School Safety Officer Coming to MUSD K-8s

The Marana Unified School District will add two School Safety Officer (SSO) positions at Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 and Twin Peaks K-8 Schools, thanks to the Arizona Department of Education's School Safety Program (SSP). The SSOs will help create a safe and supportive learning environment and foster positive relationships between students, staff, families, and the community.

The new positions are open to certified police officers who can apply to work during their off-duty time. The SSOs meet the same training requirements as School Resource Officers (SROs), which are staffed at MUSD’s middle and high schools. SSOs may be more accessible to hire due to staffing constraints faced by law enforcement agencies across the state.

The positions will have high visibility on the K8 school campuses, especially during key times of the day, and will be staffed through the end of next school year, May 2027.

“Placing law enforcement on school grounds contributes to safe school environments conducive to teaching and learning,” said Mark Goligoski, Assistant Superintendent of Operations. “Their presence further enhances and supports existing school safety efforts as the officer works with school and district administration to enhance a safe learning environment.

“The new positions will improve campus security and further contribute to a safe and positive environment at schools that previously did not have a consistent law enforcement officer presence,” said Joshua Bayne, Executive Director for State and Federal Programs. “We welcome the continued partnership with our local law enforcement to help ensure our campuses  remain safe.”

MUSD currently has four SROs at its middle and high schools, with one each staffed at Tortolita and Marana Middle Schools, and Marana and Mountain View High Schools. Funding for these positions varies, however. The ADE School Safety Program funds the SROs at MMS and MHS, along with four counselors/social workers for MUSD. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department provides funding for the full-time SROs at Mountain View High School and Tortolita Middle School.