Dear Arcadia Unified Staff and Community,

Some of you may have recently read or heard about an incident that occurred at Baldwin Stocker Elementary School in May of the 2014-2015 school year. First and foremost, we would like to express how pleased we are that the student who suffered a very serious injury is doing well. Our Board of Education, leadership team, teachers, students, and staff continue to offer our sincerest empathy to the student and his family. We will continue to support him and his family. State and federal law protect the privacy of the student and the family and do not allow us to publicly address the details of the incident or the injury. However, multiple accounts of the incident were posted online, and many statements are factually inaccurate. We wish to provide as much insight and clarity as respectfully and legally possible.

The Arcadia Unified School District believes that student and staff safety is our highest priority, and we take student safety very seriously and invest a significant amount of time and resources into it. We believe that a safe, secure and orderly environment is necessary before any learning can take place, and our character education program at Baldwin Stocker (Character Counts), and at each of our schools, continues to concentrate on respectful and appropriate behavior toward others. Its a program and belief that we have been practicing throughout our district for years.

A lengthy and complete investigation was conducted by the Arcadia Unified School District and there were no findings of bullying or physical contact by another student. Numerous witnesses were interviewed, including the 7-year-old accused, other students, and staff. A second independent investigation was conducted by the Arcadia Police Department, and no findings of criminal conduct were determined.

We have and will continue to review our procedures and protocols in regard to campus injuries and complaints, conduct additional staff trainings, and evaluate and review personnel. We continue to wish the student and his family well.

We also greatly appreciate the cooperation and understanding of all parties and witnesses involved in the investigations, including our students and staff. Their understanding and compassion through this difficult process ensured both investigations were thorough and complete.

Sincerely,Arcadia Unified School District