NEW ROCHELLE, NY — “There is no higher priority than the safety of our children, and there is no asset of greater importance to New Rochelle than public confidence in our Schools.
Within the past week, there have been three violent incidents involving New Rochelle High School students, two off school grounds, and the most recent in a classroom. Each of these incidents in isolation would be a matter of grave concern. Coming in such quick succession, they pose an urgent challenge that commands our full attention.
To address this challenge, we are taking the following immediate steps:
– Uniformed Police officers have been assigned to the primary access points surrounding New Rochelle High School, and, in addition, a uniformed presence will be assigned to the school building itself, until further notice.
– Police presence and visibility along North Avenue south of New Rochelle High School will be enhanced during hours when students tend to congregate or travel to and from school. This presence will augment a long-standing practice of assigning resources to areas with high concentration of student traffic.
– Access to New Rochelle High School will be strictly controlled and enforced.
These incidents have also raised broader questions about security protocols and associated policies. We are, therefore, initiating a top-to-bottom, high-level review of all practices, procedures, and policies that may be directly or indirectly related to student safety. This review will build on and augment the ongoing coordination between City and School authorities.
While the City and School District have distinct roles and responsibilities, it is vital that we continue to work constructively in service to the community we serve together.
Notwithstanding the difficulty and seriousness of this moment, we remain entirely confident of our community’s positive, safe, and bright future – and determined to individually and collectively do our parts to restore the trust and peace of mind that all parents and residents deserve.”
