be used for the following: 1) Restorative Justice Coordinator stipends 2) Safety & Security Specialist salaries (the difference between Security Personnel and Safety & Security Specialist) 3) Training and job reclassification for current security staff 4) Increase student support programs such as drug and alcohol counseling Component 8: Safety & Security Specialists The Safety & Security Specialist position, although a new position, would not require an increase in staffing. Instead, Phoenix Union would transition one of its current Security Personnel positions to a Safety & Security Specialist position. This would have the smallest impact on the budget. The Safety & Security Specialist position would be filled by a Peace Officer and would align directly with the potential SRO phase-down timeline. Safety & Security Specialists would lead active shooter trainings, serve as the primary communicator with law enforcement, and navigate campus and community issues that require law-level expertise. The Safety & Security Specialist would not wear a uniform yet instead would wear a Phoenix Union-assigned security shirt. The Safety & Security Specialist could be armed (in the event of a tragic school shooting) yet firearms would not be visible to staff, students, or visitors. Finally, the Safety & Security Specialist would work 5 days per week and would be a Phoenix Union employee. Component 9: Security Personnel Training and Job Description Review Job descriptions will be revisited, re-written, and strengthened in order to heighten qualifications and expectations for security personnel. If necessary, positions may become reclassified. As a part of the review process of security personnel positions, Phoenix Union would establish a “base” at every campus that constantly monitors phones, cameras, and other potential emergencies. Phoenix Union would also consider the creation of specific security positions instead of multiple security personnel with the same duties. Phoenix Union would also develop a comprehensive training program for all security personnel with the assistance of Safety & Security Specialists and local law enforcement to improve day-to-day safety, security, climate, and interactions between students, staff, and community. Updated Page 6 of 7 Phoenix Union High School District Other Safety and Wellness Measures Component 10: Evening School Safety and Security A detailed plan would be created to ensure Evening School safety of staff and students. Plans would include communication protocols, use of radios for all personnel, and lockdown and evacuation procedures. Component 11: Community and Extra-Curricular Activity Safety A detailed plan would be developed to improve safety and security measures for staff, students, parents, and community during community and extra-curricular activities such as performances, sporting events, and open houses. Plans will include communication protocols, lockdown and evacuation procedures, and additional training for employees responsible for extra-curricular events. Component 12: Establish Resource Centers on Every Campus Using current support staff and wellness programming, including a significant annual investment from Blue Cross Blue Shield and Phoenix Union’s Insurance Trust, Phoenix Union will establish Resource Centers on every campus. Resource Centers will serve as resource, support, and crisis centers for staff and students, and will offer some of the following services and information: 1) At least one caring, compassionate adult trained in crisis management and de-escalation 2) A small, calming place to regroup and rejuvenate 3) Pamphlets, resource guides, and contact information for community resources a. b. c. d. Teen crisis hotlines Counseling services Immigration services Legal services 4) A list of staff who are trained and willing to assist staff and students in crisis that can be called upon during the school day for assistance The location and design of each Resource Center will vary and will be determined by each campus. Resource Centers may be located in counseling offices, support service or community liaison areas, etc. Updated Page 7 of 7