March 17, 2001

Santana High is the first school in the nation to get federal government help from a new program established to deal with shootings and other traumas on campus.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded the school $50,000 for counseling for students, teachers, school staff and parents.

The grant also will help pay for beefed-up security at the school and for translators to help Spanish-speaking families. About 9 percent of the school's 19,000 students are Latino.

The money comes from Project SERV, or School Emergency Response to Violence, created last year with a $10 million appropriation from Congress. It was established to respond to school disasters, much the way the Federal Emergency Management Agency responds to natural disasters.

"We're trying to get ourselves functioning again as a high school," Superintendent Granger Ward said. "(The Santana Recovery Project) is the first step in a longer-term process of healing for the community."

The federal money is intended to cover expenses in the first 45 days after a traumatic incident on a school campus.

A 15-year-old freshman, Charles "Andy" Williams, killed two students and wounded 13 people, including a campus supervisor and a student teacher.

"School violence affects all parts of a local community, and this is one way that the Department of Education can assist states and local school districts during times of crisis and challenge for our communities," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige.

Immediately following the March 5 shooting, Santana had additional counselors and six sheriff's deputies assigned to the campus. Three extra deputies were on campus this past week, and Santana will continue 24-hour security throughout the weekend.

About 200 counselors were at the school when classes resumed March 7, and at least 35 remain on campus, Ward said yesterday.

The district may add one campus supervisor in addition to the seven already assigned to Santana. Campus supervisors are school staff members who patrol the campus but do not carry guns or have law enforcement authority.

The federal grant will cover some expenses, but Ward said he has asked county supervisors for more help. He is working with the federal government on an 18-month plan for counseling and other assistance.

District personnel will make phone calls and send letters home to inform families about available counseling, Ward said.

A temporary office has been set up in the parking lot at Santana to coordinate efforts. It likely will be staffed next week.

Working out of the temporary office will be advocates from the district attorney's Victim Witness Assistance program, who will help victims apply for financial assistance.

The advocates plan to be at Santana all next week. A state official from the state Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board is expected to meet Monday with parents whose children attend the school.

Anyone who was at Santana High, witnessed the shootings, or was injured may be eligible to receive assistance for medical expenses, counseling, lost wages, funeral or burial support, and emergency funds for lost income.

Members of a victim's immediate family are eligible to receive help, said Dee Fuller, director of the local program.

Advocates helped one family already, finding the money to pay for an airline ticket for the brother of a student who was wounded in the shooting. The brother lives out of state and otherwise would not have been able to travel to San Diego.

The district attorney's program can be reached by calling (619) 531-4041.