HUDSON – Hudson High School staff are working to develop new protocols and processes regarding student discipline.
This comes after a letter signed by more than 200 Hudson High students last school year who said that the administration’s response to vandalism, student violence and disrespect of teachers at the school needs to be stronger.
Speaking at a School Committee meeting on July 26, Superintendent Marco Rodrigues said that the personnel would have their first meeting the following day on July 27, with two meetings scheduled for the week after.
“We have 11 staff members who signed up to be part of discussions,” Rodrigues said.
Rodrigues said that they would be looking at short-term goals, which can be implemented for the start of this school year, and longer-term targets.
The student letter was sent back in April.
When it was presented to the School Committee in May, district staff noted a spike in discipline issues, including a 165% increase in the number of office referrals during the first quarter of last school year compared to the same period during 2019-2020.
Cameras at the schools
At the July meeting, Rodrigues also said that the amount of vandalism at Hudson High had prompted the district to consider the number of cameras outside of school buildings.
Rodrigues said he asked Director of Facilities Scott Kurposka and Director of Technology Ellen Schuck to map out where cameras would be needed. Kurposka and Schuck then coordinated people who work with the schools’ security systems.
As a result, he said that they have a list of very specific locations in the district’s schools to install cameras.
Rodrigues said that because the cost for the cameras would be greater than $50,000, the district would go through the bid process for the project.
“Maybe within three or four weeks we’ll have a successful bidder for this job, and we’ll be able to get installation going,” Rodrigues said.
In the meantime, the district is investigating alternative ways to fund the cameras.
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