Niskayuna schools enact new student safety initiatives

NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- Niskayuna Central School District is working to implement new security measures to ensure the emotional and physical safety of students. Plans include reinstatement of the district's resource officer program, creation of a bell-to-bell cell phone ban, expansion of the school's safety team, and implementation of safety recommendations made in a security assessment by Altaris Group.

A cell phone ban for high school will expand from allowing students to use cell phones between classes to all schools, and students in the district will not be able to use cell phones during regular school hours. Board of Education President Libbie Cococcia said the idea came from the Altaris Group's feedback about the security assessment.

"We look forward to reviewing the leadership team's recommendations and ensuring that our administrators, teachers, and staff have every tool and resource they need to ensure our schools and classrooms are safe and secure," Cococcia said. "The social media applications students access on cell phones profoundly and negatively impact their social and emotional well-being."

Niskayuna Central School District Superintendent Carl Mummenthey said the Altaris Group's security report recommendations will be forwarded to the Board of Education in November. Recommendations about the cell phone ban, expanding the school's safety team, and relaunching the security resource officer program will be figured into the next school year's budget.

"Our leadership team appreciates the board's leadership and engagement on these important issues," Mummenthey said. "Our team will work swiftly to develop a comprehensive, prioritized series of recommendations for the board's review."