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Holcomb to review messaging
Published 12/8/2007 in News : Education By Stephanie Farley
Holcomb to review messaging
By STEPHANIE FARLEY
sfarley@gctelegram.com
The Holcomb USD 363 Board of Education on Monday will explore the possibility of an anonymous online messaging system that Superintendent Robert O'ÄôConnor said could be a good strategy for safer schools and creating a comfortable environment for students to share concerns.
The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Board Meeting Room, Administrative Center, 305 Wiley St.
According to AnComm, the company that created and distributes the 'Talk About It' anonymous online messaging system, the program 'is a preventative solution focused on bridging the communication gap between students and faculty to foster a safer, more comfortable learning environment.'
The system includes, among other features, anonymous messaging, which helps students feel comfortable reaching out; global alert emergency notification, in which school administrators could send real-time alerts to students and faculty in situations of imminent danger or bad weather; the ability to anonymously text message incidents for those without access to a computer; and identity protection and revelation, which allows the student's identity to be revealed 'if a student threatens their own life, the life of another individual or harm to their school.
O'Connor will discuss the system at the board's Monday meeting, possibly looking to add it to the school's crisis plan.
On its Web site, AnComm states that while physical security improvements, such as installing security cameras, metal detectors and hiring additional security staff, could be important to a comprehensive approach to school safety in light of school violence across the nation, school officials might overlook 'the most important and effective aspect in reducing the likelihood of school violence: communication.' In a type of report the company refers to as a White Paper, it suggests school administrators can form a safer learning environment and save on overall costs by improving 'the frequency and flow of two-way dialogue between students and faculty.
The board's taking another look at school safety by considering a district-wide discipline plan that would help get everybody 'on the same page' as far as disciplinary action against students, O'Connor said. He said the plan could create consistency in student disciplining from one campus to another within the district.
In other business, the board will:
- start looking at updating the district's calendar for 2008-09. O'Connor said the district hopes to get the calendar set by January or February and to make it coincide as much as possible with the Garden City USD 457 calendar.
- hear an update on repairs at Holcomb High School, which was damaged in an August storm. The board approved spending $460,241 to address several repairs needed in relation to the storm damage.
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