Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, welcomed district parents and community members to a community forum on Wednesday, January 25, to discuss the district's current practices around responding to mean behavior and bullying.

"What made some sense to us was to combine some issues that feel alike, but are not alike," said Dr Erardi.

In the last couple of months, Dr Erardi said he has sensed a heightened anxiety across the country, not just in Newtown.

"And sometimes that [anxiety] exacerbates something that could be simple to being a little bit more complex," said Dr Erardi. "And that spillover has taken place in our schools, and, I think, in this community at large."

Dr Erardi also said over the last 18 months the district has held discussions over potential grade reconfiguration. While that conversation has been "brought to closure," he said there were a number of parent statements on the climate and culture of Newtown Middle School and Newtown High School during that conversation.

Newtown Middle School Principal Thomas Einhorn and Newtown High School Principal Lorrie Rodrigue and Assistant Principal Dana Manning then shared some of the practices to respond to behavior at their schools.

NMS is filled with great students, Mr Einhorn said, before sharing that even great students can make poor choices.

"And sometimes that is the hardest part," said Mr Einhorn. "Know that we spend a lot of time trying to make sure that our kids know all of the expectations, but, along with that, we also try to give them strategies about how to handle situations they are confronted with."

Each school year, Mr Einhorn said, begins with administration going over the school handbook with students in assemblies.

"We talk specifically about behavior, and we talk a lot about things that happen online, because that seems to be an area in which there is a lot of stuff happening outside of the school building," he said.

NMS has a robust health program, the principal shared, and it uses the Second Step program to help students understand how to deal with situations using simulations, videos, and problem solving. Presentations are also held, like a recent one on internet safety. Clusters and student groups also host activities that aim at fostering "that positive school environment." NMS, Mr Einhorn said, also has a school climate committee, a student council that reports on student perspectives, a school-based health center, and partnerships with local groups and efforts.

"We do a lot of things, again, to have that positive opportunity to work with kids," Mr Einhorn said, "but there are times when things don't go well. And we want to make sure that kids know how to report things."

The school has an anonymous message box, an online app called Anonymous Alerts, "and we also let students know they should always have a trusted adult and they can always let us know what is going on," he said.

When mean behavior is confirmed, Mr Einhorn said parent and student meetings are held, building-based consequences are put into action, and school counselors are involved in the response.

When Dr Rodrigue spoke, she reflected on her experience as a teacher and assistant principal in Newtown, before she left and returned to be principal.

"You have great kids in this community," said Dr Rodrigue, who spoke to both proactive and reactive efforts at her school.

At NHS, she said, efforts are made to make each student feel comfortable and not alone. Assemblies are held early in the school year to speak about expectations of student behavior. The morning advisory periods at the school, Dr Rodrigue explained, are held to allow time for a sense of community to be fostered.

Student programs such as unified sports and unified theater are examples of proactive ways of working to make students feel included in school, according to Dr Rodrigue.

"Everybody can think of things we can do reactively," said Dr Rodrigue, "but it has to be proactive."

High school students are older and therefore understand right and wrong more than other grade levels in the district, Dr Rodrigue explained.

"The majority of students do the right thing. We always have to remember that. There is always going to be offline behavior; you know, kids make mistakes," said Dr Rodrigue.

She also spoke to the role-modeling aspect of adults on social media. It is everybody's charge to make a difference, Dr Rodrigue said, so students see what is right and reasonable.

Efforts at the high school to improve climate, Ms Manning said, include an online communication club that supports positive behaviors, a digital citizenship pledge, and a number of high school students are expected to share the message of the importance of positive online actions at NMS next month.

When mean behaviors or bullying are proven to have taken place, Ms Manning said there are consequences at NHS.

"We definitely take this very seriously," Ms Manning said.

After hearing about the practices at NMS and NHS, Dr Erardi broke the community forum attendees into groups to share their thoughts and concerns with Board of Education members and district administration.

The three groups spoke about their experiences with the elementary schools, Reed Intermediate School and NMS, and NHS.

Board of Education members then reported back to the whole room on what was said in the three groups.

Board Vice Chair Michelle Embree Ku said the elementary group was concerned about what happens on school buses, the "unknown" of what happens when students move up to Reed, and social media.

Assistant Superintendent Jean Evans Davila said the intermediate school and middle school group spoke to what is expected of students when the district stresses they grow into independence, and what that means for parent involvement.

People who spoke about NHS, board Chair Keith Alexander said, shared thoughts on emphasizing the importance of stressing that differences are not something to make fun of and training students to be "upstanders," to stand up to help others.

Both Mr Alexander and Dr Erardi said the school board will discuss what the parents shared at the forum. Dr Erardi called the forum a "valuable night," and shared he hopes all of the participants felt that their voices were heard.