When Will Gunstrum and Matt Sturtz, two of the three campus security guards at Yelm High school, learned earlier in the month that they would be laid off from their jobs in the 2026-27 school year, it posed one question for the duo — what about the kids?
Gunstrum and Sturtz spoke with the Nisqually Valley News on Wednesday, May 20, and the two said they just want to see students attend school in a safe environment. Additionally, the two say they have emailed Superintendent Chris Woods numerous times relating to student safety, dating back to January.
In emails shared with the Nisqually Valley News by Gunstrum and Strutz, they showed that Gunstrum emailed Woods on Thursday, Feb. 5, seeking to follow up on a meeting that occurred between the superintendent and Sturtz on Friday, Jan. 9.
According to the email, Gunstrum said he and Sturtz wanted to proceed with site safety assessments of all YCS locations and a refresh to ALICE — an active shooter training that stands for: alert, lockdown, inform, counter, evaluate. The two claimed that the site surveys would not interrupt or impact learning at any school.
Sturtz followed up with Woods, again in an email, on Wednesday, April 29, after no response from the superintendent. He said it had been a few months and he wanted to followup to see if there was any progress on the district system regarding safety and security.
Woods responded to the emails on Friday, May 1 and thanked Sturtz for the follow up.
“At this time, we have paused planning because our current focus is on budget and staffing decisions that have specific timelines. We are also reviewing our existing safety and security contracts to determine what we can financially commit to moving forward,” Woods wrote. “Our goal is to use the summer to develop a more formal plan and provide training for administrators during our regular admin training in early August. From there, we will be able to share information and provide any additional training during our three district days in the first week of September.”
Gunstrum responded to the superintendent first and pointed to several local examples as why campus security is needed at the high school level.
“I am shocked that a Superintendent would put this in writing,” Gunstrum wrote. “After lengthy back and forth over many months and with the events at Foss High School in Tacoma (on April 30) our district just put in writing that they are focused on budget and staffing and that safety needs to wait until summer.”
Sturtz, in a separate email, added that he was also shocked that “a Superintendent would put in writing that they are not focused on safety for staff and students.”
“I understand the complexities behind security contract obligations however that is not what we have been bringing to your attention,” Sturtz wrote. “We have asked for your help in addressing very specific concerns and we have provided low to zero cost solutions. We are both parents of students in YCS as well as both our wives are teachers in the district and we have tried to raise our hands to make YCS a safe place for our families.”
Woods responded to the emails and said he appreciates the opportunity to continue these conversations with the campus security team and to keep the health and safety of staff and students as a priority in YCS. He also defended his stance in the email chain between the three.
“I want to be clear that I did not say or write that we are ‘not focused on safety for staff and students,’” Woods wrote. “In fact, a large part of my time and the Cabinet’s time is devoted to the social, emotional, mental, and physical health and safety of our students and staff. I also believe the financial investments we have made, beginning with the last bond, reflect a strong commitment to the safety of our entire district.”
These emails can be requested as part of public records requests.
Gunstrom and Sturtz each provided separate statements to the Nisqually Valley News relating to the topic. Gunstrom wrote that he never wanted to be in this position and doesn’t want to embarrass the school district.
“I love my job and I want our school levy to pass. I see every day how the kids need the levy dollars,” Gunstrom wrote. “You try and do the right thing but at some point you reach a place where you don’t know what to do. We have gone to administration, gone to the IT director, gone to YCS cabinet directors, gone to the superintendent, written to the school board, spoke to the school board, asked for private meetings with some board members and the response was we are the only two people at YHS being laid off. They laid us off four days after our latest communication complaining about safety deficiencies.”
Strutz, who has over 26 years of experience as a security professional, said it’s frustrating to see serious safety and security deficiencies go unaddressed.
“As both a parent of a student in YCS and a district employee, my only goal is to help ensure that our schools remain safe learning and working environments for everyone,” Sturtz wrote. “The proposed cuts to campus security will increase the risk of unsafe and potentially dangerous incidents throughout the district, especially at the high school level. No one wants to see a student or employee injured — or worse — because preventative measures, staffing, or training were reduced.”
Gunstrum noted that he and Sturtz were laid off two days after they “uncovered a burglary that was preventable” and one day “after we won a safety related grievance against (YCS).”
“They laid us off without telling our principal until right before they did it,” Gunstrum wrote. “They never even discussed the layoff with the principal or the impact it would have on the school’s safety. I just want a safe place for my son to go to school (and) a safe place for my wife to teach. YCS is on the wrong side of this argument.”
Strutz added that the district has “clearly stated” that its priorities include safety and security, preventing harassment, bullying, intimidation and improving attendance.
“Campus security personnel directly support all of these priorities every day by identifying concerns early, helping prevent incidents, building relationships with students, and reporting issues to administrators before situations escalate,” Sturtz said. “As leaders, it is important that actions align with stated priorities. When safety-related positions such as campus security and nurses are reduced, it sends a message that contradicts the district’s own commitments. I believe we all want the same outcome: safe, secure, and supportive learning and working environments for students and staff. I respectfully ask the district to reconsider these cuts and prioritize the resources that help prevent problems before they become tragedies.”
In an email sent to the Nisqually Valley News on Tuesday, May 26, from Woods, the superintendent stated that student and staff safety remains as one of the highest priorities in YCS. He said that the district is committing to maintaining strong systems of support across all of its campuses.
“As federal post-pandemic funding has ended, state funding remains limited and local levy dollars are no longer available, we are returning to a security staffing model at Yelm High School of one school resource officer (SRO) and one security staff member,” Woods wrote.
“Even with these changes, our building administrators continue to lead regular emergency drills and our bi-monthly safety meetings with the Yelm Police Department help us review concerns, coordinate support and plan proactively for campus and district safety. In addition, the district’s 2019 bond-funded security improvements, including cameras, secure entrances, fencing, protective window film and key card access, continue to strengthen safety across our schools.”
Woods added that one of the greatest safety measures is the proactive communication and reporting of concerns by YCS students and families.
“When students and families speak up, it helps us respond quickly, address issues early, and keep our schools safer for everyone,” Woods wrote. “We understand that any change in staffing can create concern, and we remain focused on doing everything we can to keep students and staff safe within the resources available to us.”
