Goshen schools roundtable considers community resources for safety and mental health

Several school community members gathered at the district’s first-roundtable discussion to address school safety and communication on Friday, Nov. 18.

Participants agreed that recent threats against Goshen schools, whether via mobile devices or social media, are alarming and disruptive. Under the guidance of moderator Alyssa Teribury of the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service in Albany, the group addressed the following three questions that served as the discussion framework.

What are the characteristics of a safe and productive school learning environment?

What do you value most about district and school communication?

What next steps would you like to see?

Many shared insights and experiences with recent events and the school environment in general. The discussion included concerns about building security, consistency with communication between buildings, passive attitudes toward safety issues such as lockdowns or overdoses, smoking and vaping in the school bathrooms, mental health and social-emotional learning, ways to reach students about the effects of drug use and threatening posts/texts, and procedural trainings for students, staff and faculty.

They agreed that the world is much different for today’s students and schools, and that it can be difficult for educators to navigate ever-changing technology and social media. Participants said they are comforted by the presence of school resource officers and the school’s partnership with the Village of Goshen Police Department. They acknowledged district programs and committees already in place that address social-emotional learning, mental health, and school safety. The conversation also considered the home-school connection and the responsibility of parents to reinforce and continue these discussions at home.

Various ideas emerged about how to reach students about the importance of personal responsibility, the seriousness of their actions pertaining to drugs, alcohol and social media, and their contribution to a safe and productive school environment. Some suggested using community members, parents and guardians as a resource for drills and training, since a significant percentage of the population is first responders.

What happens now?

District officials are reviewing participant feedback to develop strategies to address school safety, environment, and communication in partnership with students, parents, guardians, employees, and the community.

While the district works to address the concerns raised at the roundtable, some actionable steps are under way:

- Launching InformaCast

InformaCast is an emergency mass notification system that sends critical messages to on-premises devices and mobile users, including digital signage, overhead signage, and laptop computers. Any user is able to send a message quickly and easily. Learn more at www.singlewire.com/informacast.

-Hosting a school security audit to assess what actions can be taken to increase security.

- Reinforcing building security protocols among faculty and staff members.

-Working with school social workers and counselors to expand upon community resources and programs to address the consequences of substance use, improper use of social media, and other student-centered topics.

More information will be shared as strategies and initiatives are developed.