LMCS takes measures to head off ‘trauma’

Students, parents encouraged to report bullying

 By Jenson Skalda | Manor Ink

Livingston Manor, NY – Within society today, mental illness has been a major talking point; many people have been thinking about it. After the mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, people everywhere realized a better job protecting children in school was necessary.

“I worry a lot about possible violence in school,” a Livingston Manor Central School ninth-grader reported. “I also sometimes feel concerned about certain students who look like they’re deeply sad and troubled somehow.”

LMCS is an active “trauma-informed school.” In a trauma-informed school, the adults in the school community are prepared to recognize and respond to those who have been impacted by traumatic stress. Those adults include administrators, teachers, staff, parents and law enforcement officials. LMCS’s one-hundred-person staff receives special training to be a trauma-informed school.

Getting students involved

However, “See Something, Say Something,” developed by Sandy Hook Promise also involves students in learning to recognize the signs of impending gun violence or the potential to harm oneself. The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System allows youth and adults to submit secure and anonymous safety concerns to authorities to help intervene with at-risk individuals before they hurt themselves or others. The system enables school administrators and police to create effective interventions and helps prevent violence, suicide, bullying, self-harm and other forms of threatening behavior.

Say Something is designed to be delivered in an in-person presentation or digital format for students in grades 6 through 12. During this short training, students learn to look for warning signs and threats – especially on social media – of persons at risk of hurting themselves or others. They also are empowered to “say something” before a tragedy can occur. Concerned students can fill out an anonymous form online to alert an adult of a potential problem.

The Say Something program has had impressive results:

• More than 11 million participants in one or more of our Know the Signs programs and initiatives n More than

• 6,500 Promise Leaders working in local communities across the country

• More than 4.5 million people have made the Sandy Hook Promise to protect children from gun violence

• 2 million people trained in Say Something

• More than 40,000 tips received through the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System in districts and states nationwide

Prevention efforts at LMCS

Chris Hubert has been director of safety at LMCS since 2013. He currently also serves as elementary principal, a position he’s held since 2015, and is director of IT. He explained that at LMCS, teachers and staff receive training to identify and deal with students experiencing stress or anxiety. At present, however, the school does not use the Say Something system.

“LMCS wants to be a district leader in Sullivan County as a Trauma-Informed School,” Hubert said. “The goal is to not only provide tools to cope with extreme situations, but to create an underlying culture of respect and support. LMCS has panic alarms, window protection and other plans in place. Other security features are coming.”

Hubert also explained that LMCS is committed to helping students deal with traumatic events in their lives, and is prepared to respond to threats, deter bullying and is striving to foster an environment where students feel safe and are safe.

LMCS parents, staff and students can use the school website to access a form to report on both bullying or cyber-bullying. The guidance counselor staff receives the forms and then determine a response.

Would LMCS consider bringing in the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System into its school? “Any kind of proposed program would be reviewed by the administrative team,” Hubert said. “Superintendent Evans has a team approach, and would involve a number of us.”