Security Monitors Approved for Each Chatham School

The Board of Education approved security personnel for each of Chatham's six schools last week amid discussion by the district's Superintendent, Dr. Michael LaSusa and the Board President, Thomas Belding.

The approvals came as part of the School District of the Chathams regular Board of Education business meeting on July 31, and stems from the passing of a ballot question allotted to the public in April.

The board agreed to approve the contracts for the six, non-certified professional staff for the 2013-14 school year. New personnel include Christopher Tomaino (CHS Security), Frank Wulff (CMS Security), Edward McNany (LAF Security), John DiNiro (MAS Security), Richard Antero (SBS Security) and Mary Rabadeau (WAS Security).

What is still on task for the Board, however, is getting the new security monitors acclimated to the academic environment, disbursing uniforms, and making the public aware of the new positions along with their responsibilities.

“For the security staff, do they have training for academic settings?” asked board member Al Burgunder.

As the superintendent described, each monitor has former experience in law enforcement, some with extensive experience in school settings. Some have also worked the local D.A.R.E. programs.

“The (District’s) principals and I have been dialoguing,” said LaSusa. “We’ve talked about training, and meetings we have to hold to acculturate them to Chatham.”

During the public comments portion of the meeting, a Chatham resident, Thomas Donahoe, asked if the monitors will be issued cell phones, be taken through the building, be cultivating relationships with the township/borough and the corresponding police departments, have replacements for vacation time and if they will be properly acclimated to the schools upon the first day.

“The two chiefs of police were not directly involved with the interview process,” answered LaSusa. “But we have been maintaining a dialogue (with them), and we’re working it out. We have been looking to purchase uniforms, and have been working with the principals. Not all of them have met with each other, (but we are working) to get them acclimated to the school district and familiarize them with the buildings.”

On the topic of uniforms, Board member Lata Kenney asked if the Superintendent could describe the uniforms that are being sought.

“There will be a long and short sleeve shirt, that will say something like ‘safety and security,’ in one color, so that it’s uniform throughout the district,” said LaSusa. “It won’t be a full-fledged police uniform, but will help identify them as school district employees.”

Board President, Thomas Belding then proposed that a uniform with the district’s insignia on it would be effective in helping to identify the monitors specifically as security-related officials.

During final moments of the public portion, the head of a group called Education Counts, Nabil Mouline suggested that the security positions and its related duties should be communicated to the public in an effort to let parents understand “what they’re doing, who they are…and to ease the conversation moving forward.