Bristol Warren school leaders and teachers sign safety pact

Posted 5/16/19

The Bristol Warren Education Association, Superintendent Mario Andrade and School Committee Chairperson Erin Schofield announced Wednesday afternoon that they have signed two Memoranda of …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Bristol Warren school leaders and teachers sign safety pact

Posted

The Bristol Warren Education Association, Superintendent Mario Andrade and School Committee Chairperson Erin Schofield announced Wednesday afternoon that they have signed two Memoranda of Understanding to outline how the district will move forward regarding recent health, safety and student behavior issues at Kickemuit Middle School and Hugh Cole Elementary School.

The binding agreements, one for each school, take effect upon passage with the union withdrawing its grievances regarding safety concerns. The district will hire a team of professionals to provide social, emotional and behavioral supports to students at both the middle school and Hugh Cole.  Additionally, both schools will establish a Safety Committee that will meet regularly to review and update school policies and procedures for expectations and  consequences.

“Our goal throughout this process has been to shine a spotlight on the need for urgent attention to the safety of students and to ensure that students, teachers and staff can function together in a safe and caring learning environment. I believe that by all the parties working together we are well on our way to an improved school culture,” said BWEA Co-President Michelle Way DaSilva.

“I’m proud of the work we have done to this point,” said Superintendent Andrade. “By coming together, listening to the specific needs of each school and putting together a plan, we have all come to agreement on how to proceed and implement policies and practices in the best interest of our students.”

“Our community is not alone in trying to find solutions to the social, emotional, and behavioral health of our students. Since February we sought advice and best practice recommendations from other districts in the region and we feel ready to begin implementation. Now that we are all on the same page, the hard work can begin,” said Chairperson Schofield.

Earlier this year, the teachers' union staged a sick-out, with a mass of teachers calling out sick on a Friday, to protest the behavior issues within those schools.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.