Changes on the way at Kickemuit Middle School

Study group has visited middle schools across the state in search of answers and solutions

By Ted Hayes
Posted 2/27/19

Members of a group formed to address behavioral and emotional issues at Kickemuit Middle School are taking steps to address the school's problems, Superintendent Dr. Mario Andrade told the school …

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Changes on the way at Kickemuit Middle School

Study group has visited middle schools across the state in search of answers and solutions

Posted

Members of a group formed to address behavioral and emotional issues at Kickemuit Middle School are taking steps to address the school's problems, Superintendent Dr. Mario Andrade told the school committee at a packed meeting Monday night.

The KMS Safety and Security Subcommittee, which was formed earlier this month after teachers staged a one-day "sick out" to publicize the school's issues, has spent the past three weeks visiting other middle schools across the state, working with the state Department of Education and police, and talking to behavioral experts to come up with an action plan to address problems.

Dr. Mario Andrade told the school committee Monday night that the subcommittee has:

* Brought in a behavioral specialist who will be at the school five days a week;

* Brought in a police officer for the school and is working with the Warren Police Department and state to fund and train a School Resource Officer, who will begin training in April and will be in place starting at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year;

* Visited numerous schools throughout Rhode Island to see how they deal with behavioral issues. Those schools include Cumberland, Coventry and Barrington;

* The committee is also meeting with "experts" in the behavioral health field, and has taken or will take visits to the East Bay Mental Health Center and Southeast Educational Collaborative.

* Creating a "multi-tiered" support system that includes funding for a behavioral educator in next year's proposed school budget. Funding for that educator "will be subject to the school committee's budget recommendations," Dr. Mario said.

The changes were announced before a packed house in the Mt. Hope High School Auditorium. School committee chairperson Erin Schofield said following the announcement that she believes the plans are a good first step in addressing the school's issues:

"We're learning a lot," she said. "I'm one of the members on that subcommittee and we have really made an effort, I think, to get together and come to the table and not just listen to each other, but really hear each other and what the needs are so that we can help our students but also help our teachers and help our administrators, so that supports are in place."

The subcommittee is comprised not just of school board members but also Kickemuit staff, district administrators and representatives from the state teachers' union.

Though he said their interests don't always align, union representative and fellow subcommittee member Larry Purtill, president of the National Education Association of Rhode Island, said he is encouraged by the progress to date.

"I will say to you that from my perspective, it's moving in a very positive direction. You didn't get here in three weeks and it's not going to be resolved in three weeks."

Still, "you are moving forward. You are taking action. These are all positive things that will help the discipline here, the climate here and also send a message to students and parents that education is a priority."

"What you're going through is not unlike what a lot of districts are going through," cautioning that in addition to KMS changes, "mental health and discipline concerns need to be addressed and it really needs to start at the Kindergarten and Pre-K level. This needs to extend right down to the elementary schools."

Christine Homen, Kickemuit's principal, spoke for the first time publicly Monday, thanking the school committee for the subcommittee's work:

This "is really opening our eyes to a lot of these possibilities," she said. "What is out there about our school right now really hurts my heart but we're going to get through it and make sure that KMS is the best school that it can be.

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