Regional Safe Schools Program

Our Safe Schools help students take ownership of their behavior, turn their lives around and get back on the path to graduation.

How we Help

West40 operates Safe Schools for kids who are up against difficult circumstances. We know that most of these are out of their control, and we believe that if we change these circumstances—offering safety, encouragement and structure in a new environment—we can change the ending to each kid’s story.

“I came to West40 as a boy. They turned me into an intelligent and thoughtful young man.”

– David, former Safe Schools student

our work
Social & Emotional Learning

Our Safe Schools teach each student to set goals, improve their behavior and take responsibility for their own future.

family events

By creating a safe, welcoming atmosphere, we get parents involved in their students’ lives in a way that some never have before.

Academics

West40 Safe Schools help students improve academically, setting them up for an eventual return to their home middle school or high school.

By the Numbers
895
Total students
have attended
our safe schools
58
average
students
per year
100%
high school
graduation
rate in 2019
13
Family
Events
annually
40 stories
The Future of Education

West40 welcomes local leaders and state legislators to learn about a radically different approach to teaching and supporting students.

rssp staff
Frank Giosa
Director
fgiosa@west40.org
Michelle Hopper
Principal
mhopper@west40.org
Lizette Chavez
Administrative Assistant
lchavez@west40.org
Chris Raffen
Building Engineer
craffen@west40.org
Kristen Parsell
Reflective Consultation
kparsell@west40.org
Katherine Rack
Social Worker
krack@west40.org
Nancy Mohlman
Social Worker
nmohlman@west40.org
Tim Crawford
Restorative Interventionist
tcrawford@west40.org
Vince Harper
Restorative Interventionist
vharper@west40.org
Deacon Johnson
High School ELA/Social Studies Teacher
djohnson@west40.org
Tim Stafford
Middle School and High School ELA
tstafford@west40.org
Lytaka Allen
High School and Middle School Career Exploration
lallen@west40.org
Chet Williams
High School and Middle School Social Studies and Science Teacher
cwilliams@west40.org
Jeremy Mikkelson
Middle School Math and Science Teacher
jmikkelson@west40.org
David Corral
High School and Middle School PE Teacher
dcorral@west40.org
Julia Keller
High School Algebra 1&2 and Geometry Teacher
jkeller@west40.org
Tony Summers
High School and Middle School Teacher
tsummers@west40.org
Pam Vujovich
Heart2Heart Coordinator
pvujovich@west40.org
Reach Out
Want to learn more about our Safe Schools? Contact West40 to see how we can help you.
Frank Giosa
West40 Regional Safe Schools Program Director
708-990-8129
fgiosa@west40.org
Resources
Student Handbook