Peekskill Schools Focus on Disruptive Students

Consistent enforcement of the Peekskill school district’s code of conduct should be a major tool in curbing student behavior that disrupts classroom learning, Board of Education members and other officials agreed during a discussion Tuesday night.

The district is also seeking ways to develop alternative learning environments for repeat offenders who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to function in a regular classroom setting.

Violence and other disruptive behavior have been an ongoing issue, highlighted by a January 2010 districtwide survey in which faculty and students expressed concerns about school safety.

Superintendent of Schools James Willis framed the wide-ranging discussion Tuesday with a series of questions: What would we like to see? What do we have in place? What do we need? What can we do for kids who need extra help? How can we get families more involved in helping these students?

“Kids can’t learn unless they are in an environment where they feel safe,” Willis said. “The code of conduct [most recently updated in August] must be enforced – consistently. … Students must realize that there are consequences for improper behavior.”

Board member Marcela Bobe said she was particularly concerned about incidents that disrupt a classroom and urged administrators to back up teachers as they enforce the code. She also suggested seeking input from teachers regarding any problems with the content of the code or its implementation.

The district monitors behavior problems through Violent and Disruptive Incident Reports, from which a School Violence Index is developed, Willis explained. The state reporting system, developed within the past decade, mandates reporting of such incidents as weapons and fights but is not always specific about what constitutes a weapon. As an example he cited a knife brought in a lunchbox to cut a piece of fruit; some people would report this as a weapon, others would not. Building principals gather the reports and funnel them to the district offices. Maxine O’Connor, director of pupil personnel services, noted that incidents are weighted by seriousness in calculating the index and cautioned that a single incident can skew the outcome.

Regarding repeat offenders, “We need to find something that works for each particular disruptive student,” said board member Douglas Glickert, summarizing the views of many colleagues and administrators that one size does not fit all.

Sherrill Murray-Lazarus, principal of Peekskill High School, said responses can vary widely for repeat offenders, including contact with the family, working with specific teachers to improve a particular situation and helping the student cope with problems outside school.

Lou Panzanaro, director of athletics, said some students simply do not function well in a regular classroom but do well in a smaller setting. David Fine, principal of Peekskill Middle School, noted that some offenders flourished in the different environment of summer school. Also cited as an effective alternative was Hass’s Way, established in 2004, which provides a quiet, supportive tutoring environment for suspended students, many of whom struggle with reading.

O’Connor said alternatives such as these effectively address the diverse needs of students, whose challenges extend beyond the classroom and in many cases include family economic difficulties, single-parent homes and mental health issues – all of which generate stress that the students bring to school with them. Needs exceed the number of school clinical staffers and community resources, she said.

Board member Michael Simpkins emphasized the importance of reaching out to families and involving them in the resolution of the students’ problems. “We must stay on top of this issue,” he said.

“We want to do something for these kids, not just shove them aside,” Willis said. “Let’s get your ideas,” he said, addressing the entire school community. “Nothing is too outlandish.”