Our district's commitment to student safety goes far beyond cameras and protocols. It starts with trusted adults who students feel comfortable turning to. 

Bethel Middle School Campus Safety Officer Tua Aiono and MTSS/Student Supervision lead Alberto Rodriguez are two of those people, working side-by-side to make sure every student feels protected, supported, and seen.

For them, safety begins with presence. Their team monitors hallways, classrooms, and common areas, making sure students are where they need to be and stepping in early when something doesn’t look right. Their mindset is focused: everything starts with students being safe.

Both Aiono and Rodriguez emphasize that true safety can’t exist without trust. Students need to know the adults around them are listening, not just enforcing rules. Rodriguez sees that dynamic unfold every day. 

“If these kids don’t trust you and see you as someone who’s just going to get mad and yell and not listen, they won’t be comfortable and they’ll just shut down. Then, if there’s an issue with them, they’ll have a wall built up and won’t ever open up to us,” he said.

That trust transforms their office into a place where students feel safe enough to let their guard down.

“We’ll have students – the toughest kids in the school – will come into our office and just break down,"  Aiono said. "We always tell them this is a safe space and they’re free to talk about whatever they need to talk about.”

Their work also extends into emergency readiness. Both staff members train regularly with School Resource Officers, participate in districtwide drills, and practice lockdown procedures. Rodriguez explained the importance of that preparation clearly.

“In the case anything actually happens, we’re prepared, we’re trained, we know what to do, we know how to follow the policy and make sure everyone is safe.”

Much of this work – along with the systems, staffing, and training that support it – is funded through the district’s Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy. These resources help ensure schools have the personnel and tools needed to keep students safe every day.

For both men, the job is personal. Rodriguez spent eight years as a stay-at-home dad before joining the school. His son attended Bethel Middle, and the schedule and school environment felt right for his family. Aiono came to the role for one reason: the kids. He wants to be someone they can count on.