News from the Nest
Cardinal Pride in the Upper Dublin School District
March 2019
Superintendent's Message
When students report difficulties, either internal conflict or conflict with others, our team of counselors, administrators, and other staff members work to provide the necessary support structures to resolve issues. Because we are dealing with students of all ages, there are times when students act in ways that cause concern. To that end, we think it is important to communicate what happens when a student makes a threat against another student or one of our schools.
When we become aware of threats or other significant concerns, we take the following steps:
- Conduct an internal investigation to determine the facts - Principals conduct preliminary investigations to determine the extent of the matter.
- Contact and collaborate with the Upper Dublin Police Department - We are fortunate to enjoy a relationship with the UDPD that is collaborative and supportive.
- Enact appropriate discipline per Board policy and our Student Code of Conduct - This includes suspension up to and including expulsion and restorative practices to help the student understand the serious nature of his/her actions and to understand the impact it had on the school community.
- Communicate to parents/guardians and families the limited information we are able to share - We will communicate information via eNotification and other resources (if needed) to communicate the issue at hand. While this information is often limited due to student confidentiality concerns, please know that behind the scenes these matters are taken very seriously. If we ever have reason to believe that students or staff are in danger, we will communicate and enact a very specific, detailed plan to provide the necessary extra protections.
In addition to the work we are doing internally around student safety, as we shared earlier, all districts across the state have been required to implement Safe2Say, an anonymous tip line. This program enlists the support of students, faculty, staff, and community members in helping to ensure a safe educational environment. It does so by encouraging the responsible and timely reporting of unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities (or the threat of such activities) before they occur.
This reporting system is not meant to replace the timely, open communication that has been established in our school district between students and trusted adults. This system is meant to be used in serious situations extending outside the school day which may impact the school environment and for cases where anonymity is required.
In closing, please remember that we never take student safety lightly or the safe nature of our community for granted. While I am often limited in terms of what I can share publicly, you have my commitment - and that of my team - that we will do everything in our power to ensure the continued safety of our students and staff!
For more information on our school safety work, please visit our School Safety web page.
My best now and always,
Steve Yanni
Steps of Communication Reminder
Click here to access our Steps of Communication
To enhance communication in the Upper Dublin School District, especially when trying to answer questions or resolve problems, it is important to follow our “Steps of Communication.” Directing questions or concerns to the appropriate person(s) encourages greater collaboration and streamlines the process of answering questions, alleviating concerns, and ensuring that we are all “on the same page.”
Sandy Run Middle School Town Hall Meeting
The Board of School Directors will hold a Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, March 19th, at 6PM in the Sandy Run Middle School cafeteria. The Town Hall Meeting will be an opportunity to learn more about the SRMS building project and answer questions related to construction, building modification, etc. The Board and members of the District's Leadership Team will be in attendance to share information, answer questions, and dialogue with the community.
The purpose of the Town Hall Meeting is to discuss the aforementioned relevant topics in a setting that is more conducive to dialogue than traditional Board meetings.
Virtual Coffee Talk - Join Me via Facebook Live!
Supporting Our Schools
Upper Dublin School District
Location: 1580 Fort Washington Avenue Maple Glen, PA 19002
Phone: (215) 643-8800
Twitter: @UpperDubSuper