Cherry Hill Public Schools had an increase in harassment, intimidation and bullying reports during the 2014–15 school year, according to the district’s annual vandalism and violence report.
District director of security Tony Saporito presented the report at the board of education’s meeting last Tuesday. The district had 164 reports of violence, vandalism, weapons offenses, substance abuse and bullying last school year, an increase over the 125 reports in 2013–14.
The increase was mostly due to the increase in bullying reports from 39 in 2013–14 to 73 in 2014–15. Saporito said the number doesn’t mean there was more bullying in the schools last year. He feels a number of factors contributed to the increase.
“We’ve gotten more education,” he said. “We’ve gotten more attuned to what’s going on. They’re getting reported more often.”
Saporito believes as school districts have put more of a focus on educating staff and students about bullying and how to properly handle those situations, they are more willing to come forward and report instances.
The only other category where the district saw an increase was with weapons. The district had only three weapons reports in 2013–14, and the number increased to 12 in 2014–15.
Saporito said all of the weapons reports were for possession of either a folding knife or box cutter, and there were no reports of a student using a weapon.
“There’s also no guns,” he said. “None, which is fantastic.”
The district has only had one report of an assault with a weapon in the last five years; the incident involved a pen in 2013–14.
Cherry Hill Public Schools also had no bomb threats in 2014–15, a positive bit of news after there were seven across the district in 2013–14.
The district saw positive trends in other categories. The number of violence incidents stayed flat compared to 2013–14. Vandalism also decreased district-wide, going from 24 reports in 2013–14 to 14 last year.
Cherry Hill Public Schools have also taken steps to discourage substance abuse. One way this is done is through a Passive Alcohol Sensor Program. The sensors are used at high schools dances and proms to discourage students from drinking.
Saporito said the sensors have had a positive effect on decreasing alcohol reports at the schools.
“There hasn’t been one positive (test) in the Passive Alcohol Sensor Program,” he said.
The district had 25 substance abuse reports, most of which were either marijuana possession or use. Saporito added the district has not had reports of hard drugs such as cocaine or heroin in the schools.
Despite the increase in incidents, Saporito said the numbers are very good for a district as large as Cherry Hill.
“These numbers are tremendous,” he said.
Saporito also updated the board of education on the district’s security protocols and the work he does to keep the school district prepared in case of a major incident. The district presents a crisis management plan to each school principal during its administrative retreat in the summer. Saporito also attends one faculty meeting each school year to answer potential questions from staff members.
