Superintendent's Weekly Message

Jan. 31, 2024

Dear Hollister High School parents, students, staff and community:

The safety and security of Hollister High School students, staff and our community is a key priority, personified by the school resource officers that are on campus all day, every day.

Partnership agreements with the Hollister Police Department and San Benito County Probation Department enhance our security efforts that are augmented by more than 130 surveillance cameras and 15 full-time campus supervisors that work to keep campus safe.

“The presence of our school resource officers on our campus has several positive impacts,” said Nick Rabago, Hollister High School’s Security and Safety Supervisor. “First, our school resource officers bring enhanced safety and security to our campus. They are great at building positive relationships with students and staff.”

He added that our SRO’s can also offer educational programs on topics such as drug prevention, internet safety, and bullying prevention for students. For staff, the school resource officers offer training on the latest drug trends and other important safety topics. In the event of a crisis or emergency situation, our SRO’s provide immediate assistance and support. Their presence on our campus helps to coordinate emergency response efforts and ensure that our students and staff are kept safe.

Deterring Negative Behaviors

“Our school officers help to deter negative behaviors by building positive relationships with students,” Mr. Rabago said. “They do this by being visible and accessible on campus on a regular basis. This can be anything from walking around the campus greeting students during lunch and breaks to attending school sporting events. It’s not unusual to see our SRO’s at a wrestling match or even a cross country event.”

Opportunities For Positive Interactions

Hollister Police Captain Rosie Betanio said that HPD and Hollister High have had a contract to provide a school resource officer on campus for more than 20 years, except for a few years when budget cuts and staffing shortages at the police department paused the program and the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office offered those services.

“Having those positive relationships with the students is important,” Captain Betanio said. “There’s so much negativity in the world that focuses on law enforcement that it sometimes can skew certain mindsets. But having a police officer at a school provides a positive interaction.”

She noted that the school resource officer provides direction on school safety plans, and addresses any safety issues that occur on campus.

“We are fortunate in this community that we are supported by our community members, by our educational partners, the nonprofit organizations, and the city and county,” Captain Betanio said. “It's a very unique situation in Hollister. If people have issues, they’re not afraid to speak up -- and we’re willing to explain and be transparent.”

Multi-Tasking and Understanding

The SRO is on campus throughout the regular school year, whenever school is in session. The assignment is generally for three years per officer, who interview for the role. The qualities that HPD is looking for in a resource officer, Captain Betanio said, are “the ability to multitask; have the personality to deal with a lot of different personalities; be easygoing and is willing to be open-minded and hear different perspectives. We need to make sure the person is well-rounded and has the skills in case an incident occurs -- yet they’re easy to approach, easy to talk to and not afraid to speak up.”

We appreciate the work that Officer Rene Rayas has provided as our campus SRO for the past couple of years and we are pleased that Officer Lupe Pompa also offers his experience in that role when needed. 

The SRO is “a crucial position,” Captain Betanio said. “It’s a component that’s needed in schools in general, as it provides safety for students and staff, builds relationships and is a way to have that community bond.”

The presence of SROs on campus “has significantly improved our safety and security,” Mr. Rabago said. “Establishing a positive relationship with local law-enforcement has ensured that there is a rapid and effective response to any incidents or emergencies that happen on our campus. By having officers already on our campus, the response is immediate. Our SROs have also collaborated with us on our comprehensive safety plan and the planning of our second high school. Our school resource officers also provide students and staff with necessary training and educational programs.”

Educational Experience

Having Deputy Probation Officer Parra, a 1997 Haybaler alumnus and former elementary school educator and administrator, on campus has been a great benefit, Mr. Rabago said. “His extensive background as an educator and administrator allows him to have a deep understanding of the dynamics and challenges within the school environment,” Mr. Rabago said. “Because he is familiar with the educational system, school policies, and the needs of students, he is able to offer tailored support services that can assist students in navigating academic challenges, accessing resources, such as tutoring, or counseling, and addressing any barriers to their educational success. 

“Being on the HHS campus every day is exciting,” said Officer Parra, whose daughter is a junior here and son is a freshman. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be here and to be a part of the Haybaler culture. He spent 18 years in education, including eight as a middle school teacher and 10 as a school site administrator. He also coached numerous sports including football, wrestling and golf at HHS. 

“I enjoyed education and I feel that I made a significant impact in the community as an educator,” Officer Parra said. “Moving to probation has reignited the spark in me to make a difference in young people's lives. It has refocused my direction both professionally and personally. As an educator, I learned how to build rapport with students and staff. I also have had plenty of experience in having difficult conversations with students and parents. In all, as people work with me, they know that I am a genuine person and I work hard to help.”

Officer Parra said he tries to be as visible on campus as possible, supporting the school resource officers as much as possible. “It has been great working with the Hollister Police Department SROs and I have learned a lot from them. Typically, probation officers supervise a caseload and help probationers be successful in the community. I still supervise a caseload, and try to help HHS students who are on probation be successful at school and the community. I also plan to educate staff, students and community members on various topics such as the role of probation in schools and the community, substance abuse, and gangs.” 

Having not been on a school campus during the pandemic, Officer Parra notes that “it is interesting to see how schools and students are adjusting to that time. I have been impressed by the HHS staff. With 3,500 students, everyone does an amazing job of knowing the kids personally, and making attempts to connect with them in meaningful ways.”

Those connections are key to our safety and security efforts. We value our relationships with the Hollister Police Department, San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, the Probation Department and the Hollister Fire Department. We as a community care deeply about our students and families and work every day to make sure that they have the safest possible environment in which to learn and grow. The efforts of our campus SROs, security staff and educators, are a reminder that every day is a great day to be a Baler!

Sincerely,

San Benito High School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum