MA board revives SRO talk

The topic of adding a school resource officer in the Montrose Area School District resurfaced during Monday’s board workshop.

Boardmember Gretchen Backer, who was appointed in November to fill a vacant Region 2 slot, spoke about the contract offered by the Susquehanna County District Attorney’s office and the cost to the district. “I understand the board’s concerns on a few levels,” Backer said.

She said one concern voiced by a board member was that an SRO would be reporting on “illegal things” instead of being focused on protection. “They are not out looking to bust kids,” she said. “The number one mission is the safety of everyone in the school.”

Boardmember John Wood said at one meeting, representatives from a neighboring district with an SRO said they were looking for informants. “That’s what they tell us. I only know what they say,” Wood said.

“That’s not what I have lived since September,” offered boardmember Pamela Staats, who works in the Elk Lake School District. Elk Lake added an SRO in the district this school year. “It’s been nothing but a true blessing (at Elk Lake),” she offered.

When asked, Choconut Valley Principal Greg Adams said he was supportive of adding an SRO, but said it was something the district needed to think through. He offered that Elk Lake is housed on one campus, while Montrose Area is comprised of three. He also asked that if the district had an SRO in each building, “What are they going to be doing?” And said he would like more information on the job description.

“I’m not a supporter of people hanging out all day doing nothing,” he said. “No one has a crystal ball to say that we do or don’t need (an SRO). None of us can predict that.”

Boardmember Richard Jordan said he did not want an SRO to be an investigative arm of the state police and also voiced budget concerns. “I am not opposed to hiring one,” he said, adding that the officer could move at random in the district and be part of the wider safety initiative.

Adams said he believed the high school would demand most of one officer’s attention, and said he would rather see two – one for the high school, and one to split time between the elementary buildings.

School director Doug Wilcox said that the board’s biggest discussion on the topic revolved around Montrose Area not being a one campus district.

Superintendent Chris McComb said his main concern has always been police response time to Choconut Valley. He also advocated for looking at a way to maximize the service for the district with involvement in the safety initiative.

He said he also feared that with one SRO in the district, the bulk of their time would be spent at the high school; and his fear with three is time with no work needed to be done and “devaluing what they are doing.”

Jordan asked that the topic remain on the “fast track” so the board could better plan the coming budget. He also asked the school administrators to make recommendations regarding the position.

Backer was asked by the board to continue gathering information from the district attorney’s office, county detectives and other districts that have SROs.

In other business, the board revised the school calendar and students will make up a snow day on Thursday, April 18.

McComb said that would leave two days to be made up at the end of the year, and graduation would remain on June 8.

The board also approved changes to the first reading of the proposed 2019-20 calendar. The first day back for teachers would be Aug. 23; students would report on Aug. 28; and the last day of school is scheduled for June 5, with a tentative graduation date of June 13, 2020.

McComb said the calendar would provide for a three-day first week of school; followed by a four-day week; and then five days of instruction. He offered that kindergarten teachers have, in the past, asked for that consideration in an effort to make the transition to school easier for the young students.

The board hired Thomas Lonzinski as the Director of Facilities, effective March 18.

The resignation of Karl Carichner, district computer technician, was accepted with regret; as was the resignation, for purpose of retirement at the end of the school year, of Petrina Gregory, a learning support teacher, at the end of the school year.

In the work session, the board recognized the 26 FBLA students that qualified to compete at the upcoming state competition to be held in Hershey.