External Members
Ms. Beverly Cook, Vice President, United Teachers Los Angeles
Mr. Lawrence Jarmon, Community Representative, Los Angeles Community College District

Staff Present
Mr. Willie Crittendon, Administrator, School Operations and Safety
Ms. Maria Reza, Assistant Superintendent, Student Health and Human Services
Mr. Angelo Bellomo, Director, Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Lt. Steve Dodson, School Police Department
Mr. Secundino Garcia, Program Analyst, Independent Analysis Unit

Gene Krischer, Friends of the Children, commented on the security grille issue.

Richard Lieberman, School Psychologist, Suicide Prevention Unit, gave an overview on the unit (a one person unit) and its impact. He urged the Board not to close this unit.

The Committee Members expressed their comments and questions. Mr. Tokofsky requested additional information on the position - the time element involved, the funding source, and the agencies he interacts with. Ms. Canter suggested looking into other avenues of funding, and other ways to provide support staff in order to provide services to students before they reach the point of suicide.

UPDATE: SAFE SCHOOL INSPECTION PROGRAM

Mr. Bellomo briefly referenced the clearing of new school sites for acquisition and construction. To date, 134 sites, of 158 sites, have been cleared for acquisition funding, and 107 sites have been cleared for construction funding. He then presented an update on the Safe School Inspection Program. There are several meanings to what constitutes a safe school. The District has an integrated approach for school safety. The safety managers who are responsible for other aspects of a safe school have collaborated in the preparation of documents being distributed to schools.

The OEHS is working on a three step plan for improving school safety. Mr. Bellomo reviewed each step:

Step 1 - Define Safety Standards, which was the publishing of the Safe School Inspection Guidebook. This guidebook is a compilation of Federal and State regulations, specific guidance on compliance, and covers 20 safety-related areas.
Step 2 - Implement Safe School Plans in each of the District's 900 Schools. A model plan was developed from the guidebook for schools to assist administrators in complying with these requirements.

Step 3 - Periodically Assess Compliance with Standards. The OEHS conducts periodic school inspections. The school is notified of the inspection findings, specific areas of non-compliance, and any necessary corrective actions.

Proper implementation of the Environmental Health and Safety Plan by school staff will help ensure compliance with Federal, State, and District safety standards, it will reduce the potential for injuries to students and staff, and it will provide a school environment that is conducive to learning.

The Committee Members expressed their comments and questions.

Speakers

Mike Saulenas, commented on asbestos in floor tiles, and the equipment used for detecting asbestos in the District.

SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND SAFETY

In order to improve communications within the District, Mr. Crittendon along with Mr. Bellomo, and the former Chief of Police, started to convene a monthly Safety Managers meeting. He introduced the following safety managers:

Pete Andersen, Emergency Services
Lt. Keith Moore, School Police
Diane Doi, Food Services
Bob Hamm, Maintenance and Operations
Dr. Shobha Naimpally, Student Health and Human Services
Richard Cochran and Sabrina Thomas, Channel 58/KLCS
Yvonne Garrison, School Traffic and Safety
Donna Zamor, Classified Training
Don Davis, Legal Services
Barbara Fiege, Athletic Office
Karen Maiorca, Nursing Services

By March 1 of each year, every school must develop a safe school plan. The District has gone beyond the yearly requirement and is requesting schools, on a quarterly basis, for their modifications. This was done to ensure that students, teachers, parents, and community know that there is a safe school plan and what it entails.

Mr. Crittendon commented that there is new identification to be given to every employee and every student in the District.

STUDENT LOCKERS

Jackie Barham, Facilities Division, commented on student lockers for new school construction.
In October, 1999, a series of workshops with stakeholder groups began to determine what will go into the new schools. After four meetings, working through the Office of Instruction, a smaller group consisting of representatives from UTLA, secondary administrators, child development, and athletics office was formed. They meet on a weekly basis to review various components for new schools, and the issue on student lockers came up. Many of the educators at the local schools have a divergent opinion on student lockers. For example, in 1997, when South Gate High School was approved for construction, it did not have lockers as part of the programmatic design, but when Jefferson New Middle School opened in 1998, they did have lockers, and the principal refused them, and the lockers were never put in.

The Committee Members expressed their comments and questions. The Committee concurred that there should be a policy on lockers. Mr. Crittendon advised that lockers are a local decision.

UPDATE: SCHOOL SAFETY PLANNING COMMITTEE

Ms. Helen Fallon, Safety Planning Committee, commented on the locker issue, and reiterated the issue of identification cards, suggesting that their use should be enforced. She commented on the installation of safety latches on security grilles, the policy on medication, and pending legislation allowing students to carry cellular phones on campus.

The Committee Members expressed their comments and questions. Ms. Korenstein asked staff to schedule, for the next committee meeting, an update on identification cards, security grilles, and clarification on the medication policy.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Craig Boyd, Secured Entry, introduced a digital weapons detection system, that could deter crime, stop guns and heavy metals from entering any site. The company have been working with Mr. Crittendon and Detective Stevens, and a unit was placed in the front of Gardena High School on a trial basis. The unit could be upgraded with additional software for facial recognition. The device is portable and could be placed in any venue. The unit will cost less than a dollar per student per month to operate. Mr. Boyd invited the Committee Members to view the unit which was placed in front of the Board Room.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.m.
BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
Governing Board of the Los Angeles Unified School District

Committee Members Committee Contact Person
Julie Korenstein, Chairperson Willie Crittendon, Administrator
Marlene Canter School Operations and Safety
David Tokofsky Richard Page, Interim Police Chief
Caprice Young Angelo Bellomo, Director
Environmental Health and Safety
External Members Maria Reza, Assistant Superintendent
Beverly Cook, Vice President Student Health and Human Services
United Teachers Los Angeles Secundino Garcia, Program Analyst
Lawrence Jarmon, Community Representative Independent Analysis Unit

The Committees may consider and act upon motions, Board Reports, or other business referred to it by the Board of Education or Committee of the Whole, with respect to any properly posted matter at a meeting immediately preceding this committee meeting, where the time between that meeting and this committee meeting is less than 72 hours. Members of the public are encouraged to review the order of business or agenda for the meetings of the Board of Education or Committee of the Whole.