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Auburn School District outlines safety steps: SROs, sensors, counselors and communication tools
Summary
District leaders told a City of Auburn community meeting they have added school resource officers, campus safety staff, restroom vaping sensors tied to exterior cameras, mental-health counselors, and a parent communication platform to improve student safety.
Auburn School District leaders presented a package of safety measures Wednesday, saying they aim to reduce violence, vaping and other threats to students while improving family communication.
The district’s director of safety and security, Dean Ellens, said the district now has three full-time commissioned school resource officers who work for the Auburn Police Department, 12 campus safety officers employed by the district and one officer who rotates among the district’s 16 elementary schools. "We place [student and staff safety] at one of the highest levels," Ellens said.
District executive director Dave Halford described three new, district-wide steps he said were launched this school year: restroom vape sensors linked to exterior restroom cameras at secondary schools, a dedicated cybersecurity officer and expanded prevention staff for drug- and alcohol-related work. Halford said the vaping sensors were funded in part from a class-action settlement and that the district received "about a quarter of a $1,000,000" to start a pilot. He said principals reported the system was labor-intensive early on but that it has reduced incidents since rollout.
Halford also described an existing threat-assessment process used after violent incidents or specific threats: "We basically assess is that threat or is that activity ... a threat to our school? And if it is, what level is that?" The district uses the assessment to determine responses ranging from referral to mental-health resources to more serious disciplinary steps.
The district has implemented ParentSquare, a real-time family communication tool Halford and other staff said sends multilingual alerts by text or email for lockdowns, secure-and-teach messages and other urgent notices. "As soon as you enroll your student into our district, instantly you are signed up for that," Halford said.
Keisha, representing the city’s Office of Equity Engagement and Outreach, introduced the district presentation and said the information being shared came from community conversations held in all seven police districts. The school officials urged parents and residents to use the anonymous tip line the district highlighted; Halford said it has been used during both daytime and evening hours to take proactive action.
District leaders also emphasized prevention and extracurricular options as part of safety strategy. Halford said extracurricular clubs, free sports and other activities are intended to provide students positive after-school alternatives to gang involvement.
The presentation did not propose new binding policy changes or a vote at the meeting; staff said the work described is part of ongoing district operations and partnerships with Auburn Police and community organizations.
District leaders suggested several follow-ups for interested residents, including contacts through ParentSquare and campus safety liaisons.
