@drmonicaceo Dr. Robinson: There has been a rash of fights in schools recently. What have the investigations revealed as the causes
Dr. Goldson: According to our records, the number of reported fights is down compared to the 2019-20 (pre-pandemic) school year.
Dr. Robinson: What words of comfort can you give parents about the safety of our schools and their children?
Dr. Goldson: Two of our six core beliefs focus on student safety and our community being an essential component in making our school district successful. Our core values articulate our key beliefs about students, learning, stakeholder responsibility, and the elements necessary to achieve equity and excellence in education:
Dr. Robinson: What do schools need from parents and families to help stop school fights and altercations?
Dr. Goldson: Parents need to hold daily conversations with their students in light of what is going on around them. In these conversations, we must encourage parents to remind their children of the consequences outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook regarding fighting.
Additionally, students often react to student conflict and life crises in violent ways and through disruptive behaviors. Parents need to reiterate the appropriate way for students to respond to conflicts and the expectation that students will seek help when student-to-student disagreements escalate.
We also request that parents inform the school when they are aware of community situations that may be brewing that may spill into the schoolhouse and cause disruption to the learning environment.
Dr. Robinson: Are you satisfied with the efforts of some schools when it comes to communicating with parents/families about fights and incidents at their child's school?
Dr. Goldson: Schools are required to send parent notification letters when certain incidents occur that impact the safety of the entire school community, such as a weapon on school premises. Those letters are distributed via backpack, e-blast (SchoolMessenger) and may be posted on the website at the principal's discretion. An altercation between individual students would not prompt school-wide notification unless it causes a major disruption to the school day or heavy police presence. Otherwise, administrators will work with parents/guardians of the students involved regarding disciplinary action(s) and conflict resolution.
Dr. Robinson: Many in the community are concerned that the problem lies with students leaving one school and going to another school to start fights. Some have gone as far as to suggest students not assigned to a particular school have entered the campus, and that is how the fights start? Is there any truth to those concerns?
Dr. Goldson: There was an occurrence where students from another school visited another campus to incite a fight. In this instance, school administration from each school was able to identify students, and the next steps were identified and implemented accordingly. A second incident did occur, where one student visited another campus, and in this case, the parent was informed and did come to the school to meet with the administration.
Dr. Robinson: Students report that kids from other schools may be gaining entrance through a cafeteria door where the seniors eat lunch outside after jumping the fence. Has this been investigated and addressed if found to be accurate?
Dr. Goldson: In order to follow COVID protocols for social distancing, schools are using outdoor quarters such as courtyards, front of the school, etc. Therefore, outsiders have easier access to some school campuses. As a result of recent activity, adjustments have been made for correction. Of note, it was determined that some students have changed into the proper school uniform to blend with the prospective school.
Dr. Robinson: Parents ask why a severe disciplinary message isn't being sent the first time it happened?
Dr. Goldson: Disciplinary measures follow the established protocols in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Adherence to these guidelines is the expectation at all schools.
Dr. Robinson: You have added security in schools and partnered with law enforcement for increased presence and to monitor Social Media. What else can your administration do to ensure safety for students, teachers, and community members?
Dr. Goldson: Our most valuable asset is communication from students, staff, and community members when they are aware of problems in the community with students and any information placed on social media that causes alarm. We are at our best when we are proactive instead of reactive.
Dr. Robinson: Would your administration be open to increasing parental involvement at a few schools where some fights and incidents have been prevalent? And if so, would your administration welcome a group of fathers and concerned male role models volunteering to work the schools, such as what we saw by a group of men in Louisiana called Dads on Duty?
Dr. Goldson: This was a commendable structure, and we, PGCPS, are always seeking ways to improve school/parent/guardian collaborative structures. To develop a similar "Dads on Duty" initiative, we would need to screen and ensure that the individuals engaged pass our background checks, be fingerprinted and go through a degree of Safe Schools training in an expeditious manner. We are not removed from creating a structure such as this as we continue to prioritize partnering with our families and communities. This process would be cause as well for discussions specific to proposed structures.
Dr. Robinson: How does being a mother, a former classroom teacher, and a former principal inform how you look at student safety?
Dr. Goldson: No matter what lens I use (mother, classroom teacher, or principal), safety is always a priority. Students and staff can't learn or teach if they don't feel safe. We have implemented a variety of tools to ensure that we have safe environments, such as Restorative Approaches, Mental Health Clinicians, and Parent Training on how to support their child, to name a few. We will continue to employ as many strategies as possible until we are able to get at the root of the students' anger to help them identify other coping strategies
Dr. Robinson: Is there a struggle in your opinion on proper student discipline and not wanting to contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline? And if a student is violent, brings a weapon to school, or injures classmates, teachers, or faculty, should they not experience the law enforcement process?
Dr. Goldson: For many adults, our upbringing taught us that discipline was best addressed by employing physical punishment or contacting the police. Over time, I believe we all realize that those tools are just bandaids for the real root of the problem. We must now talk to our children/students, and further understand their struggles and triggers. We cannot suspend our way out of this nor contact the police every time a situation happens. But, we can hold our children accountable and provide the support they need to ensure they do not continue the same behavior.
Dr. Robinson: Have you contacted the State's Attorney’s Office and how they offered any resources like mitigation supports or mental health counseling?
Dr. Goldson: Prince George's County Public Schools has partnered with the State's Attorney’s Office to offer a diversion program for our youth that are charged for actions that happen within our schools. This program allows the students to perform community service, receive mental health support, and partner with local nonprofit organizations to help them learn coping strategies to reduce inappropriate behaviors. At the completion of the program, the student's record is erased to ensure that they have a clean slate to move forward and become a productive citizen.
Dr. Robinson: Final question. Can you talk about the following topics and how they are assisting students and staff in PGCPS: (1) Mental Health; (2) Student Rights and Responsibilities; (3) SROs and PGCPS; (4) Parental Engagement; and (5) Communications?
Dr. Goldson:
Mental Health Services: This year, PGCPS has expanded its mental health support by placing 140 clinicians in 144 schools. The district also provides a number of training, counseling, and community resources for students, staff, and parents this year. These resources and services can be found in the PGCPS Mental Health Guide for Students, Parents and Staff. It is believed that these resources will provide students with information to discern when they are in need of mental health support, how to cope with stressful situations, and seek help. It is also intended for students to be empowered through Sources of Strength in designated schools to create the culture and climate of peer support as a suicide prevention program.
In addition to the mental health support for students, families, and staff mentioned in this document and through Kirwan funds, PGCPS plans to utilize new grant funds to offer a plethora of support and learning opportunities. Just to name a few examples of new mental health programs, elementary school students with posttraumatic stress symptoms will participate in an evidence-based small group program and high school students will have the opportunity to participate in suicide prevention awareness workshops and interactive sessions about how to support a peer.
Additionally, calm space guidelines and tools will be distributed to more schools to help build calm spaces in classrooms. Parents and guardians will have opportunities to view award-winning films about trauma and its impact on youth, as well as learn about the mental health resources available in PGCPS schools. School staff will have opportunities to engage in workshops about building trauma-sensitive schools, suicide prevention and mental health. School mental health professionals will receive intense training on suicide intervention, crisis response, and telemental health counseling.
Student Rights and Responsibilities: The Department of Student Services updated the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook (SRRH). It is strongly recommended that parents review the new Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook with their child(ren). Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
Good behavior is important whether the instruction is face to face or attending the PGCPS online campus. It is so central to success in school that there will be periodic reviews of important sections of the Code of Student Conduct during the year. It is essential that the school and home work together to assure that all students meet the high expectations for behavior established in the Code of Student Conduct. This enables students to succeed in school and in the community. The support of parents is vital in this process.
After parents have reviewed the Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook and the Code of Student Conduct with their child(ren), they must sign and return the signed Acknowledgement of Review of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook electronic form. This form should be completed by parents/guardians after students participate in the SRRH review at their school.
SROs and PGCPS
School resource officers (SRO) are a carefully selected, specifically trained, and properly equipped full-time law enforcement officer with sworn law enforcement authority, trained in school-based law enforcement and crisis response, assigned by the employing law enforcement agency to work in the school using community-oriented policing concepts. PGCPS has one SRO assigned to each of our high schools. The SRO works with our School Security and School Administration to provide a safe environment where students feel comfortable interacting with law enforcement personnel to ensure a safe school and community environment.
Parental Engagement:
The Department of Family and School Partnerships supports the work in all schools around structures and systems leading to increased and improved parent engagement. All schools are required to implement structures that involve engaging parents. Representatives from this department conduct site visits and host quarterly parent workshops for school parent organized groups.
Communications
The Office of Communications and Community Engagement works to inform and empower families with information distributed across various platforms:
BIO
Dr. Monica Goldson, Chief Executive Officer for Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), is the dedicated and dynamic leader of the 20th largest school district in the nation. She began her career as a high school mathematics teacher with plans to become an actuary. Within her first few weeks on the job, she realized that education was her true calling. She steadily moved up the administrative ranks, serving in such roles as principal, associate superintendent, deputy superintendent and chief operating officer prior to her appointment as CEO. Dr. Goldson holds three degrees from historically Black colleges and universities – a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Florida A&M University, a master’s degree in Elementary and Secondary School Administration from Bowie State University, and a doctorate in Educational Administration and Policy from Howard University. She has two adult sons, both graduates of Prince George’s County Public Schools.
Dr. Goldson: According to our records, the number of reported fights is down compared to the 2019-20 (pre-pandemic) school year.
Dr. Robinson: What words of comfort can you give parents about the safety of our schools and their children?
Dr. Goldson: Two of our six core beliefs focus on student safety and our community being an essential component in making our school district successful. Our core values articulate our key beliefs about students, learning, stakeholder responsibility, and the elements necessary to achieve equity and excellence in education:
- All staff share the responsibility for a safe and supportive school environment contributing to excellence in education
- The support of everyone in our community is essential to the success of our schools and students, and this success enriches our community.
Dr. Robinson: What do schools need from parents and families to help stop school fights and altercations?
Dr. Goldson: Parents need to hold daily conversations with their students in light of what is going on around them. In these conversations, we must encourage parents to remind their children of the consequences outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook regarding fighting.
Additionally, students often react to student conflict and life crises in violent ways and through disruptive behaviors. Parents need to reiterate the appropriate way for students to respond to conflicts and the expectation that students will seek help when student-to-student disagreements escalate.
We also request that parents inform the school when they are aware of community situations that may be brewing that may spill into the schoolhouse and cause disruption to the learning environment.
Dr. Robinson: Are you satisfied with the efforts of some schools when it comes to communicating with parents/families about fights and incidents at their child's school?
Dr. Goldson: Schools are required to send parent notification letters when certain incidents occur that impact the safety of the entire school community, such as a weapon on school premises. Those letters are distributed via backpack, e-blast (SchoolMessenger) and may be posted on the website at the principal's discretion. An altercation between individual students would not prompt school-wide notification unless it causes a major disruption to the school day or heavy police presence. Otherwise, administrators will work with parents/guardians of the students involved regarding disciplinary action(s) and conflict resolution.
Dr. Robinson: Many in the community are concerned that the problem lies with students leaving one school and going to another school to start fights. Some have gone as far as to suggest students not assigned to a particular school have entered the campus, and that is how the fights start? Is there any truth to those concerns?
Dr. Goldson: There was an occurrence where students from another school visited another campus to incite a fight. In this instance, school administration from each school was able to identify students, and the next steps were identified and implemented accordingly. A second incident did occur, where one student visited another campus, and in this case, the parent was informed and did come to the school to meet with the administration.
Dr. Robinson: Students report that kids from other schools may be gaining entrance through a cafeteria door where the seniors eat lunch outside after jumping the fence. Has this been investigated and addressed if found to be accurate?
Dr. Goldson: In order to follow COVID protocols for social distancing, schools are using outdoor quarters such as courtyards, front of the school, etc. Therefore, outsiders have easier access to some school campuses. As a result of recent activity, adjustments have been made for correction. Of note, it was determined that some students have changed into the proper school uniform to blend with the prospective school.
Dr. Robinson: Parents ask why a severe disciplinary message isn't being sent the first time it happened?
Dr. Goldson: Disciplinary measures follow the established protocols in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Adherence to these guidelines is the expectation at all schools.
Dr. Robinson: You have added security in schools and partnered with law enforcement for increased presence and to monitor Social Media. What else can your administration do to ensure safety for students, teachers, and community members?
Dr. Goldson: Our most valuable asset is communication from students, staff, and community members when they are aware of problems in the community with students and any information placed on social media that causes alarm. We are at our best when we are proactive instead of reactive.
Dr. Robinson: Would your administration be open to increasing parental involvement at a few schools where some fights and incidents have been prevalent? And if so, would your administration welcome a group of fathers and concerned male role models volunteering to work the schools, such as what we saw by a group of men in Louisiana called Dads on Duty?
Dr. Goldson: This was a commendable structure, and we, PGCPS, are always seeking ways to improve school/parent/guardian collaborative structures. To develop a similar "Dads on Duty" initiative, we would need to screen and ensure that the individuals engaged pass our background checks, be fingerprinted and go through a degree of Safe Schools training in an expeditious manner. We are not removed from creating a structure such as this as we continue to prioritize partnering with our families and communities. This process would be cause as well for discussions specific to proposed structures.
Dr. Robinson: How does being a mother, a former classroom teacher, and a former principal inform how you look at student safety?
Dr. Goldson: No matter what lens I use (mother, classroom teacher, or principal), safety is always a priority. Students and staff can't learn or teach if they don't feel safe. We have implemented a variety of tools to ensure that we have safe environments, such as Restorative Approaches, Mental Health Clinicians, and Parent Training on how to support their child, to name a few. We will continue to employ as many strategies as possible until we are able to get at the root of the students' anger to help them identify other coping strategies
Dr. Robinson: Is there a struggle in your opinion on proper student discipline and not wanting to contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline? And if a student is violent, brings a weapon to school, or injures classmates, teachers, or faculty, should they not experience the law enforcement process?
Dr. Goldson: For many adults, our upbringing taught us that discipline was best addressed by employing physical punishment or contacting the police. Over time, I believe we all realize that those tools are just bandaids for the real root of the problem. We must now talk to our children/students, and further understand their struggles and triggers. We cannot suspend our way out of this nor contact the police every time a situation happens. But, we can hold our children accountable and provide the support they need to ensure they do not continue the same behavior.
Dr. Robinson: Have you contacted the State's Attorney’s Office and how they offered any resources like mitigation supports or mental health counseling?
Dr. Goldson: Prince George's County Public Schools has partnered with the State's Attorney’s Office to offer a diversion program for our youth that are charged for actions that happen within our schools. This program allows the students to perform community service, receive mental health support, and partner with local nonprofit organizations to help them learn coping strategies to reduce inappropriate behaviors. At the completion of the program, the student's record is erased to ensure that they have a clean slate to move forward and become a productive citizen.
Dr. Robinson: Final question. Can you talk about the following topics and how they are assisting students and staff in PGCPS: (1) Mental Health; (2) Student Rights and Responsibilities; (3) SROs and PGCPS; (4) Parental Engagement; and (5) Communications?
Dr. Goldson:
Mental Health Services: This year, PGCPS has expanded its mental health support by placing 140 clinicians in 144 schools. The district also provides a number of training, counseling, and community resources for students, staff, and parents this year. These resources and services can be found in the PGCPS Mental Health Guide for Students, Parents and Staff. It is believed that these resources will provide students with information to discern when they are in need of mental health support, how to cope with stressful situations, and seek help. It is also intended for students to be empowered through Sources of Strength in designated schools to create the culture and climate of peer support as a suicide prevention program.
In addition to the mental health support for students, families, and staff mentioned in this document and through Kirwan funds, PGCPS plans to utilize new grant funds to offer a plethora of support and learning opportunities. Just to name a few examples of new mental health programs, elementary school students with posttraumatic stress symptoms will participate in an evidence-based small group program and high school students will have the opportunity to participate in suicide prevention awareness workshops and interactive sessions about how to support a peer.
Additionally, calm space guidelines and tools will be distributed to more schools to help build calm spaces in classrooms. Parents and guardians will have opportunities to view award-winning films about trauma and its impact on youth, as well as learn about the mental health resources available in PGCPS schools. School staff will have opportunities to engage in workshops about building trauma-sensitive schools, suicide prevention and mental health. School mental health professionals will receive intense training on suicide intervention, crisis response, and telemental health counseling.
Student Rights and Responsibilities: The Department of Student Services updated the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook (SRRH). It is strongly recommended that parents review the new Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook with their child(ren). Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
Good behavior is important whether the instruction is face to face or attending the PGCPS online campus. It is so central to success in school that there will be periodic reviews of important sections of the Code of Student Conduct during the year. It is essential that the school and home work together to assure that all students meet the high expectations for behavior established in the Code of Student Conduct. This enables students to succeed in school and in the community. The support of parents is vital in this process.
After parents have reviewed the Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook and the Code of Student Conduct with their child(ren), they must sign and return the signed Acknowledgement of Review of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook electronic form. This form should be completed by parents/guardians after students participate in the SRRH review at their school.
SROs and PGCPS
School resource officers (SRO) are a carefully selected, specifically trained, and properly equipped full-time law enforcement officer with sworn law enforcement authority, trained in school-based law enforcement and crisis response, assigned by the employing law enforcement agency to work in the school using community-oriented policing concepts. PGCPS has one SRO assigned to each of our high schools. The SRO works with our School Security and School Administration to provide a safe environment where students feel comfortable interacting with law enforcement personnel to ensure a safe school and community environment.
Parental Engagement:
The Department of Family and School Partnerships supports the work in all schools around structures and systems leading to increased and improved parent engagement. All schools are required to implement structures that involve engaging parents. Representatives from this department conduct site visits and host quarterly parent workshops for school parent organized groups.
Communications
The Office of Communications and Community Engagement works to inform and empower families with information distributed across various platforms:
- VISIT PGCPS website (www.pgcps.org)
- READ e-alerts and Engage PGCPS newsletter
- WATCH PGCPS-TV (96 Comcast / 38 Verizon) and @PGCPSVideo on YouTube
- FOLLOW @pgcps @pgcpsenespanol on Facebook | @pgcps @DrMonicaCEO on Twitter | @pgcps on Instagram
BIO
Dr. Monica Goldson, Chief Executive Officer for Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), is the dedicated and dynamic leader of the 20th largest school district in the nation. She began her career as a high school mathematics teacher with plans to become an actuary. Within her first few weeks on the job, she realized that education was her true calling. She steadily moved up the administrative ranks, serving in such roles as principal, associate superintendent, deputy superintendent and chief operating officer prior to her appointment as CEO. Dr. Goldson holds three degrees from historically Black colleges and universities – a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Florida A&M University, a master’s degree in Elementary and Secondary School Administration from Bowie State University, and a doctorate in Educational Administration and Policy from Howard University. She has two adult sons, both graduates of Prince George’s County Public Schools.
SY 2021-2022
PGCPS Guide – Mental Health Supports for Students, Parents and Staff
PGCPS Guide – Mental Health Supports for Students, Parents and Staff