Creating a Safe Environment at Esperanza

An article titled New rules, new administrator help curb Kearns gang problems posted on KSL.com's website yesterday gave me some more food for thought concerning safety at Esperanza.

I feel a safe school is a high priority. Some ways we can build that safe environment at Esperanza are:

• Have a dress code for uniforms that we enforce


• Be the most "inviting" place in town


• Have every staff person (and parent) commit to knowing the name of every student in the school


• Focus on building and nourishing relationships with colleagues, students, parents, and community members


• Do whatever it takes for every student to experience success and build on that success.


• Involve all Esperanza stakeholders in such a way that they feel Esperanza is their school.


• Encourage and teach all staff members how to be "warm demanders."


• Be fair--not equal


• Use suspension as a consequence only as a last resort

The bottom line is that we want to keep on teaching ALL students not only for the students' benefit but our community needs well-disciplined and educated citizens if it is to grow and flourish.