SECOND ROUND OF FOOD FIGHT AVERTED; POLICE HEAD OFF SIMI HIGH BATTLE.

Byline: Douglas Clark Daily News Staff Writer

Police were called Monday morning to Simi Valley High School when administrators feared a replay of last week's food fight that resulted in the suspension of several students.

Police Lt. Neal Ryan said officers were sent to the Cochran Street campus after learning of ``rumors'' of more trouble.

``We decided a little preventive presence was needed,'' he said.

Ryan said he didn't know the cause of Thursday's incident. But several students, who asked not to be identified, said Monday that there has been trouble between small groups of white and Latino students.

And in a police report, Lt. John St. Laurent said the disturbance was the result of a previously unresolved dispute between two students that escalated when each brought friends to ``settle the issue.''

In a press release issued last week, Kathryn Scroggin, assistant superintendent of educational services, said ``several students'' were suspended for actions that were ``disruptive and prevented administrators and police from gaining control of the crowd.''

Scroggin's press release also said about half the school's approximately 2,400 students were involved in a food fight that began during lunch hour.

Neither Scroggin nor Principal Dennis Rast returned phone calls Monday.

School Superintendent Tate Parker, who attended meetings at the high school Monday, said he was unaware that police had again visited the campus.

However, he did say that a statement written by Rast regarding safety on campus was read last week to students.