Washougal School District tightens security at three campuses

The Washougal School District is tightening security at three of its schools by locking gates during the school day to better enforce its long-standing closed-campus policy.

District officials said in a press release Thursday that gates at Washougal High School, Gause Elementary and Excelsior, which have adjacent campuses, will now be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

The move comes in response to increased activity on campus during school hours, which has created safety and supervision concerns for students and staff.

Les Brown, a spokesperson for the Washougal School District, said there have been no major safety concerns and noted the schools always have had closed campuses. Brown said the move is a preventative measure to ensure the safety of the students and prevent any pedestrians walking their dogs from leaving waste behind on campus.

Superintendent Aaron Hansen said in a press release that the primary goal is to maintain clear boundaries between public use and student areas, particularly during recess and athletic activities.

To support the changes, the district is installing additional fencing and high-visibility signage at entry points, parking lots and trail entrances to notify the public that campuses are off-limits during school hours.

"Our first priority is and always will be ensuring student and staff safety," Hansen said in a press release. "We believe the changes we have made will help our campus remain safe for students during the school day and will help mitigate some of the maintenance issues and reduce the amount of clean up required as a result of community members accessing our campus."

Hansen said students use the fields throughout the school day at all campuses. He said they will remain open for public use before and after school hours so the community can benefit from the district's investment in athletic facilities and outdoor learning spaces.

Temporary personnel will monitor campus access and remind visitors to check in at school offices. While the campuses remain open for community use and pet walking before and after school hours, officials reminded neighbors that dogs must remain on leashes and owners must clean up after their pets.

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