New anti-bullying measures begin at middle school
Administration responds to complaints of harassment, violence
POTTSTOWN » A week after more than 25 speakers told the Pottstown School Board about problems with bullying and violence in the schools — particularly the middle school — the administration announced measures to address the problems.
Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez issued an alert to parents, employees and the community Mach 23 that two major initiatives will be put into the place.
The first is a “safety and security agent” from Advanced Protection Co. will now be inside and outside the middle school building “five days per week until further notice.”
“That agent will be available to escort students to class, as well as to address inappropriate behavior in the hallways and in the cafeteria, where we can have as many as 300 students at a time,” said John Armato, the district’s director of community relations and a member of the school board.
That agent will not be armed, said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez also announced that the district has “partnered with Creative Health Services to provide behavioral and mental health support to our middle school students five days per week until further notice.”
Rodriguez explained that the district has become increasing familiar with the services Creative Health can provide as a result of their partnership with the Trauma Informed Communities team.
He said the person assigned to the middle school has been in the building and is familiar with the students and the settings.
“They will be geared toward de-escalating situations” and more on a quick reaction basis.
“It will be like having another guidance counselor, except they are certainly more familiar with the social work and mental health aspects. But this will be less a diagnosis, regular treatment scenario than an ‘I’m hurting please help me’ scenario,” he said. “I’m very excited about it.”
“We have been addressing the issues at the middle school for quite some time,” said Armato.
Similar complaints about middle school behaviors were raised about the same time last year and thenprincipal David Todd met with parents and other members of the community to get their input.
As a result, several measures were put into place, including a sign-in sheet and monitor for bathrooms and no usage in the first or last 10 minutes of class, as well as reducing the time between classes to two minutes, and the hiring of a new hall monitor.
In the cafeteria, seats were assigned according to homeroom, students had to have a pass to leave and the snack bar was not opened until later in the lunch period.
Todd has since left the district and Rodriguez said some of those measures remain in place, and some do not.
It is very difficult to keep hall monitors because of the low pay and most of those hired last year “either went on to other positions in the district or moved on to higher-paying jobs,” he said.
It was also unclear how effective that particular strategy was, he said.
“Some of those efforts depended on volunteers and with volunteers, attendance can wane after a while,” Armato added.
The district now also uses classroom assistants to maintain order in the cafeteria, “but you know it’s 900 middle school students and they’re like water,” said Rodriguez. “If someone is out, or looking the other way, they find the crack and say ‘hey, nobody’s here, I can do whatever I want.’”
As for the new measures, Armato said although the administration has working out the details on some of these measures for several weeks, the people who spoke out at last week’s board meeting helped to crystallize the district’s resolve.
“We certainly took the heart the things we heard from our parents and students,” Armato said.
“Remember, we’re underfunded by $13.1 million, so we can’t just throw money at a problem,” Rodriguez said. “So we’re trying to be purposeful and deliberate with our resources in our response, and if something works, we’ll expand on it.”
“And just so people know, I’m not done looking at security and safety issues, not even close,” he said. “As I told the school board, we are resolved in making this better.”
“We will continue to monitor and adjust our safety and security procedures at all schools and if you should become aware of a threat to our students or staff, please call our safety line immediately at 610970-6705,” Rodriguez wrote in his emails, text and mass call to households.
“We certainly took to heart the things we heard from our parents and students.”
John Armato, Pottstown Director of Community Relations
“We’re trying to be purposeful and deliberate with our resources in our response, and if something works, we’ll expand on it.”
Stephen Rodriguez, Pottstown Schools Superintendent