Superintendent Jason McCandless discusses school safety during Tuesday's City Council meeting.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Superintendent Jason McCandless says the best thing the city could do to keep the schools safe is to bring back an alternative school.

 

"It is a conversation that we simply must have. The districts that are successful with the most at-risk students are districts that have a unified housed alternative program for middle and high school students," McCandless told the City Council on Tuesday.

 

The council called on McCandless, Police Chief Michael Wynn, and Mayor Daniel Bianchi to discuss improving school safety in the wake of a student being found in possession of a handgun at Herberg Middle School. A teacher was informed about the gun by another student and police found and removed a small pistol from the student's locker. 

 

Councilors John Krol and Christopher Connell teamed up on the petition to have the three appear. 

 

"Our intention is to hear from the three entities here to understand what we are doing to keep dangerous weapons out of our school," Krol said.

 

McCandless credited Herberg Principal Gina Coleman, staff and police with implementing the proper response during the incident last Friday. However, he characterized the incident as one that "violates" one of the city schools and said there is an array of things being done to further prevent a weapon being brought to school.

 

"We don't have metal detectors in our schools but we have zero tolerance for weapons," McCandless said.

 

McCandless said the district has launched a comprehensive review of policies, looking to improve communications with could include wireless radios linked to police frequencies in classrooms, reviewing the backpack policies, considering restricting baggy cloths that could hide a weapon, and pricing out more security cameras.  

 

In the last budget cycle, the district budgeted for the hiring of four additional behavioral adjustment councilors. McCandless said so far, working with principals, 2.4 of those have been hired. Those councilors provide additional help to student with behavioral issues.

 

And there are other options to beef up security, he said, but the price tag for those add up quickly. For example, metal detectors could be installed in schools or additional security staffing could be hired for the hallways. Krol, however, said metal detectors would be a "knee-jerk reaction" that may go too far. 

 

Despite those options, none would be as meaningful as bringing back an alternative school for those with behavioral, emotion, and mental needs. Those schools will be more security, higher staff to student ratios, and have experts in the social service and behavioral fields. 

 

"We were a district once upon a time that had a full-scale alternative high school," McCandless said. 

 

Now the school system spends millions of dollars on alternative programs but McCandless said it is "sporadic" and not part of a larger concept. He said a full alternative school would help provide those students with the professional help they need and in the other schools allow teachers to focus on education rather than behavioral or mental issues.

 

An alternative school could reduce the number of locations or other security measures occurring at the other schools, McCandless said. Ward 5 Councilor Jonathan Lothrop says he hears of many lockdown situations at Taconic High School, taking away from the education. Whether it be for fights or for a student acting out, the schools often put extra security measures in place.

 

"I was a little surprised when we chose to disband the alternative school," Lothrop said. "I think we need to have that conversation."

 

Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Simonelli said the relationship between a student and a teacher in the Herberg situation was what ultimately brought the situation to light.

 

"I think that is what we have to build on with the kids. That particular student, who should remained unnamed at this time, but should be highly commended by this council," Simonelli said.

 

While the focus may be heightened because of a weapon being found in the school, this isn't the first time it has happened. Just a year ago, a student was arrested with a gun at Taconic High School. Wynn told the council that the department is investigating reports of weapons at schools on a "fairly regular basis."

 

Wynn emphasized the importance of communication of information. He said the Police Department will investigate crimes but needs strong communication with students, parents, school officials, and the community as a whole. As for the school's themselves, Wynn said his safety recommendation would be to focus on entrances and egresses. 

 

"Everybody expects our campuses to be open and accessible but open and accessible is less safe," Wynn said.

 

Connell questioned Wynn if there was any way to bring gun safety education to the city. Wynn said there is plenty of curriculum out there but it likely wouldn't be supported by the people. For example, the National Rifle Association puts out gun safety curriculum but many parents would be politically against using that curriculum in schools.