By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — Reports of vandalism at Montgomery High School went from zero to 15 the past two years, according to the annual report on violence and vandalism released at the district’s board meeting Tuesday night.
Superintendent Earl Kim said the increase, the only significant change on the report, was due to a rash of thefts of electronic devices from unsecured lockers last year.
To deal with the issue, he said, this year the principal improved supervision of the locker areas. Students are also now required to lock up their things.
”While it’s nice to think you can (leave possessions unlocked) in our school, it’s not good to tempt an honest man, so to speak,” he said. There have been no incidents so far this year, he said.
Four incidents of violence also occurred last year, according to the report. The district reports every incident, Mr. Kim said, and most violence incidents are one-way assaults, where the victim walks away.
”Typically Montgomery students walk away from a bad situation,” he said.
One weapons incident was reported, which Mr. Kim said was a student who had a knife in his possession. It was reported by students to staff, and it was resolved without incident.
The report also listed three incidents of substance abuse.
While “one incident of violence and vandalism is too many,” he said, he said he was pleased overall with the report, considering there are 1,600 students in the school.
”When you figure it out on a pupil per day basis, it’s remarkable,” said Mr. Kim, who started working for the district this summer. “I was surprised.”

