By Matt Reilly, Superintendent of Schools
Complex problems require thoughtful, and often complex, solutions. Keeping our students healthy and safe is exactly this type of problem and I am writing to reassure our community that the district’s administration and board of education are approaching this issue with the utmost care, consideration and seriousness.
Nationwide, the conversation around school safety has been intense since the tragic events in Parkland, Florida. The school safety forum held on March 21 provided our community one opportunity to engage in thoughtful and productive conversation. The product of those conversations, which can be found on the district website, is one of several sources of information being used by the district as we consider additional health and safety initiatives.
Conversations about school safety and actions resulting from them are not new for the district. Significant progress in this area has been made over the last several years with nearly $400,000 worth of investment in the last two years alone. The result of these investments is that our schools are significantly safer than they were, and yet we recognize that there is still work to be done.
At the board of education budget workshop on Monday, April 2, additional investment in student health and safety was agreed to by the board. Specifically, the board agreed that the annual $100,000 Capital Outlay project would be directed toward facility improvements that address safety. Additionally, the board agreed to allocate $100,000 to currently unspecified health and safety initiatives. There has been a great deal of discussion around whether a School Resource Officer would be an asset or whether our students might be better served with additional mental health services. The board’s decision to allocate monies in the 2018-19 budget ensures that these discussions can and will continue. Beyond this $200,000 commitment, there will be continued training for faculty, staff and students along with implementation of school procedures designed to improve safety.
These decisions by the board demonstrate their commitment not only to student health and safety, but also to a process that allows for the time to make thoughtful decisions.
Thank you for your consistent and strong support of our schools.
