KASD discusses steps for a School Resource Officer

KASD Superintendent Jeannine Kloss gave an update on the process of hiring a School Resource Officer (SRO). She backed up to the summer when a grant opportunity was afforded through the Pennsylvania Crime Commission and the state of Pennsylvania. She said they provided money for schools to meet tier-one criteria for mental health safety and physical safety. Just about all of physical safety in tier-one has been done, however, the school does not have an SRO.

A survey with district parents, families, and employees was done with 373 respondents with an outcome of over 80.2% in favor of bringing an SRO to the School District.

She sought input from other school districts who have an SRO, spoke with a current SPO, and looked over the ACT 67 Guidance to gather information needed to start a contract.

The contract will have the duties of each party. The duty of the school district would be to provide the SRO training that is required before entering the school setting.

Kloss said a course will equip SRO Officers to develop successful relationships with diverse students and to support students with disabilities and behavioral health challenges. Participants will explore relevant public safety topics such as digital safety, human trafficking, mental health, and substance abuse. She explained that they will learn best practices for de-escalation, behavioral threat assessment, emergency operations planning, and armed assailant response.

She said there is also a section for the SRO duties and the information she showed the Board of Directors is not finalized.

Continuing, she explained the SRO will be present as a law enforcement officer and enforce federal, state, and local criminal laws and ordinances.

"We would expect that they are visible in the district for faculty staff and students as an active law enforcement figure in the school," she added. "They would support students by being a resource for students which will enable students to associate with a law enforcement figure, a role model in the school in the student's environment to develop and educate students in crime prevention and safety." The SRO will also train the support students in conflict resolution, restorative justice, and crime awareness.

She explained that her definition of restorative justice is having the child who creates or who commits an infraction, not just be disciplined, but correct what they did wrong corrective action.

She added that it is important to note that "we" would not expect the SRO to be a disciplinarian. If there was an issue with a student that they had to remove or intervene with, they would take that student to the administrator for discipline. The officer would only intervene in disruptive situations that were putting that student or other people in danger and make sure that they preserve the school climate and its safety of it.

Kloss stated that there is an additional document that may be included as far as the SRO job description would be. The SRO(S) would be expected to be a part of the threat assessment teams to assist with Emergency Operations Planning and/or help organize and implement drills and be a resource for safety preparedness. The document would have expected characteristics and qualifications that are desired for that person. Those would be relevant to working with children having strong interpersonal skills.

Kloss said the next step is for the Board of Directors to issue a letter to the Borough of Kane asking for them to hire an SRO to be stationed at the school district. Then, develop a policy to support the practices in schools, finalize a contract, and find the right person.

Kane Borough Mayor, Brandy Schimp, attended the meeting and explained that the Board of Directors are considered elected officials and cannot serve on the Civil Service Commission when asked if the Board could be involved (with an educational perspective) with choosing an SRO. She said one alternate position is open if there is somebody else within the school who lives within the Kane Borough. If there is an individual willing, they could submit a letter of interest to the Borough Council. Council will consider the letter of interest. If the individual is voted in, Shimp will swear them in to be on the Civil Service Commission.

She added a consideration, once on the Commission there is a term and that individual will be required to attend meetings.

She suggested considering who lives in the borough, is not an elected official, and is invested in the process.

The process for the Civil Service Commission was explained by Schimp. The Commission is in charge of hosting and opening up the job for a full-time officer. The Commission will do background checks. They do the physicals at the high school track and give a written test and oral exam. From there they make their recommendations to Borough Council. Council will make the final decision. Schimp does not get a vote unless there is a tie.

"You have to have someone (an SRO) with characteristics that relates to children. I think that understanding social media is important. I think somebody with a fairly warm approach, not somebody who stands in the corner with arms crossed. You need somebody engaging with students daily."