Trying to help troubled students Murray has vision for Youngstown

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — The new president of the city school board would like to see an alternative education program created to house high school troublemakers who disrupt the traditional educational process.

It would be a program for children who have been expelled from school because of their behavior and attendance, and they would be ordered by a court to attend, said Shelley Murray, who is starting her second term on the board. She envisions setting up a cooperative effort with the judicial system as part of the process.

“Expulsion is not the answer for those students,” she said, pointing out the need for an alternative program.

Students can be expelled for a maximum of 82 days, and no learning will go on during that period if the child sits at home, Murray said.

She doesn’t know yet how an alternative program would be funded, where it would be held or even how many children might be assigned there but said she would like to see one up and running this fall.

“We need a plan, and that’s what this committee is all about,” she said, referring to the creation of an ad hoc committee she set up at her first school board meeting as president to look at school safety and alternative education.

She’s on the committee and has been joined by newly elected board members Anthony Catale and Richard Atkinson who volunteered to participate. The committee will have its first meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the central office building at 20 W. Wood St.

Student safety is a major issue facing Youngstown this year, Murray said, adding that violence and misbehavior are “serious enough that we need to take action.”

“We have issues. We’ve never pretended that we don’t,” she added.

Murray said she has heard that some parents have pulled their children out of the Youngstown schools because of fears about violence, although she doesn’t know of any particular cases.

Most of the public focus on student behavior has been on Chaney this school year. The school expanded to accept not only Chaney students but about half of the Wilson High School student body last fall. Wilson and Rayen high schools closed last spring.

The Rayen students and the other half of the Wilson students now go to the new East High School which has also had some behavior problems, although, based on reports, not as severe as those at Chaney — which has had numerous reports of fights and assaults.

Murray isn’t the only one interested in a high school alternative education program.

Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent of schools, broached the subject weeks ago, although cautioning at the time that it could be an expensive proposition as it would require a higher teacher-to-student ratio than the traditional school setting.

It’s still an avenue she wants to pursue, she said.

Webb said things have calmed down at Chaney although there have been expulsions and suspensions.

It’s easy to suggest that troublemakers just be thrown out of school, but state law still requires the public schools to provide those children with an education, she said.

Pete Lymber, one of three Chaney deans, said the atmosphere in the school has taken a significant change in just the last 10 days.

The entire atmosphere has calmed down, he said, crediting a number of changes as factors in improving student interest and attitude. Increased hallway monitoring to improve the flow of students between classes, and extending the time for class changes from four to five minutes have been effective in eliminating problems, said Lymber, noting that he is in the halls on a regular basis and has seen the change.

Opening up new avenues for parental involvement and taking a pro-active approach with kids who have caused problems in the past have also proved to be effective, he said. Some of those who caused problems are no longer in the school, having been expelled or relocated, he said.

The students seem to have matured since the opening of school and now appear more willing to participate in the high school setting, Lymber said.

Murray wants community involvement in the focus on student behavior, and the ad hoc committee will invite participation from the general public as well as city officials, police, the courts, parent-teacher organizations from Chaney and East high schools and others as it maps out a plan of action.

The board is looking for solutions, not excuses, she said.

The goal is to provide the best environment possible for Youngstown children, Murray said, adding, “We want to service all of the students.”

gwin@vindy.com