BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Public Schools superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash announced changes going forward at McKinley High School, following Wednesday's stabbing of a student and shooting of a security guard.
Cash did not address the criminal charges announced Friday morning about Wednesday's incidents. He said the focus on what he wanted to speak about was the students and families in crisis within the BPS community.
He did introduce a new principal at McKinley High, naming Moustafa Khalil, who had served as an assistant principal at East High School on Northampton Street, to the post. Cash said Khalil started Thursday.
Cash also discussed a five-page reopening plan for McKinley High, which includes an increase from six to 16 teacher aides and assistants. He said that increase "is substantial" for a school the size of McKinley.
Cash also said more behavioral specialists will be hired.
"We, in no way, want to diminish the impact of that on the entire school community," Cash said.
Community leaders, including Pastor James Giles with Buffalo Peacemakers and Most Valuable Parents of Buffalo, attended the news conference. He said MVP would be working with the families of "the 25 or 30 students" who had assault violations in BPS schools.
Cash cited the International Preparatory School At Grover, PS 197 Math Science Technology, and the Emerson School of Hospitality as schools that have had some issues with students.
Cash said there are five security officers who are at McKinley High School each day, but at the time of the incident, roughly 20 minutes after dismissal, there were only two officers.
"And those two chose to remain, because they wanted to make sure the kids were safe, and got on their buses in a timely way," Cash said.
He called the BPS-employed security officers, Bradley Walker and Jennifer Little, as heroes. Walker was shot in the leg, and Cash said Little was quick to apply a makeshift tourniquet after Walker was shot.
The district confirmed Friday that it has five School Resources Officers. 2 On Your Side asked if there were plans to add School Resource Officers at McKinley.
"If the school district asks for additional support, he will grant it. And what I did ask him, short answer is, no, we don't have SROs assigned here right now, but he's, I said Mayor Brown, could you for a few weeks, let's say until the end of March, could you provide several officers to drive by, stop out front, come in, do sort of a check around the school, talk with the admin team and say is there anything you need help with, any assistance I can provide for the next several weeks through March, and he said, yes doc, absolutely," Cash said.
Cash said teachers and staff have an optional in-service day on Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon.
Cash also apologized to parents who felt out of the loop on Wednesday.
"On the communication piece on that day, I certainly apologize if folks felt like they didn't get timely communication from the district. That is always our primary skill that you have to have. Communication, communication, communication, and certainly we will continue to do better. I will say it was just a tough time of day, and any time you have dismissal, and we weren't really sure who was on site because it was, it became a crime scene pretty quickly," Cash said.