N.B. school district releases violence report
Statistics show overall decline in negative behavior
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK - The results of the township school district's annual Violence & Vandalism Report for the 2006- 07 school year were released on Feb. 20.

There were four fewer cases of violence reported compared to the prior school year. Of the 24 incidents, 15 were simple assaults, one was an aggravated assault, two were fights, one was a sexual offense, two were threats, one was a terroristic threat and two were cases of harassment or bullying.

There was one less case of vandalism. Of the five cases reported, only one resulted in a cost to the district.

There were four fewer incidents in which the police had to be notified. There were zero expulsions over the school year, but 56 students were suspended out of school, nine of who were out for 10 days or more.

"We are very happy that our violence is down and that our vandalism is down," Superintendent Brian Zychowski said.

Zychowski said there was a spike in reported weapons incidents, but this includes the reporting of toy guns and Swiss Army knives as required by law. Each elementary school had at least one incident of weapon possession, which the superintendent said was a toy gun.

Although there were no cases of substance abuse during the 2005-06 school year, last year had two cases, one of confirmed use and one of possession.

Of the seven personnel who were involved in violence reports, they were all victims, Zychowski said, and several of them were part of one specific fight breakup.

He also said regular education and special education incidents are separated per the law. Although there were 113 students with disabilities suspended from the high school, Zychowski said the number could be relative to previous years. The lower grades also had minor suspensions.

"The bigger the building, the more difficult it is but our teachers and administrators take the time to get to know students individually, which is very, very important. However, I think we handle it well because for acts in any school in our district there will be consequences and we are not afraid to exercise our right to exercise those consequences," Zychowski said about the overall decline of violence reports.

To prevent such occurrences of violence, character education programs are funded by the district to counteract negative incidents and instead reward positive ones. Each elementary school focuses on Random Acts of Kindness, anti-bullying, Red Ribbon Week, Violence Awareness Week and various assemblies.

More individually, John Adams School offers a daily planner for students that reinforces character education and chooses exemplary students from each classroom.

Judd School holds a peacemaker reward program and a new student welcome activity. The curriculum incorporates conflict resolution and anti-bullying lessons.

Livingston Park School developed Project Harmony to study ethical issues, hands out CougarAwards to students who demonstrate those admirable characteristics and holds Family Circles to emphasize personalization and belonging. Peer mediators are trained by the counselor to assist younger students during recess.

Parsons School posts a star of the day on the central bulletin board and holds counseling lessons and group sessions. During Mix-It-Up-For-Lunch Day, third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students sit with other students they are not familiar with to get to know them better.

Linwood Middle School posts a "Word of the Week," honors students each marking period for their academic achievements, serves as a mentor school for service learning and teaches about gang awareness.

At the North Brunswick Township High School, freshmen outreach sessions teach diversity and tolerance, a Holocaust survivor is adopted and gang and crime awareness seminars are held. There are small group counseling sessions, a faculty mentoring program, conflict resolution, a transition program for freshmen and a teen dating violence awareness program.

"The more you build this into the educational component and make it part of the everyday curriculum, and across the curriculum, where [good] behavior is being recognized or bad behavior is corrected, it kind of builds to the point where you see a reduction because children are better behaved and better educated," Zychowski said. "It's not just enough to punish the bad, we have to recognize [students] when doing the right things."

The report is posted on the district's Web site at www.nbtschools.org.