SEATTLE, Wash — Seattle Public Schools met with two parents Thursday to share some details about the campus safety and security upgrades that are underway, according to a parent of Ingraham High, where an on-campus shooting left a student dead last fall.
It comes after the same mother told KING 5 that district leaders had failed to disclose details of a safety audit or improvements they had promised regarding campus security.
On Thursday, however, Superintendent Brent Jones and other leaders met with two executive leaders of Friends of Ingraham, a parent association, to lift the curtain on some of their efforts, like the following: "They’re launching an app that will help students report if they see something, but do it anonymously and in a more... in a platform that they feel more comfortable," said Make Gallitelli, Ingraham mother. "Kids don’t want to say something because they don’t want to be a snitch."
Gallitelli said her freshman daughter was close in proximity to the deadly shooting that happened on Ingraham’s campus on that fateful day in November.
She said district leaders told her Thursday that they’re working with app development specialists on the technology.
"So I would like to see that," Gallitelli said.
Gallitelli added that she was informed they put more security cameras on corners of the campus previously out of view.
“Gray areas," Gallitelli said. "Areas of congregation for students that are somehow covered.”
After the Ingraham shooting, they added an important staff member there, she said.
"A full-time social worker at Ingraham High School to improve mental health services at the school, and we want to hear more about that," Gallitelli said.
The mother said she would like to hear them announce details on that three-tiered districtwide safety initiative they had promised.
"They will prepare a communication with more information on everything that has been done before the end of the school year," Gallitelli said.
Ingraham's school year ends in six weeks on June 30.
Meanwhile, a Seattle Public Schools spokesperson told KING5 they have been proactive at the state level, advocating for gun safety with legislators, and they are "heartened" to see Governor Jay Inslee sign several gun violence prevention bills into law in April.
Gallitelli said the transparency she is now receiving from district leaders makes her feel optimistic about the future.
"Today the superintendent was very open, he brought his whole team," Gallitelli said. "It just gives me hope.”