Stephen Bigelow

What is your number one concern going into the next school year?

One of the issues we’ve been dealing with, though we’ve seen significant improvements over the past year, is bullying, especially related to social media. We’ve implemented a stringent cell phone policy that prohibits students from using phones in class, which has been incredibly effective.

We’ve also increased professional development for staff and improved communication with parents, providing resources on how to report bullying. This has led to a noticeable decrease in incidents. However, I’m concerned about things heating up again, not necessarily because of the election itself, but because political arguments can spill over into school, causing tension among students. It’s essential that we maintain a calm environment. I’m always concerned about how external events impact our students.

 

How would you address the challenges we’re currently facing?

It’s important to ensure that teachers are communicating with their staff about what’s appropriate in school, including the proper ways to engage in discourse. We maintain strict policies towards bullying, and it’s crucial that we enforce this consistently. Community buy-in is also essential. People may disagree on issues, but that doesn’t justify treating each other poorly. We need to keep reinforcing this message.

 

What is your five year plan in terms of safety and compliance?

I want to create an environment where students feel safe and know that school is a secure place. If they’re experiencing issues, whether at home or in their personal lives, they should feel comfortable reporting them to someone at school, knowing they’ll be supported throughout the process. This is a key part of our role.

We view ourselves as a sanctuary for the community, providing resources to help students and families through tough times. If we can’t help directly, we refer them to someone who can. A challenge we face, which is common nationwide, is balancing the need to be open and welcoming with the need for stringent security measures. We have to ensure that security is tight during school hours while still encouraging family and community engagement outside of those times.

One of our priorities as we enter the new school year is to continue hosting family and community events that invite people into our schools. We want to make sure that families feel comfortable in our buildings, particularly during after-school events. However, during the school day, it’s vital that we monitor who is entering our buildings and when, to keep everyone safe.

We use the Raptor Visitor Management System to control building access. There’s only one entrance, and visitors must go through a secure vestibule, show ID, and undergo a background check. If any issues arise, such as a visitor not being allowed near schools or children, we discreetly notify the appropriate administrator to handle the situation. Our volunteer checks are also stringent, involving systems like Raptor’s Volunteer Management and Michigan’s iChat, to ensure our students are safe.

 

Where do you see the role of technology in the upcoming years for education and safety?

Technology plays a crucial role, especially in ensuring online safety. We have robust programs that operate in the background to enforce safety protocols when students are on our network. We’re also exploring new technologies, such as vape sensors, to address issues like vaping among teenagers. As technology improves, so do the products that help us manage these issues. Some schools already have vape sensors that reduce false alarms, which is important because we don’t want our administrators responding to unnecessary alerts.

We’re also looking into technology that can help with weapon detection. Although we haven’t had issues with weapons in our district, we want to be proactive. However, we’re waiting for these technologies to improve to avoid unnecessary disruptions.

 

How are you managing issues of teacher retention and staff shortages?

Staffing is challenging, especially after COVID. Bus driver shortages were a significant issue, and although we have more employees than ever before, the student population is declining, particularly in Michigan. This has led to higher turnover rates, with more teachers leaving the profession after just a few years.

While there are teacher shortages, especially in areas like special education, math, science, and foreign languages, we’re trying to manage this through attrition rather than layoffs. As the student population shrinks, we don’t always need to replace teachers who leave. However, it’s not an exact science, and we face challenges convincing people to enter the teaching profession. We work hard to support student teachers and hope they choose to stay in our district long-term.

 

How are you creating and cultivating an environment where mental health is supported?

Mental health is a significant challenge because it encompasses so many different issues. We have traditional school counselors, but they weren’t necessarily trained to address extensive mental health needs. We’ve increased professional development for counselors and brought in behavioral specialists to help teachers address problematic behaviors often rooted in mental health issues or trauma.

We’ve also hired additional mental health professionals to work directly with students. Having a crisis team in place is crucial for responding quickly to major events. Another important step we’ve taken is placing a nurse in every school building. This not only supports students’ physical health, which is closely tied to mental health, but also frees up other staff, like counselors, to focus on mental health support.

COVID funding helped us make these improvements, but now that the funding has slowed or stopped, we need to figure out how to maintain the high level of service we’ve been providing.

 

How are you managing the safety of your student athletes?

We follow strict protocols, both as a district and as part of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. These include guidelines for practicing in hot weather, ensuring water availability, and limiting practice time based on heat and humidity. It’s not worth risking student safety for the sake of winning a game.

Concussion awareness and protocols are also a priority. Each of our comprehensive high schools has an athletic trainer on staff, and we have a district athletic director overseeing all activities to ensure everything is being done correctly. We constantly review and improve our protocols, including addressing unhealthy practices in sports like wrestling. Training for coaches is also an essential part of this process.

 

Do you have any advice on school safety that you’d like to share?

My advice is to collaborate with other superintendents and colleagues. It’s important to share what’s working and what’s not, even if it means discussing difficult issues. We’re in a schools-of-choice environment, and sometimes there’s a reluctance to share negative news because it might affect enrollment. However, collaboration is essential, and there are ways to have confidential conversations about these topics.

For new superintendents, I recommend not being afraid to meet with vendors at professional conferences. It can be intimidating, or you might not want to deal with the hard sell, but there are excellent products out there. The only way to find out about them is by talking to people, comparing options, and learning from what others are using.