ALAMOSA — Last week marked the first full week that four of five security guards contracted for service were on duty at Alamosa School District sites, including Alamosa Elementary School K-2, Alamosa Elementary School 3-5, Ortega Middle School, Alamosa High School, and Alamosa Alternative School/Alamosa Online School.
The security guards, who spent weeks in training, are employees of Aquilla Protective Services hired for the duration of the semester. In addition to being in the various schools interacting and getting to know students, they will also have a presence at student activities and will be seen patrolling school grounds in their vehicles.
In a “Mean Moose Message” posted for ASD students, staff and parents, Superintendent Diana Jones reminded the community that the first priority of “Focus Area Two” of the district’s strategic plan states that Alamosa students will learn in a “safe, supportive, and collaborative culture where systems of support are provided for their social-emotional, physical, and mental wellness.”
As part of the Focus Area Two, the question of how to best address school security was a topic of a number of ASD Board of Education meetings where board members and district executive leadership considered a variety of options along with input from various staff members.
The board approved hiring armed security guards to be placed in the different schools with Jones referencing contracting with Aquilla Protective Services as an “additional layer of safety and security at school sites” that further enhances the district’s commitment to the wellness of all students.
Commitment to safety and support is a core belief that Superintendent Jones and Assistant Superintendent Luis Murillo have referenced in numerous statements and conversations, including interviews with the Valley Courier.
Other tenets of the approach are evidenced in initiatives such as adopting the “I Love You Guys” safety protocol, a crisis response program created through the research-based best practices of school administrators, public space safety experts, families and first responders. The district has also purchased “red bags” that provide teachers (including substitutes) with materials necessary to connect with administration and care for students while in a crisis and a radio system that facilitates staff communication directly with local dispatch.
As part of a longer-term approach to safety and support, ASD has hired onsite counsellors for all the schools and implemented programs to increase parent engagement.
In her message, Jones encouraged students to introduce themselves to the security guards. She also thanked the board for their support in allocating funding to make the hiring of security guards possible and expressed gratitude to the guards who will be on duty to “serve and protect our Mean Moose family.”
