|
Security with a Gentle Touch: The SWBOCES Career Services Team
Mike Jones says he never has a bad day.
“I look forward to seeing my kids everyday,” say the affable Jones, who has been a member of the safety and security team at the Southern Westchester BOCES Center for Career Services campus in Valhalla for the past 26 years.
Along with three other campus monitors – Prudy Lenhard, Joe DeCaprio and Jeffrey Johns – maintains order and civility on the sprawling campus, even though he is the first to tell you that serious problems on the campus are rare.
“Our approach is to be very proactive,” said Mr. Jones. “We know all the kids, we treat them with respect, and guess what? It works.”
It’s true that students occasionally present challenges for the campus security team, he said, but a student in crisis presents “an opportunity” for the entire team at Career Services – monitors, teachers, guidance counselors, social workers and school psychologists. “We use a team approach to stay on top of any issues that might arise with a particular student,” he said, “and that will often defuse any potential problem before it happens.”
Mostly, the monitors approach their jobs as members of much larger team of school professionals who both respect their students and demand respect in return.
The security team, whose members generally spread out each day to monitor activities in the campus’ five classroom buildings, keeps in touch via Nextel walkie-talkie phones.On a recent morning, Mr. Jones communicated via Nextel with other members of the team about a student who was walking the hallways. The student was quickly located and returned to class.
Eileen Bloom, Supervisor of Academics and Security, says, “If someone’s having a bad day the monitors will be the first to know, and they always follow up with teachers and administrators.”
Ms. Bloom explained that each monitor has assigned buildings, and areas to patrol.They also have staggered work hours so that the staff always has someone there to assist them, if needed.
All monitors have undergone security training, as well as first aid and AED training.
On July 24, 2000, the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act (SAVE) became law in New York. Among other things, the legislation requires school districts to establish District Wide Safety Teams that address campus-based safety issues, provides staff training and prepares wellness policies.The renewed emphasis on school safety after Columbine meant expanding the safety team on the Career Services campus and more stringent training requirements for the team.
“It’s a key component of a sound educational program to provide a safe learning environment,” said Linda Saurez, Director of Career Services.
High on the list of priorities for the Career Services security team, Mr. Jones said, is a strict code against bullying. Because the campus hosts a mix of regular education and special education students, he said, it’s important to emphasize that “we have no star system here.”