Safety Task Force MOU Presentation

Allentown School District Safety
Recommendations

Presented by: ASD Safety Task Force Steering Committee
April 22, 2021

Purpose of the Task Force

The Safety Task Force communicates with district and building level safety committees
recommending change and process related to the overall safety of students, staff, and
community.

The Identified and now includes of a representative group of stakeholders including board members,
Committee… district and building level leadership, teachers, students, parents, and community members.

Identifies both the structures and the services necessary to support a safe school environment and
make recommendations to the Board of Education and the Superintendent regarding future work.

Works collaboratively to review research on best practices relative to safe schools, identifying our
current reality, and pinpoint gaps in our systems.

Reviews existing District safety policies, developing metrics to determine policy progress and
effectiveness, creating strategies to improve upon existing policies, and make recommendations for
new programs additional resources that can fill holes and support students in need.

Alignment with Strategic Framework

Safety Committee Membership

Board Members: Phoebe Harris & Lisa Conover

Thomas Parker – Superintendent Will Seng - Executive Director of Middle School Dr. Samantha Piller – Teacher
Jennifer Ramos – Deputy Superintendent Transformation Yahaira Aviles – Parent
Dr. Lucretia Brown - Deputy Superintendent Sharon Billington – Parent
Brandy Sawyer – Executive Director of Secondary Juan Dipini – Parent
Education Juanita Peralta - Parent
Taryn Ackerman - Parent
Tiffany Polek – Director of Student Services Brian Siket – Executive Director of Special
Education
Barry Rodenbough – Assistant Director of
Safety & Security Michael Makhoul – Principal

Chief Glen Granitz –APD Corey Cowen – Assistant Principal Ryan Hawk – Student

Saergent Bill Williams - APD Rebecca Bodnar – Principal Aaron Schneider – Student

Charles Roca – APD Shannon Mayfield – Principal Zoya Williams – Student

Frank Derrick - Principal Hasshan Batts - Promise Neighborhoods
Mark Leibold – AEA Union President Tim Mulligan – Communities In Schools

Stakeholder Engagement Parents, Family
Members and
Students Community
Partners
• 1,775 Surveys
• 106 Focus Group • 669 Surveys
• 27 Focus Group
Participants
Participants
Staff

• 912 Surveys
• 43 Focus Groups

Participants / 19
Schools

Increased
Stakeholder
Engagement

Safety Task Force Recommendations

● Revise ASD/APD MOU - Focus on stakeholder input, research
● Communicate celebrations frequently and through multiple means
● Increase time during the school day for focused attention on culture/climate (ex. Citizenship period)
● Increase mental health supports, resources and staff in all schools
● Increase health/dental services
● Identify and provide training and resources to improve overall culture and climate including the continued

implementation of Restorative Practices Restorative

● Create systems for data collection, data review/analysis and targeted actions
● Conduct a comprehensive physical safety audit in all buildings within six months and identify actions and resources
● Bi-annual check in on progress of recommendations

Recommendation #1

• Memorandum of Understanding: Revise ASD/APD MOU

• Superintendent/Chief of Police signed document every two years

• As stated under section 1303-A(c) of the Safe Schools Act and as
indicated in the Pennsylvania Code, Title 22, Chapter 10, we are required
to submit to the Department’s Office for Safe Schools, on a biennial basis,
a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our district and our
local APD- Allentown APD Department to be submitted no later than June
30th

• The last submission was submitted in 2017.

MOU Revision Process/Timeline

• Safety Task Force November/December • Continued review & April 22
Steering Committee Reset 2020 collaboration APD, ASD,
Task Force • Final document
• Committee reset to focus • Revision version presented to ASD Board
on MOU process submitted to legal teams February – April of Directors
(ASD/APD)
• Research of high-quality
MOU
documents/processes
(national), legal
requirements

• Community/Staff/Student
Surveys

• Student Focus Groups
• Community Presentations

Spring/Summer –
2020

Highlight of Safety Task Force MOU
Critical Recommendations/Revisions

1. Engage stakeholders and gather input to inform MOU revisions

2. Define terminology used throughout the MOU to ensure a common understanding of the
memorandum

3. Clearly define role expectations for building administrators, SROs, school staff

4. Include a district representative in the SRO selection and deployment process
5. Define required critical knowledge and training and identify gaps that align with the district’s
priorities

6. Notification obligations that include clear language around incident reporting and use of
mechanical restraints

7. Complaint filing process for families

10

Implementation Plan

Short Term :
• SRO Hybrid Response Protocol:
• 4 NASRO Trained School Resource Officers
• Their primary responsibility will be in a concentrated protection capacity
around the School District and responding to incidents requiring mandatory
notification
• As staffing and calls for service permit, the Police will endeavor to have patrol
manpower specifically assigned to extra walking and vehicular/bicycle patrols
in the area of ASD schools throughout the school day

Long Term :
• SRO Selection Process
• Staff Training on components of the MOU
• Develop an implementation plan to address the MOU Recommendations

Safety Task Force Recommendations

● Revise ASD/APD MOU - Focus on stakeholder input, research
● Communicate celebrations frequently and through multiple means
● Increase time during the school day for focused attention on culture/climate (ex. Citizenship period)
● Increase mental health supports, resources and staff in all schools
● Increase health/dental services
● Identify and provide training and resources to improve overall culture and climate including the continued

implementation of Restorative Practices Restorative

● Create systems for data collection, data review/analysis and targeted actions
● Conduct a comprehensive physical safety audit in all buildings within six months and identify actions and resources
● Bi-annual check in on progress of recommendations