Rocklin Unified School District updates its district safety committee

At the Oct. 19 Rocklin Unified School District board meeting, Associate Superintendent Marty Flowers presented the 2022 District Safety Update to the board and the public. The Rocklin Unified School District safety committee representatives are expected to report any questions or concerns received from teachers, parents, community members or the School Site Council regarding safety issues in their schools, according to Flowers. For fall 2022, Flowers presented the following school safety trainings that occurred: The Rocklin Police Department held two active shooter trainings at Granite Oaks Middle School on July 11 and Aug. 4. The Rocklin Teachers Professional Association and administrators observed. An updated Run, Hide, Fight training occurred at the district kick-off on July 28. The Rocklin Police Department helped train district-level leaders, who would then train their staff in August. The District Safety Committee advised that all classroom doors must be shut and locked during the school day. All departments (schools, maintenance, transportation, nutritional services) will continue to do yearly safety training drills.District representatives attended the School Safety Symposium hosted by the Sacramento Sheriff's Department and the FBI. Rocklin Unified School District spends "approximately $800,000 to $1,200,000 annually on safety," Flowers said. "This includes physical, emotional and cyber safety," such as school resource officers, mental health supports, site repairs such as door locks and alarm replacements, and online safety. Recommendations have been made from the District Safety Committee, District Leadership Team and Rocklin Teachers Professional Association about what to use the funds on, according to Flowers. They want to "provide consistent safety items at all schools, sustain and enhance current safety measures, and update all safety plans and training," according to Flowers' presentation. Their funding recommendations propose a total of $730,000 be spent on the above recommendations. The school board will see this as an actionable item at Nov. 16's school board meeting. Previously, "Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) prior to the 2017-2018 school year had a safety committee comprised of District Office personnel," according to the School Safety Committee Update. Recently, "administrators, teachers, lead custodians, Rocklin Teachers Professional Association and California School Employees Association representatives as well as parents, community members and Rocklin Fire and Police Department representatives" are included. The safety committee used to meet two times per year but now will meet four times a year. The first meeting was on Aug. 2 and the second was on Oct. 4. The next meetings are scheduled for January and May, according to Flowers.