RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Ahead of Richmond Public Schools’ first day of a new academic school year, school board members said that safety continues to be of the utmost importance.
Richmond Public School board member Jonathan Young says the district is excited to welcome approximately 20,000 students back to school for the 2023-2024 academic school year.
While many will begin their first day on Monday, Aug. 21, three schools have already begun, including Fairfield Elementary School, Cardinal Elementary School, and charter school — Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts.
“Before we can even address learning and learning laws, we’ve got to keep out students safe,” Young said.
While Young said he believes this year will be an extraordinary one for students and families, he couldn’t help but acknowledge the academic year that just ended.
“In the preceding school year, we experienced real trauma; tragedy. It culminated in international news,” Young said.
Young referred to the tragic and deadly Huguenot High School graduation mass shooting in June, which killed 18-year-old Shawn Jackson and his stepfather, 36-year-old Renzo Smith, a little more than two months before students head back for a new school year.
However, the devastating shooting only magnified the grief felt prior as Young reminded folks at home of the incidents months before and at the beginning of the school year.
“We experienced a homicide at George Wythe,” Young said. “We experienced a shooting and loss of life outside of Westover Hills Elementary.”
To tackle the ongoing crisis of crime amongst students, the Richmond Public School Board spent the summer vacation discussing ways to provide greater safety in schools.
A 15-point safety, improvements and enhancements plan was outlined by Superintendent Jason Kamras and introduced by school safety officials on July 10 to bring about greater protection for students and their families.
Some members of the school board opted for the plan to be reviewed further, stating concerns of missing components, such as side doors.
“At George Wythe High School, there’s so many doors, so many ways people are able to get in and it’s very likely that the loaded gun that was discovered came in through a side door,” Richmond Public School Board member Kenya Gibson said in a one-on-one interview.
Monday, August 14, a revised plan was proposed and adopted, a week before the start of the new school year.
“All of our stakeholders are going to see additional personnel in our buildings, that includes additional safety support specialists, they’re going to see eventually as many as 25 additional mental health support professionals,” Young said.
Along with increased and new safety additions, a change in cellphone use will begin for five schools in the city’s district.
A cellphone pilot program to curb the use of mobile devices will begin at the following schools:
- Dogwood Middle School
- John Marshall High School
- Martin Luther King Middle School
- Open High School
- River City Middle School
“For the duration of the day, we will preclude our students access to that device—again this pertains to the second semester,” Young said, “They are being used to cyber bully, to shame—what’s worse to invite students to fights to even may lays.”
Though grief is in the hearts of many towards the start of a new academic year, Young said there is hope, sharing his attendance of academic events ahead of the first day and feeling the energy and excitement from students and families.
To access the revised 15-point safety plan, click here.
