How Our District Stays Safe

In the Chehalis School District, we want parents to feel safe sending their kids to school each day. Whether it's crossing guards helping them get safely to school or staff undergoing training to be prepared in the case of an emergency, the safety of our students is important.

"Providing a safe and welcoming environment for our students and staff is a priority for me, not only as a superintendent but as a parent," said Dr. Christine Moloney, Superintendent of the Chehalis School District. "We are constantly reevaluating our safety protocols, processes and facilities and prioritizing resources to address any identified improvements. We recognize that we are a community school and continue to welcome parents and community members into our schools and events but have adjusted facilities and protocols to help better secure our campuses. We are thrilled to be able to employ two Campus Safety and Security Officers and their expertise is highly valued in discussions and decisions related to improving the safety and security of our schools. Thank you to Todd Thornburg and Troy Thornburg."

District Safety Officers Todd Thornburg and Troy Thornburg estimate about 90 percent of their job is spent walking around the district's facilities, interacting with students and staff before and after school as well as between classes. They said building trusting relationships is especially important to them, so they listen to them and take their complaints seriously, even the small ones.

“We rely on the teachers and also on the students,” Troy Thornburg said. “With the kids, if you build up rapport with them, they’re more likely to say something when they see something.”

Todd Thornburg has worked for the Chehalis School District since the school safety officer position was first created in 2015. He previously worked for the Washington State Patrol. Troy Thornburg was brought on in 2022 after working for the Chehalis Police Department for 29 years, four of which he served as a School Resource Officer in the Chehalis School District. The brothers are both W.F. West alumni.

Together, Officers Todd Thornburg and Troy Thornburg have worked to come up with a comprehensive safety plan for the Chehalis School District. One addition they made was more than 300 cameras that have been added throughout public spaces on Chehalis School District property to allow them to have eyes on nearly all spaces at once.

“We’re always looking. Where we can add cameras, we will,” Todd Thornburg said.

And the officers continue to look for ways to improve upon district safety. About $300,000 in security upgrades were made over the summer. One of the most noticeable changes in the district is fencing that was added at W.F. West High School between the CTE building and the main building.

It is important that all students and visitors enter and leave the high school through the main entrance door that is visible from the office and safety office. But the CTE outbuilding's doors and the high school doors near the gym also need to be unlocked during the school day to allow students and staff access between CTE and the main building. Adding a fence means only those who have already entered through the official building entrance can access those areas.

“Before, anybody could just walk right in those doors,” Troy Thornburg said.

Another safety upgrade to W.F. West will be the addition of a keyless entry system for employees that will be happening very soon. This system will create only a few access points that staff can go in and out of during the day, creating greater security for the building itself.

Officers Todd and Troy Thornburg said a large part of creating a safe school environment is education for students, staff and visitors. For instance, they said one issue they have been working on is to make sure all staff and employees (even substitute and temporary employees) wear a badge while inside their school buildings so that they are easily identifiable as being cleared to be inside the building. For the same reason, all visitors must check in with the office and have a visitor tag issued and volunteers need to be cleared through the school district before spending time in the building.

And the quest for safety within the Chehalis School District doesn't end when the school day does. Our district safety officers said home sporting events are another area where they need staff, student and parent help keeping everyone safe.

New signs will soon be added at Bearcat Stadium reminding visitors of safe behavior at sporting events. For example, backpacks are not allowed to be brought into Bearcat Stadium and kids in middle school or younger must be accompanied by an adult.

"We want them to come and enjoy the game and help be a positive role model for these young kids," said Chehalis School District Athletic Director Tommy Elder. "So, we're being good fans and we're practicing good sportsmanship."

• If you plan to help in any school this year, make sure your volunteer clearance forms are up to date or fill out a new Volunteer Clearance Form. These forms need to be updated every two years.
• When visiting any Chehalis school for any reason during school hours, go first to the school's office to check in and obtain a visitor badge. That way, students and staff know you are cleared to be in the building.
• In the event of an emergency such as a school lock down or emergency weather situation, the district will share information via the Remind App. Please make sure you are signed up for Remind and that you allow notifications from Remind.
• In the event of an emergency, please do not come to the school or attempt to pick your child up unless instructed by official Chehalis School District notifications to do so
• If your contact information changes at any point during the school year, please update your family information on Skyward Family Access. This is the information the schools use if they need to contact parents during an emergency involving their student
• If your student has been the victim of or has witnessed bullying, intimidation or harassment, encourage them to report it with the district's reporting form (QR code listed below). Personal information is optional and confidential.

Have you ever thought about driving a school bus? The Chehalis School District is now hiring bus drivers. Paid training, CDL certification testing fees covered, competitive wages and benefits. For more information about becoming a bus driver, go to chehalisschools.org/transportation/.

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