Adams-Cheshire School Committee OKs Mediation Program; Holds Costa Rica Trip

The School Committee has approved a mediation pilot program designed to reduce conflict within the schools.

ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee has approved a pilot program to mediate between students, the school, and parents.

William Ballen, of the superintendents' roundtable and former superintendent of Mount Greylock School Union 69, explained to the committee on Monday the new program he is spearheading.

He said the program has been made available through a grant received by Berkshire Housing and Mediation Services.

Ballen said he will be training independent mediators around school climate and working with staff and administration.

"We want to get parents to understand that it may be a way for them to strengthen their relationship with the school rather than feel that they are in an adversarial position," Ballen said. "What we are trying to do is let them know that we are here to try to solve problems and, of course, the major goal here is to make things successful for their students academically and socially."

Superintedent Kristen Gordon said the program will address topics such as grades, bullying, attendance and other challenges the school faces and act as a step before such issues have to be taken to court or the next level of remediation.

Ballen said if the pilot program is a success he would like to open it up to the county.

Committee member Stephan Vigna asked if the program would create any "red tape" for school officials and limit disciplinary policy.

Hoosac Valley Principal Jerimiah Ames said he had the same concern but has been assured the program will not change policy and overall authority still falls on administration.

"There is certainly a role for this, and I see it as a preamble to a court magistrate hearing," Ames said. "It's just people sitting down at a table with some guidance to talk though a tricky issue where emotions have clouded the issues. We really just need someone to help walk us through it."

Committee member Regina Hill asked how the program would assure parents the mediators are not biased to the school.

Ballen said the mediators will be completely independent, and not be part of the school. With this, he added, it is critical that teachers and administration also feel as though the mediators are fair to them.   

The committee also met with science teacher Tammie Shafer to discuss a proposed 2017 trip to Costa Rica for 10th-through-12th graders.

Shafer said the 11-day trip will cost each student just under $3,000 and there are already 25 interested students.

"I know this is something that stays with students, and I have students come back to me and say they have used the experience to write papers in college about the trip and things they have seen," Shafer said. "It's a science-based trip so it is for science-minded students, but the educational benefits are extraordinary for the students."

Ames said he supported the idea of large school trips and knows there is an interest among students, but had yet to consider this one and felt he could not endorse it at this point.

Chairman Paul Butler said he supported the trip but would like to make sure administration backs it before the committee takes a vote.

"The committee, as long as I have been here, has been very supportive of the trips. Having said that, we also commit to these trips with a sense of solid support from administration," Butler said. "When we hear that's not the case ... not to say it won't happen, but I think we have to pursue it a little more."

Hill agreed and advocated for pushing out the trip another year because of the frequency of recent trips and how much they cost.

"We just had a trip to England, we have another trip coming up, and then a third trip," she said. "I want to see trips but I am concerned about the number of students that will be able to benefit from trip after trip after trip."

She also asked if there was a policy for trips that said how often they can be taken.

Ames agreed and said he would like to see a new policy so fundraising efforts are more measured and trips can be more planned out.

He said the current handbook is being revised but the policy in action states that the trips need to approved by administration before the School Committee gives them the OK.

Shafer said she thought the committee took the first vote but agreed to take up the issue at the next meeting after Ames could vet the trip. 

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