Middle school reopens with police officer on duty, more adults in halls

By Scott Pickering
Posted 2/4/19

Bristol Warren Regional School District leaders were busy over the weekend, developing plans and reacting to the staged “sick out” by Kickemuit Middle School teachers on Friday.

The …

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Middle school reopens with police officer on duty, more adults in halls

Posted

Bristol Warren Regional School District leaders were busy over the weekend, developing plans and reacting to the staged “sick out” by Kickemuit Middle School teachers on Friday.

The first change students, teachers and parents will see is an on-duty police officer stationed at the school today. The next will be an increased presence of adults in the school cafeteria, hallways and throughout the day.

Those changes were announced by both Superintendent of Schools Mario Andrade and School Committee Chairwoman Erin Schofield, in separate statements issued before the start of school Monday. Both school leaders were caught off-guard when the middle school teachers orchestrated a mass “sick out,” with about 50 of the school’s 70 teachers calling out “sick” on Friday. They cancelled school for the day as a result.

On Friday, the teachers’ union gave no official explanation for the bold action, but union leaders posted statements on Facebook about the lack of discipline and serious behavioral problems within the school. Over the weekend, school leaders said they are taking the situation seriously.

“We acknowledge the numerous emails, texts and phone calls we have received from families and community members. We hear you, and we want you to know that we take all of your concerns very seriously,” Ms. Schofield wrote on behalf of the school committee. “The School Committee will be in a better place to make decisions once we have heard directly from the teachers union. We want you to know that we are committed to making all Bristol-Warren schools places where staff, students and families feel safe and supported, and where students and teachers can thrive in their learning environments, and we will take all necessary and appropriate measures to do so.”

The superintendent identified several areas of focus following the teachers’ actions, including better communication, visibility of adults and adequate time for behavior specialists, counselors and other personnel to work with students and address issues.

“School safety is our top priority and responsibility. To address the teachers’ concerns and your concerns, we will be reviewing and taking steps to improve our processes and procedures to ensure student and teacher safety,” Mr. Andrade wrote.

The school committee will be meeting with teachers and union leaders this week.

Below are the complete statements from both Mr. Andrade and Ms. Schofield …

Superintendent of Schools Mario Andrade:

Dear Parents and Families:

We know that many of you are angry and scared about the safety concerns at Kickemuit Middle School raised by the teachers. Each day we are entrusted with the safety of 3,200 students and hundreds of staff members. School safety is our top priority and responsibility. To address the teachers concerns and your concerns, we will be reviewing and taking steps to improve our processes and procedures to ensure student and teacher safety:

Student Support Teams. Provide adequate time for our counselors, social workers, behavior specialists, and other support staff members to provide the necessary services for all students that require them.

School Climate. Accelerate, and focus, on school safety and behavioral programs, including initiatives like Restorative Justice and Responsive Classroom to deliver the necessary supports for a positive learning environment in our schools and classrooms. Creating a school climate where students and staff members feel engaged and connected is one of the most effective school safety strategies. Continue to examine and have deep conversations around school climate data such as suspensions, office referrals, and attendance.

Visibility. Ensure all available adults monitor the hallways between classes as well as the cafeteria.

Facilities. Ensure facilities are secure and evaluate processes and procedures to ensure their security.

Visitors and suspicious activities. Enhance focus on the enforcement our processes and procedures for handling visitors.

Communication. Provide timely, clear, and accurate information.

Partnerships. Develop stronger partnerships and lines of communication with local agencies and organizations that can provide support and resources to enhance safety and security.

This is the beginning of our process — not the end. The Bristol Warren Regional School Committee will be meeting with Kickemuit Middle School teachers, selected members from the BWEA (the Bristol-Warren teachers union), as well as officials from the NEARI (the R.I. teachers union) this week to listen to their concerns regarding student discipline, along with their recommendations pertaining to the need for additional resources to address the behavioral and mental health issues of our students.

In the meantime, a Warren police officer will be assigned to Kickemuit Middle School

on Monday morning to support the students and staff throughout the day.

Mario Andrade, Ed.D,
Superintendent of Schools, Bristol Warren Regional School District

 

School Committee Chairwoman Erin Schofield

Dear Bristol Warren Regional School District families,

The nine members of the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee want to first acknowledge the anger, frustration and fear many of you have felt regarding the safety concerns raised by the teachers at Kickemuit Middle School, culminating in Friday’s “sick out," which led to the cancellation of school.

We have been in communications with the teachers union, and we will be scheduling a meeting with them this week to hear more about their concerns and to collaborate on solutions. In light of that planned meeting, the union has assured us that the teachers are comfortable that progress is being made in good faith, and they will be returning to school Monday, Feb. 4, 2019.

To begin addressing the situation immediately, the following measures will be put in place this week, beginning Monday morning, to ensure the immediate safety of our students and teachers, while we work with the teachers union to establish actionable steps to address the needs at KMS:

1. A Warren police officer will be present inside the school during regular school hours to support staff and students in helping them feel safe and comfortable.

2. There will be a heightened adult presence in the cafeteria, and in the hallways throughout the school day, to support positive student behaviors.

We acknowledge the numerous emails, texts and phone calls we have received from families and community members. We hear you, and we want you to know that we take all of your concerns very seriously.

The School Committee will be in a better place to make decisions once we have heard directly from the teachers union. We want you to know that we are committed to making all Bristol-Warren schools places where staff, students and families feel safe and supported, and where students and teachers can thrive in their learning environments, and we will take all necessary and appropriate measures to do so.

Erin Schofield
Chairperson, Bristol Warren Regional School Committee

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