Policies in place to protect, help students

The Mat-Su schools have opened and student learning is well under way for the 2009-2010 school year. The district and its schools have enrolled close to 16,500 students who receive educational services from 2,000 district employees. Among staff there is no doubt the two primary goals are student safety and student learning in that order of priority. If students don’t feel safe and secure they can’t hold learning and achievement as their primary focus.

In support of these two general goals much time, energy, focused learning and implementation of best practices have been dedicated over many years and are still ongoing topics of study, modification and improvement. Student safety and student learning have some common aspects. Patterns exist in both, general guidelines can be adhered to, but when unusual problems or issues arise or misbehavior is repeated by an individual because routine approaches to resolution aren’t being effective, individually tailored approaches are developed. This is true for learning and it’s also true for changing behavior.

District philosophy and practice is strict about involving people who are on a “need to know” basis in developing individual learning and discipline plans. “Need to know” folks are people who play a direct role in modifying learning or behavior in an explicit way for the student who needs adjustments or improvement. Typically, these individuals are the student, the student’s parents, teachers directly involved with the student and potentially the principal, school psychologist and counselor. Other students, their parents, other staff and the media aren’t involved or included in the development or elements of a learning or discipline plan or response to an individual student. Additionally, any personally identifiable information is not released to others than those who “need to know.” Privacy laws are in place that insist upon the confidentiality of these plans and responses, but more importantly the best interest of every individual student is also at stake.

A recent Frontiersman editorial, in regard to specific discipline events, advocated for disclosure of discipline information to the media and others who were curious. The editorial asked, “So why isn’t he being punished, and likely in need of some counseling?” As noted earlier the district does not share elements of a discipline response plan for an individual student.

At some point most every parent finds him or herself working through a behavioral issue with a child. Those parents know that while punishment is the backbone of rule enforcement the most important part of any response is to consider your child’s needs, to have your child learn from the incident and to be in the best interests of your child for future brushes with similar circumstances. Turning the facts of an individual’s circumstance over to a referendum of public opinion isn’t in anyone’s best interest. It only satisfies a temporary curiosity and serves as fodder for gossip.

I truly believe the district as a whole and its employees work in the best interests of those we serve. But I also believe every one of us has biases, prejudices and blind spots we are not aware of. That is why we let parents and students know that if they believe they have been treated inadequately or unfairly or if the district has not met the parent or student’s standard of due diligence, offices, procedures and agencies both inside and outside the school district exist for recourse or further investigation. Some of those entities are the district conflict resolution procedure, the district’s EEO officer, the Alaska State Troopers, Palmer Police, Wasilla Police, Houston Police, the State Human Rights Commission, and the Alaska Professional Teaching Practices Commission. All of these organizations will respond to your questions, complaints and concerns free of charge. However, the most powerful work and resolution can often be accomplished through setting down and talking with your child’s teacher, principal or superintendent.

George Troxel is superintendent of schools for the Mat-Su school district.