Away For The Day | Latest News - Novato students feel safer at school, new survey says

Keri Brenner, Marin Independent Journal

More Novato middle school students feel safer on campus this year than during the same period last year, according to a new survey conducted by the school district.

Fifty-three percent of this year's survey respondents in grades six through eight either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, "I feel safe from harm while at school in general," according to a presentation Tuesday for Novato Unified School District trustees.

That was compared to 46% of middle school respondents in 2025, said Leslie Benjamin, the district's communications director. She said the actual student numbers were greater than the percentages would indicate because of a higher pool of participation. This year, 694 students agreed to the safety statement, compared to 562 in 2025.

Superintendent Tracy Smith attributed the increase to greater supervision at San Jose and Sinaloa middle schools and Hamilton K-8 School; more discipline; a crackdown on the use of cellphones; enhanced emotional support; and a new set of protocols for dealing with hate speech.

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Read the full article here.

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