Humboldt school board discusses school safety, upcoming election
The Humboldt Middle School custodial team was recognized at the Sept. 15 Humboldt Community School District School Board meeting for their work to complete the playground at the middle school. (l-r) Denise Nusser, Dana Westphal, Molly Peaton, Larry Madison and Board President Tate Satern. Independent photo.
By KYLIE PORTZ
HUMBOLDT - District safety updates and the upcoming elections were the main topics of discussion at the Humboldt Community School District School Board of Directors regular meeting on Sept. 15.
Board President Tate Satern started the meeting by recognizing the janitorial staff for their efforts in completing the new playground at the middle school.
High School Assistant Principal Jessica Goodenow and School Resource Deputy Michael Vinsand then presented the board with updates on district safety.
School Resource Deputy Report
Deputy Vinsand discussed the first few weeks of school and the success of the Safety Day event the middle school and Taft Elementary.
He explained that one of the things emphasized was criminal consequences within the school.
He said, “I think one important thing, Jim (Murray) talked to me this summer about, making sure that the kids understand that they can be charged with a crime just like they could out in public.”
“That’s a reality that whether it’s assault or criminal mischief, harassment, that just because you’re in school, that doesn’t mean that you can get away with whatever you want,” Vinsand said.
So far this year, according to Deputy Vinsand, there haven’t been any major issues in the parking lot.
He said he has, “given out a lot of warnings and they seemed to be receptive to it this year a lot more than they were last year as far as driving recklessly or rolling through that stop sign and stuff like that.”
Assistant Principal Goodenow said, “In our discipline matrix that we use in all of the buildings it does have school resource deputy listed on there as whether it’s notification or following through with some type of citation. And Micheal (Vinsand) has helped us when there have been a couple situations that needed his input and his presence in there too, event with parents so far this school year.”
Superintendent Murray expressed his gratitude for the presence of Deputy Vinsand on campus and stressed the importance of emphasizing that students understand right from wrong and the consequences for committing crimes on school grounds.
Board President Tate Satern said, “I can tell you from a community perspective that I’m happy you’re in there, Michael (Vinsand) and then from a district perspective, I think I would find a very hard time finding anybody in here that would disagree with that.”
School Safety, Relocation and Reunification
Assistant Principal Goodenow then updated the board on district safety plans and procedures.
She shared that over the weekend, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management used the middle school to facilitate some crisis training scenarios.
She said, “And that leads right into what I’m going to talk about with what we’re doing for safety this year and what we are working on with our district crisis team. He’s (Deputy Vinsand) a vital member and so are the people that joined over the weekend to practice in our building on reunification.”
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