When voters said yes to the Mill Levy Override (5A) last November, it provided increased pay for the incredible teachers and staff here in DCSD. But did you know it also enabled our school district to further increase safety and security in schools? That’s right! Per the ballot language, $6M of the MLO was earmarked for hiring additional personnel such as School Resource Officers (SRO) and Campus Security Specialists (CSS) in our schools.
While hiring is in the works for many of these positions, Campus Security Specialists are already in place at several DCSD elementary schools. And, these schools are already reporting that their new Campus Security Specialists are making a positive impact on their students, staff and overall school culture. Let’s take a look at one example at Iron Horse Elementary School in Parker.
Meet Benjamin Alway, aka Mr. Ben. The students at Iron Horse Elementary have already welcomed him with open arms.
"Mr. Ben had only been here a little over a week and was already jumping in to support in any way he could. He can often be seen playing sports with the kids at recess all the while helping with sportsmanship and being a team player,” said Principal Jenna Munoz. “He is seen securing the building multiple times a day. He is involved in supporting students who may be having a difficult time by simply offering some words of wisdom or helping them look at a problem through a different lens. He is very present in our building and is already building great relationships with our staff, students, and community.”
Alway served four years in the Navy and uses the skills he learned while in the military every day. He had similar jobs in the past, including working as a security staff member at one of DCSD’s high schools. He is enjoying working with the younger students at Iron Horse.
“Now I get to teach young students about real life skills like conflict resolution while out on the playground,” said Alway.
Every day he is surprised by how wonderful his days at IHE are and how much he enjoys the different components of his new CSS role. One of Alway’s favorite parts of the job is connecting with students, staff, parents and the community. In the future, he plans to get a Master’s Degree in Counseling and eventually become a school counselor. Alway said he hopes he is making a difference. According to the students, he is making a difference every day.
“I had a student ask to speak with me,” said Principal Munoz. “He told me, ‘Mrs. Munoz, your decision to hire Mr. Ben was the best decision you ever made for Iron Horse.’ I asked why. He responded, ‘Mr. Ben helps us all to feel even more safe than before. He loves kids. He plays with us during recess and helps us solve problems or reminds us to use good sportsmanship. He is super nice and can help us with drills and things like grumpy parents or bad drivers in our parking lot. We love having Mr. Ben!’"
“The CSS position in our elementary schools has already proven effective in the areas of prevention, hardening, and response in keeping students and staff safe,” said Jonathan Grusing, DCSD Director of Security.
Campus Security Specialists are unarmed and pay is determined based on associated background and experience. Interested applicants can apply online for a CSS position and view other job openings in DCSD.