October 13, Naugatuck Connecticut, A motion proposed by David Heller to instate the position for an In-School Suspension Coordinator was passed during a Board of Education meeting.

In School Suspension has been treated as a separate room to take students out of the classroom, similar to a detention, keeping the students on school grounds instead of an expulsion or suspension. I.S.S. has been served in room S180.

In an interview with Student Representative for the Board of Education, Steffani Dube, she explained the motivation behind this change is to keep students engaged in learning while serving a consequence and using restorative justice practices”

De-escalation of conflict, and taking responsibility for wrongdoing will be the focus of the program, in order to help restore relationships between students.

“They are going to get what they need out of it. Not just being taken out of that classroom environment but having that relationship they need in order to be put back into a normal learning environment,” Stephanie Dube, Student Representative for the B.O.E said.

Continuing the change of disciplinary action, select teachers of Naugatuck High School were sent to attend a workshop that focused on “restorative practice.”

When asked her opinion on the new job being instated Cheryl Campbell, an English teacher who was one of those asked to attend the workshop, expressed her own support for the position.

Campbell stated, “What you really need for those kids instead of giving them a day off, whether it be in school or out of school, is counseling… The town needs to buy into the idea that this is really the way to go for kids that are acting inappropriately because they are just struggling, and provide that service.”

The effect that the position will have on Naugatuck High School students will be discussed next year in another Board of Education meeting.