April 8, 2019

Dear Parents & Guardians,

The safety of your child is a priority of Village Meadows Elementary School and the
Deer Valley Unified School District. With that in mind, there is some information that
we feel is important to share with you as we work together to maintain a secure
campus and safe community for our students.

A student reported to a Village Meadows teacher that on Wednesday, April 3, while

walking to school, she was grabbed by a man from behind. A witness knocked the
man down and told him to leave the student alone. The student was able to safely and
quickly get away from the man. The suspect was last seen running westbound on
Morningside Drive. Phoenix Police are investigating this incident and describe the
suspect as a black male with a dark complexion, green eyes, and a stud style nose ring
in his left nostril. He was wearing a black hoody.

This incident reminds us how important it is to talk to children about what to do if a

stranger approaches or if they witness suspicious behavior. Please take a moment to
share these safety tips with your child:

 Always walk or ride in groups

 Pay attention to your surroundings
 Do not talk to strangers, if approached
 If approached, run away immediately, and tell a parent, school staff member or
call 911
 Do not wait for parent pick-up/rides home in areas outside of campus that are
not supervised

Phoenix Police has issued a media advisory and will be monitoring the area around the
school where students walk to and from school. We will continue to watch for
strangers near campus and report them to police. If you have any information or see
suspicious activity, contact the Phoenix Police immediately at 602-534-2121. Thank
you for your support towards creating a safe, orderly, and caring environment at
Village Meadows Elementary School.

Sincerely,

Melissa Weinman
Principal