Bullying Incidents Fall 'Dramatically' at Bedminster School

The number of harassment, intimidation and bullying incidents at Bedminster School has fallen “dramatically,” district Business Administrator Phil Acosta said at Thursday’s board meeting.

In all, the district had 20 complaints of harassment, intimidation and bullying in the 2012-13 school year. Of those, only six were substantiated, Acosta said.

That number was substantially lower than the previous year, he said.

Acosta attributed the decline to an increase of awareness among students about the effects of such behavior and increased training of staff members.

In other business on Thursday night, former district employee Karen Olsen read a letter on the observations she made while helping in the central administration office for a few days at the end of the school year in June.

Noting that the work was “non-stop” with end-of-the-year matters such as graduation, Olsen said the district should review the responsibilities and salaries of the employees in the office. She also said the district should re-consider its decision not to have a receptionist in the school’s entry, saying that it’s a matter of security.

”It’s too easy for someone to slip inside,” she said, if a receptionist is not there.
 
The board also accepted the resignation of school psychologist Meredith Panik, but hired her replacement, Kristen Markey-Skeffington.

The board accepted the resignation of Susan Anderson as administrative assistant to the superintendent and business administrator. No replacement has yet to be hired, Acosta explained, because Ron Bolandi, who was appointed as acting superintendent at the meeting, will handle that hiring.