Number lets students report problems anonymously

JEN RANSOM/Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU -- The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District has a new help line available for local residents to report anything that could jeopardize the safety of local schools.

The Safe School Hotline was activated for the district on April 1. A quick call to the 800-number allows students, parents, teachers and community members to either leave a message or talk to a counselor about harmful or threatening behavior, no personal identification required.

"This allows students to be anonymous," said Kevin Koechlein, the district's Safe Schools/Healthy Community coordinator. "All they ask for is the identification of the school so we have a way to get the information back to the principals."

Security Voice Inc., a company not affiliated with any school district, runs the help line service for school districts around the country; Koechlein said he first heard of the program when a Palmer Police officer mentioned that it had been useful in the school district she worked in previously. Koechlein began contacting other districts who utilize the service, and found that the program had been deemed successful.

"We got a feel for how valuable something like this is," said Koechlein. "It obviously doesn't solve all school problems, but it has been a big help in other districts."

Koechlein said representatives from every district he spoke to claimed that the hotline had prevented a school-related violent act each year the hotline has been in existence.

The district's own help line extension is funded through a Safe Schools grant, though Koechlein says that even if the grant money was to expire, many principals have voiced they would be willing to use part of their school's budget to have the hotline. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week -- whether school is in session or not. Once the message is retrieved or the counselor finishes speaking with the caller, the conversation is written verbatim and is sent to the district to help administrators, principals and teachers deal with whatever problems are brought to attention.

Callers choose, by the click of a button, whether to talk to a live person or leave a message. Once the call is placed, the caller is given a private case number that allows the caller to call back and get or give updates on how the information is being handled. After each after-hours call, the call center determines whether or not to wait until morning to contact the district, or, in case of an emergency, to call Wasilla Police Department immediately. WPD has agreed to be the district's point of contact for emergency calls. Even when the call is an emergency situation, the caller may still remain anonymous. This type of phone help line differs from something like Crime stoppers, says Koechlein, because is it a preventative mechanism to keep schools safe.

"We really didn't have a hotline like this before in the Valley," said Koechlein.

Examples of what may result in a call include violence, theft, drug or alcohol abuse, talk of suicide, sexual harassment and weapons possession. The reason for the call does not have to be school-related in any fashion. Students who are in any sort of trouble, or are witnessing a peer with troubles, are urged to call.

"It could be something going on at home," said Koechlein. "Maybe they just don't know who to call -- this is a way for them to get some help. If they need to talk, they are going to get a counselor on the other end."

This help line is not only for students; anyone with concerns for a school or child's safety is urged to call. This week the district is sending flyers home for parents with elementary and middle school students and is giving the flyers directly to students in the local high schools. More information on the help line will be posted on the districts Web site, www.matsuk12.us, and the safe school help line Web site, www.schoolhelpline.com. In order to report a threat to a school's or an individual's safety, call the hotline at 1-800-4-1-VOICE (1-800-418-6423) ext. 359.

Contact Jen Ransom at jen.ransom@frontiersman.com