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District updates Safe School Plan, cites marijuana as the primary campus concern and a drop in suspensions
Summary
At the Birmingham Community Charter High District meeting, presenters reported reduced suspensions, flagged student marijuana possession in bathrooms as the top campus safety issue, and outlined increased supervision, drug-detection canine deployments and new drug‑intervention curriculum for 9th–10th grades.
Trish Carpenter, representing California Leader Strategies on behalf of classified employees, presented the district’s annual Safe School Plan update and outlined discipline and safety trends.
Carpenter said the plan — updated annually and required by the Education Code as cited in the meeting — includes self-assessments, emergency procedures and recovery protocols. She told the board the district saw a 58% reduction in suspensions compared with the prior reporting period and that, while there was an overall drop, the school remains focused on targeted interventions.
“The biggest crime that’s happening on campus is the marijuana,” Carpenter said, describing bathrooms as the primary location of those incidents. She reported 71 students were found in possession in 2023–24 and that the district recorded a 5.6% drop in possession incidents year over year, though the goal to reduce incidents by 10% was not met.
Carpenter outlined alternatives to suspension and supports the district is expanding: increased supervision and more frequent bathroom checks, expanded use of a drug-detection canine, parent conferences for first offenses and added drug‑intervention lessons in 9th and 10th grade seminar classes. She said the district is reconnecting with community partners (telehealth and on‑site services) to identify stable providers who can offer sustained support and parent education.
The presentation also described restorative and mediation approaches and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) activities: the district reported a substantial increase in anonymous bullying reports after an anonymous reporting app was introduced, and officials are using meditations and PBIS strategies to address incidents.
Carpenter emphasized the district’s focus on data: the administration is continuing to gather evidence to guide interventions and said repeat offenders were not prominent in the recent data review. She said the school will continue to refine its metrics and partner with community agencies to deliver counseling and intervention services.
The update concluded with a review of emergency drills and a spinal‑injury scenario conducted this year; Carpenter praised staff and deans for their response and said the command team and drills are part of ongoing safety preparedness. The Safe School Plan will remain on the board’s annual review calendar.
