District Safety, Communication & Equity
Community Forum Feedback
On March 1 and March 6, the district hosted two forums for community members to discuss safety, communications and equity in the Carmel Central School District. Thank you to all who attended the forums where we heard many compelling and thought-provoking statements, listened to your concerns and reflected on different perspectives.
Included here is a summary of the feedback that was provided to the district, outlining strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. The feedback that came from the forums is helping the district formulate some actionable steps to take in response to questions, suggestions and concerns.
- View a presentation of the feedback from the March 7, 2023, Board of Education meeting or download a PDF of the meeting presentation.
- Download a PDF of the feedback summary.
Feedback Summary
Safety and Security
| STRENGTHS | WEAKNESSES | OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT |
| Doors are locked, buzzed in/sign in | ID Check needed | "Raptor" ID System |
| Communication | Communication "parents need to know" | More detail and follow up after incident |
| Police presence | Problems seem like secrets | Parent mediation if possible |
| Check in procedures in buildings | No single point entry, Door security/supervision, NO scanners/metal detectors and Showing ID is not consistent | More updates in emergency situations |
| Locked doors - buzzed into building | After-school security- After-School supervision is lacking (doors are open) | Follow up after incidents |
| Safety notifications (emails) | Only one SRO per campus and SROs are used for traffic | Follow up after initial notification |
| Threats are looked into - local police investigating | Bus supervision | Share more details when possible |
| Security in vestibules | Cell phone policy - privacy concerns - bathrooms | More transparent/timely communication- there is a lack of trust |
| SROs/SPOs | Lack of social media literacy/responsibility being taught | Clear policies need to be communicated to families |
| Visible staff presence | Communication/transparency | Better monitoring of school mentions/threats on social media |
| Check-in Procedures | Specifics of the investigation were not shared with families | Zero tolerance for threats and consequences for bullying |
| Safety drills | No consequences for criminal behavior from law enforcement | Structures for supporting students in being "upstanders" not "bystanders" |
| Safety/security orientations | Misinformation on social media | Staff members need to be aware of who is allowed/not allowed in building |
| Law enforcement walk throughs | Absence Robo calls aren't until evening | Transparent plan for students who re-enter the school community after a suspension |
| Safety drills | Bathroom safety, vandalism, vaping | Translation services must be readily available |
| Show ID at entry | Families were not notified immediately about the threat | Protocols at each school for addressing student discipline needs to be communicated clearly to families |
| Security vestibule | Families were given more information from the press than the district | Implement restorative/mindful practices need to be implemented |
| SROs/SPOs nice presence and approachable | Easy for HS students to leave campus | Better DASA training for staff |
| Affinity groups for minority students/marginalized groups | ||
| More effort to acknowledge black history month, Hispanic heritage month | ||
| Outreach to historically black colleges by college counseling | ||
| Engage diverse stakeholders | ||
| More effort to build family/community bonds and connect families to one another |
Communication from District & Buildings
| STRENGTHS | WEAKNESSES | OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT |
| Push for more communication evident | Too many emails, difficult to manage | Make sharing information a priority |
| Improved use of digital formats | They all start with the same opening - may help to identify type of communication | Administration should have a full grasp of situation, i.e.: seen video, etc. and admit to the problem |
| Appreciate communication: calls, emails, texts; also good to know about absences (elementary is notified so much earlier) | Many marked "urgent", hard to differentiate | Make clear what constitutes a threat; i.e.: hate crime, use clear language not legalese |
| Weekly emails - Great info | Delineate source of communication | Discuss school climate/culture, i.e. Gather data and present so kids know where to go for help |
| Community forum - do them for specific incidents also | Some emails taking longer/delayed only for some | **Culture of communication***. Give information "developing situation'; make corrections as you go |
| Communication amount | Bus depot communication is not consistent (different numbers from D.O.) and there are discipline issues on the buses | Train staff in protocols on how/what can be communicated - share a script with everyone - main office and teachers so communication is consistent |
| Administrators have been helpful and have served as mentors for students. | "Absence" calls coming in much later (night for a daytime absence) May be secondary 6-12 issue and is a safety concern | Parent log in to see real-time attendance, especially CHS |
| Can parents sign up for type of email/text/etc. they prefer? Can they set priority lists for formats preferred? | Can officers help with communication | |
| District email re: Incidents are not providing enough detail; too vague; let parents know kids are safe and more about the infraction so they can address and communicate at home how school is addressing | Educate students yearly on dignity for all students, antibias, antiracism, diversity & SEL. Also educate students on the power of technology. | |
| TikTok videos include threats that are not concisely shared with parents and risk is minimized | Safe culture - needs to be the norm. Culture of safety - training with staff | |
| When an incident, communication needs to be more clear, especially when critical - to greatest extent possible to decrease parent, staff and student anxiety | Educate our parents and families | |
| Follow up needed - what are the consequences as this may deter other students | Students should have serious consequences | |
| Follow up communication, after investigation to let others know/clarify threat level needs to let community know kids are safe/school is safe | Offer school classes to address the issues and provide age-appropriate conversations | |
| What is the procedure? What can be communicated & when? Families should know protocol, next steps and when they will hear follow up | Need more opportunities for parents to volunteer; buses, bathrooms, etc. | |
| Communication is vague at all levels, especially with larger issues | Systemic communication programs | |
| Check-ins during the day when there is a threat | Provide more information about clubs and activities offered to students | |
| Follow up to know school is safe/threat is gone, etc. Controlling narrative | Enhance law enforcement in schools | |
| When police presence on campus, parents do not know, finding out on news rather than from district | Student voice is important | |
| If an incident occurs at CHS, elementary parents and staff should also know as a community - we are all the community | See something/Say something drop box or a link that goes right to administrators | |
| Where is the initiative? Why aren't parents getting closure, i.e.: case is closed. Other examples - NYC schools procedures | Administer surveys | |
| After-school program incidents, not handled similarly/all one community | Look to other area schools for good programming | |
| Communicate penalties for threats, Suspensions, and any other discipline issues | "Closing the loop"; Admin goes right to the teacher or student | |
| Why did the school allow students to attend? Why not shut down? | Respect all people inside of the building; if not, this will lead to vicious cycle | |
| Need more staff diversity | We all need to be better | |
| Explain when additional measures are taken such as increased police presence, lockdown or lockouts are implemented. | Implement Equity teams and mentorships | |
| Students of color do not feel safe & racism is common in the community. Scared last name & culture will create target | Students should have a reliable adult in building to go to share concerns and issues | |
| Past experience in school district includes racial language | ||
| County agencies should be involved and there should be home searches for weapons | ||
| Leave racism at home. Students who made the videos receiving counseling and supports to prevent further issues | ||
| People don't know where to go if they have questions | ||
| Students and staff should be having conversations about racism. | ||
| Do not have enough security in school |
Equity & Student Wellbeing
| STRENGTHS | WEAKNESSES | OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT |
| Promoting discussion | Outline specific action steps - events | Communication-vague/more specific incidents |
| Generally happy and safe students | Parent Universities | Following up on specific incidents |
| Staff student-centered | Communicate scope of safety drills | Welcoming new community members |
| Rehearsing scenarios | Parent mediations | Positive affirming environment/school |
| Drills/evacuations/lock-down, etc. ongoing learning | Ensuring that issues are acknowledged/acted upon/communicated | Reinforce routines/procedures with students |
| Staff effort to make student experience equitable | Microaggressions must be readdressed | Communication RE: behavioral issues |
| DEI Teams | Discomfort in addressing issues universal themes | All situations handled correctly and communicated back to parents |
| Equity Training | Training for staff to address racial issues/subgroups/individuals | Increase parent involvement/volunteering at all levels |
| Community Feeling/Culture | Diverse staff | More supervision hallways/bathrooms |
| PTO Events | All students must be affirmed | Educate students on Tech ethics/social media |
| ID Protocols | Consistent consequences for the same behaviors | Student IDs to access building |
| Teacher Communication Principal | Increase district-wide approach/consistent | Student Tip Line |
| Rotating Table Groups/Partnerships | Bus assistants would be supportive | Single building entry |
| Bus Drivers Care | Timeliness of buses | Transparency on District school policies ex: Code of conduct consequence |
| Lunchroom Associates care | Bus issues addressed | Install Metal Detectors |
| Larry’s Brain Breaks | Parents don't feel video investigation was thorough enough | Grade-level student assemblies regarding recent events |
| Staff going above and beyond | Bridging community parents talking to parents | Antibias training/cultural competency - All Staff |
| Administrator outreach | Not always as parents would like | Implement Mindfulness, Sensitivity Training & Therapeutic response |
| Personable communication individual outreach | Student fear | Look at curriculum/resources for diversity: YWCA 21-Day, Jane Elliott - Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes |
| Remind/Dojo-apps/Technology | Lack of trust | Transparency with discipline |
| Issues dealt with quickly | Greater detail on investigations | |
| Student supports in place | Greater communication of resources | |
| Helped students through COVID with return to school | Treat all students with respect | |
| District communication/transparency | ||
| Children/Teacher training on bias/mental health district-wide | ||
| Director of DEI | ||
| Clubs/activities for black students |