Weekly Safety and Security Update
March 9th, 2023
HCSD Weekly Safety and Security Update 3_9_23
Dear Hudson City School District community,
We are making progress on several fronts in enhancing safety and security at our schools. This has been a challenging time for us all and I want to reiterate that we hear the concerns from the community about recent incidents in our district. In the interests of greater transparency and communication, I will update you each Thursday with the latest developments on measures we are implementing and expanding to ensure that our schools are safe, nurturing environments for students to learn and for teachers to teach. Here is what has been happening this week:
- We had great participation in the seven focus groups held Monday for students, faculty, parents and community members to discuss the recent incidents and safety and security. Led by consultants Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), participants discussed questions that included what inspires incidents to escalate in the schools. Sixty-five students from grades 5 and up joined in, as well as dozens of parents and members of the faculty and community. Some said they were eager to participate in additional sessions.
- We are planning a focus discussion with a final group, the building and district administrators, in the coming days. SESI will subsequently produce a report to reflect the input from all involved. Those insights will help fuel additional initiatives.
- Applications are coming in from people asking to serve on the School Climate and Safety Advisory Committee that the Board of Education voted March 1 to empanel. The deadline to apply is today (Thursday, March 9th); the Board expects to choose the members at its meeting on Tuesday. Find information on how to apply here.
- Building level officials participated in two recent school safety sessions: a Columbia County Safe Schools meeting hosted by Questar III on March 1 and a meeting with Hudson Police Chief L. Edward Moore and representatives of the county District Attorney’s office. Tyler Kritzman, the head of our facilities department, and School Resource Officer Brent Rowe also attended the Questar III meeting.
I deeply thank every student, parent and community member who has taken part in these initiatives. Your willingness to step forward, provide input and share your partnership in addressing this crucial issue is invaluable. At the same time, other initiatives continue to move forward, including plans to implement the STOPit Anonymous Reporting System. We expect to see the benefits of these initiatives shortly. In the meantime, we already are reaping the benefits of awareness as well as additional measures we have put in place. Snoop Investigations & Security is providing temporary school monitors while we seek to hire permanent monitors. We are ensuring that we strictly monitor and limit who can enter our buildings through the School Gate Guardian Visitor Management Program.
I encourage you to look for update emails each Thursday. In the coming weeks, I will report on improvements to our security camera system and more. I also urge you to share any suggestions, concerns and comments with us by emailing safety@hudsoncsd.org
Thank you for your partnership in this matter.
Dr. Lisamarie Spindler
Superintendent of Schools
Hudson City School District