Administrators investigating ‘escalating assaultive behavior’ at Vista Ridge High School
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- An email sent to parents and guardians of Vista Ridge High School students explained a recent spike in "assaultive behavior" on campus, according to a District 49 spokesperson.
The message was sent out by Principal Jason Dalee and POWER Zone Superintendent Dan Snowberget. According to officials, POWER Zone is District 49's law enforcement partner at the Colorado Springs Police Department.
The email says the district is investigating and addressing a "recent pattern of escalating assaultive behavior on the VRHS campus." According to administrators, the assaults are coordinated and documented on social media pages created by VRHS students.
These pages create conditions for students to be singled out and subjected to targeted physical assaults and social media harassment. Intentional, planned, and coordinated assaults are unacceptable, and we take this development very seriously.
According to the email, VRHS administrators are identifying individual students and contacting their parents. From there, administrators will determine the "appropriate next steps for students, who are subject to both school and law enforcement consequences."
Now, VRHS will temporarily restrict the use of cell phones and personal devices during the school day unless otherwise directed by school staff. According to administrators, cell phones must be kept in pockets or in personal belongings and cannot be visible or in use during the school day.
Moving forward, the email says administrators will engage with students, parents, and staff in the upcoming week to collect additional insights into the misconduct. From there, Dalee and Snowberger say the school will determine whether a more permanent adjustment to mobile technology should be made.
The email ended in thanking students who came forward to report the incidents and telling parents the "safety of students, families, and staff on our campus is non-negotiable."
