Some school districts facing increase in violence

1. What are ways we can create and maintain a safe environment at our schools that's still a great and fun learning environment, too.

2. How can we create an environment where kids and parents praise our schools for how safe they feel at the school--and how well disciplined and respectful the students and staff are so as to create a safe learning environment?

Video: Some school districts facing increase in violence, experts blame COVID

Some parents are concerned about the safety of their children during their school commute due to the possibility of fights and other behavioral issues. Over the past two years, there have been reported increases in fights, bad behavior, and challenges related to social media platforms like Tick Tock, which experts attribute to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the new school year approaches, districts are working to find ways to address and mitigate these problems.

Children have spoken out about experiencing increased bullying incidents, such as having objects thrown at them, and even facing threats of violence. The uptick in violence has been a concerning trend, with some incidents involving weapons and dangerous situations. Additionally, there have been instances of vandalism in schools, which experts link to the influence of social media platforms like Tik Tok.

The consequences of these behavioral issues can be severe, with tragic incidents like

shootings at school events, as witnessed during a football game last October. The

growing concerns over student safety and the prevalence of disruptive behavior

have even resulted in some teachers leaving their positions, feeling overwhelmed by

the challenging environment.

As the new school year approaches, educators and administrators are grappling with

finding effective strategies to address these behavioral issues and create a safer and

more conducive learning environment. Recognizing the complex interplay of factors

contributing to these problems, schools are looking for comprehensive solutions to

help students navigate [not control?] their emotions, behaviors, and interactions

with others.

In conclusion, the combination of COVID-19's influence on students' mental and emotional health, along with the effects of social media platforms and changing societal dynamics, has contributed to an increase in fights, bad behavior, and disruptive incidents in schools. School districts are actively seeking ways to mitigate these issues and create a safer and more supportive learning environment for students.

"I've showed you alarming fights happening in schools like at East Central Middle School or a student stabbed in the forehead during a fight at Union's Eighth Grade Center. 

Districts like Broken Arrow Public School (BAPS) say they're seeing more fights, and with the elementary kids, the issues have always been there; it just increased. We've seen a real big uptick in anxiety, and with that, kids' perceptions of others and what they think of each other and how that impacts them. I was looking at our data the other day, and you know some school sites have had a few more fights than they did last year; other sites had less. 

So it depends on the makeup of the students, the culture of that school, how they're addressing them. That's Derek Blackburn with BAPS. 

He says he's seeing a lot of repeat offenders; they're angry at whatever their situation is, either at home or what's going on at school. So, there are multiple things that play and come into play. He says staff are doing all they can to help students relieve their anxiety and work through problems. Even if we suspend a student for multiple days, they're still coming back; those two kids are still going to be in that school. 

See the video clip for more.

Public School Principals: Charter vs. Traditional

Are there unique skills and areas of expertise we should be mindful of as we find the best principal for our charter school?

Public School Principals: Charter vs. Traditional: Unique skills and expertise which may be uniquely required of a charter school principal over a regular district public school principal in the US for a middle or other charter school 

Here are some skills and expertise that may be uniquely required of a charter school principal over a regular district public school principal in the US for a middle or other charter school:

• Strong business acumen: Charter schools are typically funded through a combination of public and private sources, and they have more autonomy over their budgets than traditional public schools. This means that charter school principals need to have strong financial skills in order to manage their schools effectively.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships: Charter schools often have a strong focus on community engagement, and principals need to be able to build and maintain relationships with parents, community members, and other stakeholders in order to be successful.
• Ability to innovate: Charter schools are often free to experiment with new teaching methods and educational programs. This means that principals need to be open to new ideas and be willing to take risks in order to improve student outcomes.
• Strong communication skills: Charter school principals need to be able to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences, including students, parents, teachers, staff, and the school's authorizer.
• Ability to work independently: Charter school principals have a lot of autonomy, and they need to be able to work independently and make decisions without a lot of oversight.

In addition to these skills, charter school principals also need to have a deep understanding of the charter school's mission and vision, as well as the specific needs of the students they serve. They also need to be able to articulate the school's goals and progress to the school's authorizer and other stakeholders.

Here are some additional skills and expertise that may be helpful for a charter school principal:

• Experience in a charter school setting: While it is not essential, having experience in a charter school setting can be helpful for a charter school principal. This experience can give the principal a better understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that charter schools face.
• Experience in a school with a diverse student population: Charter schools often serve students from a variety of backgrounds, and principals need to be able to work effectively with students from different cultures and backgrounds.
• Experience in fundraising and grant writing: Charter schools often rely on fundraising and grant writing to supplement their funding. This experience can be helpful for a charter school principal who needs to raise money to support the school's programs and activities.

Principal Performed Unlawful Strip Search Of High School Girls, Lawsuit Alleges

What can a school board and school leaders do to prevent similar incidents?

Principal Performed Unlawful Strip Search Of High School Girls, Lawsuit Alleges
The students' parents were not informed of the search, a violation of school policy, the complaint said.
Honolulu Civil Beat, July 7, 2023

Three former female students are alleging that the principal of their public charter high school performed illegal strip searches on them after they had been accused of vaping and smoking on a class field trip in September 2019, according to court documents. 

The allegations were originally laid out in complaint filed in 2020 when the students were juniors, and were represented by guardians in the court documents. The three plaintiffs who are no longer minors have now chosen to be publicly identified in an updated filing and to speak publicly about the allegations.

During the incident Kapolei Charter School by Goodwill Hawaii principal Wanda Villareal allegedly asked high school juniors Randell Akau, Chevelle Peter and Anuhea Morales Nelson to lift their shirts during the search which occurred four days after the field trip... 

After the search the students were told to return to class and each called her parents, according to the complaint. “I went into the bathroom and I called my mom crying,” Akau said.

Akau’s mother, Heidi, said the students’ parents had not been informed about the search. Akau was told that her mother had signed a consent form that allowed for her and her personal belongings to be searched, said Akau. “I was under the impression that my parents knew that this was happening.”

The complaint said that not informing the parents of the search violated “school policy and the law.” 

According to the 2019 Kapolei Charter School Student Conduct and Discipline Policy, searches are permissible if there are “reasonable grounds” to suspect a student has violated school disciplinary policy, which includes the possession of “drugs, drug paraphernalia, tobacco.”

Kapolei Charter School by Goodwill Hawaii had its state contract renewed for four more years on July 1. More than half of the 161 students enrolled in the 2021-2022 school year were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander....