Keystone Central SD committee hears behavior and attendance data; belonging flagged as driver of outcomes

District staff presented a package of attendance, behavior and climate data to the Keystone Central School District Safety & Security Committee and said the district’s multi‑tiered support framework (MTSS) is producing measurable benefits, while also highlighting persistent challenges in belonging, bullying and vaping.

Christina, the presenter, told the committee that "attendance is the outcome and but belonging is the driver," and that the district is using PAYS (student climate surveys) and SWIS (school discipline entries) to guide MTSS responses. She said PAYS Jr. — administered to fourth graders this year — showed "strong adult relationships and feeling of safety" but also early signs of disengagement and that nearly half of students reported some bullying at the elementary level.

The presentation included attendance trends showing the district meeting the state attendance goal (94%) this year and a decline in the chronically absent cohort. Christina said SWIS discipline data indicate most students remain in tier‑1 supports; "our tier one is working," she said, reporting that about "88% of our kiddos" are served at tier‑1 with tier‑2 and tier‑3 within target ranges.

Board members asked for more granular, student‑level tracking for chronic cases; Christina said the district maintains spreadsheets documenting when students hit three unlawful days and the reported reasons (for example, non‑turning of excuse notes, peer conflict or dislike of school). She described local practices that aim to increase attendance and engagement — free breakfasts and lunches, student‑to‑student mentoring (S2S), attendance improvement conferences and school‑based court sessions that bring principals, counselors and parents together.

Bullying and incident reporting were central parts of the discussion. Christina explained SWIS entries are made by adults (teachers or administrators) and noted the district applies a working definition of bullying that requires repetition and an imbalance of power. A committee member described a case that community members felt had been handled inconsistently and raised concerns that interpersonal influence could affect outcomes; Christina and others acknowledged the concern and said the district is reviewing processes to ensure consistent documentation and response.

Vaping and tobacco incidents were reported as increasing and above peer districts, while drug-and‑alcohol and weapon incidents are declining and in some categories are now below the state average. Christina said the district partners with the magistrate (Judge Wright), Crossroads and West Branch Drug & Alcohol to deliver cessation and education programs (including a STOP vaping‑cessation course) and that bathroom vape detectors have helped identify incidents.

The committee discussed repeat offenders and progressive responses: parent meetings, SAP referrals, MTSS tier movement and, when criteria are met, AEDY (alternative education) recommendations. Christina noted that for special‑education students AEDY placements are limited to 45 days and that the district considers alternative placements when needed.

The presentation concluded with a list of tier‑1 interventions (Second Step, restorative circles, emotional screeners, PBIS, suicide‑prevention and youth mental‑health first aid) and the emphasized message that the district is "striving to increase our sense of belonging" because belonging is central to student success.

The committee asked Christina to provide—at future work sessions—more disaggregated school‑level data available from discipline systems and clearer definitions and phrasing in the written report (for example to define SWIS and to include the district’s bullying definition). The committee scheduled follow‑up review and possible grant planning should additional investments be needed.

The committee moved from discussion on behavioral data to an update on Act 47 of 2025 later in the meeting.