Schools reiterate safety plans following disturbance

A mid-day disturbance at Canton High School that initiated a shelter in place alert and resulted in criminal charges being filed against several individuals has prompted a thorough review and debrief as administrators seek to hammer home their commitment to school safety and accountability.

While the incident in question, which occurred around noontime on November 7 near the cafeteria area, was handled swiftly and effectively by school leaders and School Resource Officer Ensley Cotard, Superintendent Derek Folan stressed that no one is taking the matter lightly.

In a written communication to School Committee members read at their November 17 meeting, Folan, who was not in attendance due to a prior commitment, acknowledged the importance of honoring the “confidentiality and sensitivity” of the case for those affected but said there needs to be “community reassurance as well.”

Folan said the decision to announce a temporary shelter in place was merely precautionary and he praised the efforts of staff and administrators who addressed the disturbance immediately and used de-escalation strategies to gain control of the situation.

As a result of the incident, police plan to summon three adults — including two out-of-town residents — as well as two juveniles to court to face an assortment of charges ranging from trespassing and disturbing a public assembly to conspiracy and assault and battery.

Both the high school leadership and the Canton Police opened investigations into the incident, and CHS Principal Jeff Sperling and his team debriefed with the CPD and reviewed school safety measures. Sperling emphasized that all doors are locked during the school day, and he reviewed protocols for screening visitors at the front entrance. Additionally, he added supervision in the morning and recommended that a camera be added to the bus loop. Sperling has also met with his Student Advisory Group, the CHS School Council and the faculty and has asked any parents with questions to contact him by phone or email.

Sperling also met with Folan last Friday to further debrief and he was due to follow up with an email to the community on Monday.

In other news from the November 17 School Committee meeting:

* Marshall informed committee members that he is recommending hiring Alpha Facilities Solutions to conduct a long-term facility condition assessment for each CPS building, including athletic fields, at a projected cost of just over $80,000. He said the analysis would include the Galvin Middle School, which has been targeted for a major renovation or full rebuild, because the building would still need to be operational for another five years or so before the project is funded and the work is completed …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Nov 23 2022. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.