School Resource Officers Return to VUSD Campuses
School Resource Officers Return to VUSD Campuses
Dr. Cheree McKean, Executive Director of Student Support Services
Vista Unified welcomed back SROs (School Resource Officers) to its campuses this school year. SROs assist the school administration in maintaining safe and secure environments for students and staff. While stationed at our high schools, SROs are available to support students at any of Vista’s schools.
SRO Kleppe with students at Mission Vista High School
The SRO team is centered on one goal: building confidence and trust with our students, families, and school community.
Research from the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments shows that building strong, healthy relationships with students has safety benefits that reach beyond the school day. To that end, our SROs want to be seen as a positive presence with students. With SROs on campus, students have the opportunity to look beyond a uniform and see caring adults who are there to help.
An Investment In Trusted Relationships
The mission of bringing back SROs was two-fold. One purpose is to ensure an added level of safety on our school campuses. The second is to provide role models and mentors for students.
A critical outcome of seeing trust and confidence grow in the student-SRO relationships is that students have more trusted adult figures in which students can confide.
Deputy Hernandez with students at Rancho Minerva Middle School
“They are another trusted adult figure students can confide in,” Rancho Minerva Principal Christina DeSanto says. “It's been amazing to watch the student-SRO relationships grow from one of ‘I'm not sure about you’ to ‘Can I ask you a question about...?’ It is not uncommon to see our scholars standing around our SRO during their free time.
“Our SRO strives to build positive relationships with scholars by engaging in informal conversations,” continues DeSanto. “This can include casual chats in the hallways, during lunch, or at school events. Building rapport helps scholars feel comfortable approaching the SRO with concerns.”
Providing Resources & Support
In addition to building rapport with students, SROs assist schools with the mission of creating safe campuses. SROs provide feedback on school safety plans and participate in monthly safety drills. The overall goal is for students to see SROs as part of the fabric of the school culture and not merely as enforcers of the law. Being visible on campus encourages students to report areas of concern because they have favorable feelings toward SROs.
When schools are made aware of students who are dealing with difficult home situations, our SROs are leveraged to make contact with families to provide additional resources and support. Suppose a student is struggling with issues around making better choices. In that case, our SROs can tap into Diversion or the Jr. Deputies Programs where students participate in systems designed to reinforce positive actions.
“We greatly value the role of the School Resource Officers in building relationships and supporting safety on our school campuses. Each officer has already made significant progress building relationships with students and staff across the district”, says Dr. Matt Doyle, Superintendent of Schools.