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Assistant superintendent reports drop in violence but flags substance incidents and HIBs at two schools
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Summary
The district’s SSDS report for Sept. 1–Dec. 31 showed an overall low rate of violent incidents but identified confirmed HIBs at Smalley and Community Middle, two restraint/seclusion events at Lamont, and a rise in substance-related removals; drills and counseling responses were described.
The assistant superintendent presented the district’s Student Safety Data System (SSDS) report for Sept. 1–Dec. 31, saying the data “captures” eight categories of incidents and is used to shape interventions.
“One key takeaway I’d like everyone to see is just the overall safety remains very strong, very few incidences of violence, vandalism, and weapons,” the assistant superintendent said, while noting confirmed HIBs at Smalley and Community Middle and two restraint-and-seclusion incidents at Lamont.
The report listed the eight required SSDS categories: violence, vandalism, substances, weapons, confirmed HIBs, alleged HIBs, removals (in-school and out-of-school), and restraint and seclusion. The presenter said the guidance and student-assistance counselors are using targeted character-education lessons, one-on-one interventions and small-group “lunch bunches” to address behavior and that a district assembly (the “Easy Fix” assembly) was held to expose students to firsthand accounts of substance-abuse consequences.
On comparative trends, the presenter provided a three-year view and called out a decline in reported violent incidents from six to one year over year. At the same time, the presenter said the district is tracking an increase in substance-related removals and is coordinating responses through school counselors and the student-assistance counselor (SAC).
The report also reviewed statutory safety drills: monthly fire drills and monthly school-safety drills (evacuation, shelter-in-place, lockdown) and a required bus-safety drill (students practicing safe egress). The assistant superintendent said the district times evacuations, holds post-event reviews with administrators, and is developing its cardiac response-team planning.
The superintendent and board members emphasized that the data are being used to reduce reliance on restraint and seclusion and to prioritize preventative supports. The assistant superintendent said some cases led to in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and one incident where police were notified but no formal complaint was filed.
Next steps identified in the meeting included continuing targeted counseling work, reviewing year-end SSDS figures in a secondary report, and maintaining the district’s prevention assemblies and interventions.
The presentation closed with board members asking clarifying questions about drill timing and data use; no formal action was taken on the report at this meeting.
