Parents, Guardians & Community members,
  I am reaching out to the school board, Superintendent and local representatives to ask that Ridgecrest Elementary school receive proper security upgrades at the front doors and surveillance cameras throughout the school grounds for the front office to monitor.  I'm asking you for your help to make a stronger voice for our students and the staff.  Let's work together to make Ridgecrest safe for all.  

This is the email that I have send out to the board, Superintendent and representatives:

     I’m a mother of two amazing kids that are currently attending two different Puyallup schools, Sunrise Elementary and Ridgecrest Elementary.  My son is three years old attending the developmental preschool at Sunrise and my daughter is a kindergartner at Ridgecrest Elementary.  Every school day I face the front doors of both schools and can’t help but notice the difference between the two.  Sunrise has the double door, secure entrance (which makes it difficult to see inside) and the main office having direct view of who is at the front of the school.  While Ridgecrest Elementary is only one set of doors surrounded by windows, it is easy to see inside to the classrooms in the front of school and anyone that may be in the lobby, no direct view of the main office (no view for staff to see what is ongoing at the front doors).  At the beginning of the year I didn’t think too much about the differences of security but since the tragic murders of 19 kids and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas I can only see vulnerability now with Ridgecrest Elementary and in today’s world, that’s simply unacceptable.

     If you have never walked through the doors at Ridgecrest Elementary, let me tell you about the amazing school that lies within your district.  The school motto is, “When you're here; you're home,” and I believe the incredible Ridgecrest team really creates a loving, inspiring, caring, respectful home for all.  Dr. Fox and the team are the best a parent, guardian and community could ask for.  I volunteer weekly and am a part of the PTA organization at the school so I have had the privilege of getting acquainted with the school’s staff, students and the building.  The Ridgecrest team has created such an amazing and comforting environment that going to school is a joy for my kindergartner.  I believe that you’ll find that many students have found school to be a second home.    

     When you first walk through the front doors at Ridgecrest Elementary you can immediately see two kindergarten classes and the office.  My daughter’s class is the very first door, and it makes my heart sink thinking of how vulnerable she and her classmates are.  There’s no buffer to slow a threat and prepare the staff and students.   If a hostile intruder wants to get through the front doors, they can easily break the glass and walk straight into the classrooms with the teacher’s having very little time to react, if any time at all.  That is a horrifying idea.  These children and staff are sitting ducks and that is unacceptable.  I have heard the talks of concerned staff regarding the lack of safety for their students and for themselves.  I have also heard parents voice their concerns about the lack of safety at the front doors and with the external portable classrooms.  The portables have no protection as they are completely exposed.  Children walk to and from these classrooms to the main school building for basic needs such as water and lunch with no protection, how is this acceptable?  I understand that upgrades with building security were going to be addressed if the levy passed and since it didn't,  I am asking you to find a solution. 

We can no longer allow ourselves to be ignorant and tell ourselves, “it could never happen to my kids,” when in reality the parent’s and/or staff affected by a school massacre have likely thought something similar.  We have to make some serious changes and inspire other school districts to make the changes necessary to increase the safety of our children and educators and supporting staff, they deserve it.  Let's take action because if we don't, and something horrific happens at our school I know that I could not live with myself for not speaking up about safety concerns, could you live with yourself if you do nothing?  You cannot put a price on a child’s life so find the money in the budget.   We need Ridgecrest to have increased barriers at the front doors and surveillance cameras throughout the school grounds for the front office to have a visual of the school’s surroundings.  Parents need to know how this is going to be addressed because inaction is unacceptable. I know these fears and ideas are not solely my own. I believed parents and community members would be willing to raise money to help with costs. We can work as a team to make Ridgecrest a safer environment for everyone.

“When you’re here; you’re home.”  Let’s make that home safe.