As the Site Supervisor/Director at YWCA Richmond Preschool, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of the children entrusted to our care. Our preschool is attached to a City of Richmond facility, which creates additional complexities when security improvements require coordination, approvals, and navigating multiple levels of administration.

We recognize that Richmond has made progress in reducing crime. According to the City of Richmond's own crime statistics, total index crimes decreased from 4,662 in 2024 to 3,899 in 2025. However, Richmond remains a city where crime and public-safety concerns exist, and improved citywide statistics do not eliminate the need for appropriate security measures at a preschool.

Our current setup leaves important areas of the preschool without adequate access control. Our front gate and entry door do not have keypad access, making it difficult to control who enters the preschool grounds and building. There have been instances of unhoused individuals and people who appear intoxicated congregating around the front gate while parents and children are arriving. These situations have understandably caused concern among our families and staff.

We also have a privacy concern on our playground. The playground borders a public City picnic area, allowing members of the public to see directly into the children's play space. On multiple occasions, members of the public have attempted to speak with children while they are playing. Although these interactions may not be intended to cause harm, they create uncomfortable situations for teachers who must intervene while simultaneously maintaining active supervision of an entire group of young children.

Every parent who entrusts us with their child deserves peace of mind knowing their child is learning and playing in a secure environment. We are therefore requesting three reasonable preventative measures:

1. A keypad-controlled system at the front gate to help control access to the preschool grounds.

2. A keypad-controlled system at the preschool entry door to provide a second layer of protection and ensure that access to the school is limited to authorized individuals.

3. Privacy and security screening along the playground perimeter, particularly the side facing the City's public picnic area, to create a clear boundary between our young children and the surrounding public space.

These measures are not intended to isolate our preschool from the Richmond community. They are intended to establish appropriate boundaries and provide our staff with the tools necessary to protect the children in their care.

Security should be a priority in every early childhood education setting. We should not wait for a serious incident before taking reasonable preventative action. By improving access control and playground privacy now, we can strengthen the safety of our children, provide greater peace of mind to our families, and demonstrate our commitment to responsible childcare.

We need the support of our families, community members, City of Richmond leadership, and YWCA administration to make these improvements a reality.

Our children deserve a safe place to learn, play, and grow. We are asking the City of Richmond and YWCA leadership to work with us to make that environment as secure as reasonably possible.

Please support this petition for:
A keypad at the front gate
A keypad at the preschool entry door
Privacy and security screening around the playground
Together, we can create a safer and more secure environment for the children of YWCA Richmond Preschool.