Neighbors asked to keep a lookout for unusual activity onschool campuses after hours.

If you live near an elementary school, your eyes and ears canhelp sheriff’s deputies control vandalism and illegalactivity. On Friday, Leona Cox School will become the first in thecity of Santa Clarita’s “School Watch Program”designed to motivate neighborhoods to keep their schools safe.

The “School Watch Program,” will officially launchat 9:45 a.m. Friday, March 7 when Mayor Bob Kellar will announcethe program guidelines and unveil the new “SchoolWatch” program signage around the school’s CanyonCountry neighborhood.

Modeled after the “Neighborhood Watch” program, the“School Watch” program encourages community members wholive near local elementary schools to stay aware of any activitythat happens on campus. Anyone who notices any suspicious activitysuch as vandalism, graffiti, burglary or unsupervised individualson a campus after school hours should contact the sheriff’sdepartment.

“The purpose of the program is to empower the community tocombat crime that occurs on school campuses,” Kellar said.“It also creates a working partnership between schools, thecommunity and law enforcement to ensure that our children are safeand school property is protected.

For more information regarding the “School Watch”program, contact Deputy Patrick Rissler at 255-1121, ext. 5159.