| March 28, 2019
Dear MUSD Parent/Guardian:
The Marana Unified School District Governing Board, Administration, and Staff consider the safety and well-being of our students and staff to be a top priority. To this end, I am writing this communication to share information regarding an incident which occurred at one of our schools and to encourage our parents to continue to partner with us in keeping our schools safe. Over the past day and a half, we have worked very closely with the Pima County Sheriff's Department regarding their ongoing investigation of a situation which occurred on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 where a DeGrazia Elementary student reportedly threatened three other students at school with a firearm. The student was then seen leaving the campus. Following our standard safety protocol, school Administration immediately contacted 911 and activated their emergency response procedure. Students and staff remained safely in their classroom and no student was injured. Within minutes, the quick and thorough response by the Pima County Sheriff's Department led to the student being apprehended off campus, and the school was released from their emergency response. This morning we learned that the active criminal investigation has led to the arrest of this student, providing us the opportunity to communicate this information. While our responsibility is always to our students and families, and we are committed to sharing information as soon as possible, please know that we are required to maintain laws and ensure the rights of all involved. Due to this, we are not able to share more specific information about the incident which could compromise or negatively impact the criminal case or violate strict privacy laws. We can, however, communicate that the arrested student is no longer enrolled in the Marana district. In addition, the day of the incident parents of students directly involved were contacted and all DeGrazia parents were informed of the activation of the school's emergency response, as directed by the Pima County Sheriff's Department. I would like to take this opportunity to commend DeGrazia's students and staff for quickly and calmly following their safety processes. In addition, I would like to thank the Pima County Sheriff's Department for their exceptional response and valued partnership. The effective response to this incident demonstrates and validates the effective and efficient emergency procedures in place at our schools for the welfare and safety of our students and staff. Law Enforcement agencies, our schools, and the Marana Unified School District take safety concerns very seriously, resulting in consequences aligned with Arizona Criminal Law and our District discipline matrix. In addition, I want to take this opportunity to ask all families to continue to assist us by talking with their children about both the need to be watchful and mindful of what they see and hear, but also to come to their parents, school leaders, or law enforcement should they ever have a concern. We ask your support in the following ways: - Talk frequently with your children about what they are hearing and seeing;
- Remind children if they see or hear anything that they find frightening or threatening, they should tell a trusted adult immediately;
- Encourage children to share any worries or concerns with you;
- Encourage children to report any suspicious activity to a trusted adult at school, or to you, or law enforcement officer.
I thank you for all you do as parents; partnerships with families are valued and critically important to the success of a school district. As a Superintendent, it is an honor to work in a district with remarkable staff, a dedicated Governing Board, invested parents, and a caring community all of whom are committed to our students. By working in partnership: students, staff, parents, and first responders will continue to provide safe and secure schools for everyone. Thank you for your continued support and trust in our District and schools. Sincerely, Doug Wilson, Ed.D.
Superintendent | 
MUSDLettertoParents_March282019.pdf (178.9 KB)
