Vassalboro school safety dominates school board meeting

Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

by Mary Grow

School safety dominated discussion at the Oct. 14 Vassalboro School Board meeting, from two different perspectives. The meeting began with consideration of the possibility of adding a school resource officer; and later, several parents raised questions and concerns about how serious a September incident was, and how school personnel handled it.

The September situation involved one student threatening another. Parents were dismayed to have learned about it through children’s reports and Facebook, rather than from school officials; lacking direct information, some kept their children home the next day.

School board members and school administrators listened, but made few comments. Board chairman Jolene Gamage explained that the monthly business meeting was not the forum for a discussion; she would provide answers later.

When? And by what means that would reach the whole school community? people wanted to know. Gamage proposed scheduling a separate meeting.

As of Oct. 19, the community meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Vassalboro Community School.

The idea of adding a school resource officer at VCS came up during the select board’s Oct. 2 meeting with local emergency services representatives (see the Oct. 9 issue of The Town Line, p. 2). At the school board meeting, Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office (KSO) representatives Frank Hatch and Jeremy York, and Vassalboro Police Chief Mark Brown, continued the discussion.

KSO has contracts with several area school departments, Hatch said. York serves as school resource officer for Gardiner’s six schools; he talked about how he spends his time, emphasizing making friends with students.

Several audience members endorsed the idea, saying the resource officer could also help teachers handle difficult situations.

Vassalboro Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer pointed out there would be a cost. More planning and discussion are needed; but, he said optimistically, maybe a VCS resource officer by the next school year?

In other business Oct. 14, board members changed the proposed remote learning day on Nov. 4 to a no-school day. The purpose is to allow voting at VCS, where polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Pfeiffer reported on several projects under way. He thanked the public works department for installing roadside school zone lights (they were not yet programmed); he was soon to meet with codes officer Eric Currie about a permit for the expanded parking lot; and crews from Energy Management Consultants, Inc., had been working on building upgrades. EMC head Thomas Seekins is expected to report at the board’s November meeting.

Pfeiffer said Finance Director Paula Pooler reported no budgetary problems.

School board members postponed discussion of revisions to the VCS Strategic Plan to November. Because the second Tuesday in November is the Veterans Day holiday, they will meet at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12.