Student Suspensions Decreasing According to Discipline Report

The annual report on school discipline presented to the Board of Education Tuesday night indicated a decline in the number and percentage of students suspended or expelled, a trend that has continued over the past five years.

"Overall the data indicates that the overwhelming majority of our secondary students conduct themselves appropriately and contribute to a safe and orderly learning environment in our schools," states the executive summary of the report presented to the board by Assistant Superintendent Tom Moore.

A total of 7 percent of students at both Conard and Hall received suspensions (both in-school and out-of-school) in 2012-2013, down from 10 percent at Conard and 11.5 percent at Hall in 2008-2009. Philosophically, Moore said "keeping students in school is better as long as they are not too disruptive."

The downward trend is evident at the middle school level as well, with 2 percent of students at Bristow, 3 percent of King Philip students, and 5 percent of Sedgwick students receiving suspensions in the current academic year, down from 5 percent, 7 percent, and 9 percent respectively in 2008-2009.

The full report, which summarizes the infractions that result in the suspensions, can be found on the West Hartford Public Schools website.

One noticeable piece of data in the report is that there were 17 suspensions at King Philip this year for "Fighting/Altercation," far more than at any other school, and that raised concerns for Board Member Mark Zydanowicz.

Moore, said part of the reason was related to coding, since an incident can only be coded one way in the report. The code in question also combines altercations with fights, he said. For example, Moore said that six of those King Philip students were involved in a shouting match, which could be called an altercation but was not a physical fight. "This is an issue I struggle with every year in how you code things," Moore said.

There have been a total of 10 expulsions this year, six at the high school level and four at the middle school level. West Hartford is one of the few districts that provides in-school tutoring as well as counseling to expelled students, Moore said.

Also included in Moore's report was a summary of the Safe School Climate committee findings as well as the state survey that was administered to students in 3rd, 6th, and 9th grades. While the overall majority of students indicated in the survey that they feel safe at school and that children at their school are friendly, Moore wrote in the executive summary that "what is keenly remembered here is that each number is a child and one student feeling unsafe, or not liking school, or feeling disliked by peers is one child too many. Each school will look at this data so that they can try to find ways to reassure those children who are unhappy, and, if possible, get them the help that they might need."

Moore's report also included an update on school security, and West Hartford Police Chief Tracey Gove participated in that discussion. Moore and Gove have been meeting regularly since the Sandy Hook tragedy sparked a reexamination of West Hartford's security procedures.

Some of the new measures include increased training. Police officers have undergone training programs in the schools during recent vacations, Gove said, and have familiarized themselves with the buildings. Officers have also had an increased presence when students and staff are present, in order to become familiar faces. Training, initially focusing on protocols for the first 30 minutes post-crisis, will continue this summer, Gove said.

Gove also said that additional equipment has been purchased to provide officers with a "tactical advantage." Police cruisers are also now equipped with easily accessible digital floor plans of all schools, he said.

Gove said that new policies include two different responses: traditional lockdown and "secure the schools." The latter is in response to a notification that something is going on outside school but which would still permit inside activities to continue normally while keeping all outside doors locked.

Two other measures – panic buttons and card access systems – are in the process of implementation, Moore said. The panic/rapid response button will be tested at Braeburn at the end of the school year, and will incorporate a tie-in to the National Weather Service and the school's lighting systems, Moore said. 

A card access system, which will control and record access to all school buildings, will be operational within the first month of the next school year, once all photo IDs can be created, said Moore. IDs that are lost can be deactivated immediately, he said in response to a question from a board member.

Everything being implemented by in West Hartford has been identified as "best practices for school response" in the latest issue of Law Enforcement Journal, Gove said. He and Moore are sharing their work with the town's private schools, and at an upcoming principals' conference.

Board Vice Chair Elin Katz, who said she was putting on her parent hat, said, “It comforts us to know you’re practicing for the unthinkable.”