Scotia-Glenville School District safety forum
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SCOTIA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- With school safety a paramount thought on many parents' minds amidst today's school climate, one local school district is taking the time to meet with the public to explain how it all works when trying to keep kids safe. And it’s all in what the school district is calling a preemptive and transparent fashion.
The Scotia Glenville School District held a safety forum with the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies. “To talk about safety, not because something bad has happened, which is often how people end up having forums,” explained Scotia-Glenville School District Superintendent, Susan Swartz. She said, “I always think it's better to communicate with people beforehand. And oftentimes during a crisis, one of the things schools are criticized for.”
In recent weeks the student information portal used by the district, PowerSchool, fell victim of a cyber-attack which alerted parents to the threat of cyber security at the school. “I heard we were breached and then I put out a note out about 30 minutes later, said ‘Oops!’ we weren't breached. And then before the day was out, turned out we were breach,” said Swartz.
Some parents questioned the transparency from the district on the attack. “I have heard from people in the community who have said to me, ‘Why did you wait so long?’ And I say to them, ‘Because I'm not going to put incorrect information out. I need to know what's really happening,” said Swartz.
The superintendent says they are looking into another portal for student information. They say ParentSquare is still the best way for them to stay connected.
During the question-and- answer portion at the end of the forum one parent stood up to ask about how the district decides how to inform parents of when a crisis unfolds at school. “It was nice to get to know everyone that's on the panel and involved with the safety here at the school and the students. My question was answered thoroughly. I felt satisfied with the answer. And I'm certainly leaving more informed than when I came here,” said district parent, Levi Sayward.
The school district reimplemented the school resource officer program back in 2010. “We do a lot of crisis escalation, crisis in intervening, and we offer things that sometimes we can connect the dots for a network of things that are outside of the school, but it starts while we're there with them,” said School Resource Officer, Michelle Arreola.
School Resource Officer Jeremy Ecker explained, “We assist with any and all emergency drills that are completed within the district. Fire drills and most of those evacuation drills, lockdowns, lockouts, relocation drills and so on.”