[BHS Etree] ADMIN: Incident report

[BHS etree]

Dear BHS Families: 

At approximately 9:45 a.m. this morning BHS staff was given information
indicating that a student was seen near the campus attempting to conceal a
firearm. That information, along with a detailed description of all
parties involved, was relayed to safety staff and administrators. 

An elevated security response was initiated and the Berkeley Police
Department was notified immediately. 

Shortly afterwards, parties fitting the descriptions, now known to us to
be Berkeley High School students, attempted to enter the campus and were
immediately detained by BHS staff. Police officers and safety staff then
confiscated a firearm and two individuals were arrested. 

Obviously we are pleased to report that no one was hurt. The Berkeley High
School safety staff and the administrative team were calm, professional,
and effective in their response. The relationships and rapport our staff
has developed with students have been invaluable assets in maintaining
campus safety all year long.

Recommendations for expulsion will be immediately forwarded to the
District’s Student Services Division and the two students who were
arrested will not return to campus. 

I have requested additional police support for today's dismissal simply as
a precaution.

As I stated earlier in the year I am extraordinarily conscious of how news
like this impacts you as parents and can assure you that the safety of our
students is always a top priority. We will continue to draw lessons from
incidents like these and also dig deeper into strategies to prevent them
and to counter the troubling fascination with guns in our culture. 

Again, please remind your students that if they ever hear of or see a
student with a weapon on campus, or even off campus, that they should
immediately contact an adult that they trust, a teacher, an administrator,
or a safety officer.

Despite an unsettling morning, we are, as of this writing, very much back
to the business of teaching and learning. There are far more positive
things that happen on campus than there are negatives like this, and I
will make more of an effort to share those highlights with you more
regularly.

I believe that it is my responsibility to share information like this with
you as the goal of continuously providing a safe and superior school site
is one best pursued by a partnership between staff, families, and the
community at large.

Have a peaceful weekend.


Pasquale Scuderi

Principal
Berkeley High School

 

 

 



Pasquale Scuderi
Principal
Berkeley High School
(510) 644-6120
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