Normandy reports sharp drop in suspensions after phone ban; security team cites cameras and alert system

The Normandy Schools Collaborative on Wednesday reported a substantial decline in student suspensions and expulsions after rolling out new safety technology and a stricter student cell-phone policy.

Chief Norm Campbell, the district’s security lead, told the Joint Executive Governing Board that the district recorded 180 out-of-school suspensions so far this year compared with 700 at the same point last year — "that's a 74% decrease," he said — and that expulsions fell from 29 to 9. Campbell credited a combination of tools and operational changes, including the Syntegix alert system, roughly 350 new cameras and expanded two-way radio use, plus targeted staff deployment to identified “hot spots.”

The nut graf: The board was presented data tying the drop in disciplinary removals to a mixture of technology, revised enforcement practices and a district-wide student cell-phone ban. Administrators described quicker response times to incidents and an emphasis on keeping students in class rather than out on suspension.

Campbell said staff use data from cameras and Syntegix to time patrols to predictable problem windows and locations. “We’ve been able to locate the hot spots and put personnel in those spots during those hot spot times,” he said. He added response teams can reach incidents and complete an initial assessment in about two minutes.

Board members and the superintendent connected the safety updates to rising attendance. The district’s attendance presentation, shown earlier in the meeting, reported that district-wide attendance is 19% higher this year than at the same point last year.

Directors asked several operational questions: how often staff drill on the alert system (Campbell said drills and live-response monitoring occur continuously); whether the district is coordinating with local law enforcement (Campbell said monthly meetings are ongoing and local officers are “more than willing” to help); and whether the district has considered technical measures such as restricting Wi-Fi access to school-managed devices to enforce the phone policy (Campbell said that had not been implemented districtwide).

Board President Pamela Westbrooks Hodge and others praised the cross-department work, noting the cell-phone policy was a difficult change but that data presented suggested it had helped reduce incidents. Campbell noted only two suspensions directly related to the phone policy so far, saying the rule “has subsided a great deal.”

The meeting closed with recognition from board members for security, transportation and operations staff who maintain day-to-day safety and student supports.

Ending: Board members asked administration to continue monthly reporting of safety metrics and to provide details about hot-spot timing and law-enforcement coordination in future agendas.