Proactive strategies and the inclusion of social-emotional learning into school curricula has contributed to the improvement in handling school fights. In order to lower stress and avoid confrontations, Lakes High School places a strong emphasis on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment while teaching students communication, empathy, and problem-solving techniques.
Additionally, more counselors and educators have made it possible for students to talk about and find constructive solutions to their problems. In addition, Lakes High School uses strategies that promote responsibility and communication rather than harsh punishment. Together, these initiatives help create a more secure and encouraging learning environment where disputes are less likely to turn violent.
What are the staff’s and student’s thoughts?
After going around the school and speaking with several staff members, teachers, and administrators, a number of common themes became apparent from their conversations that indicated as to why Lakes High School has achieved such a remarkable improvement over the last two years.
When asked if he has noticed any improvement over the previous two years, Steve Swortz the Dean of Students at Lakes, stated, “I think the shift in the students who are here for the right reason has caused a very noticeable change.”
In response to a question regarding some of the most frequent causes of student disputes, campus security guard Monk Sarte responded, “There are a lot of kids that instead of communicating how they feel about one another from oneself, they are hearing a side from someone else so ‘he said she said’.”
In response to a question about whether he had ever witnessed any altercations between students, Lakes history teacher John Hinkle said, “My favorite fight was watching two kids get into a fight over a school burrito.”
After asking two students on their thoughts over this matter, Anori Gordon a Sophomore at Lakes High School replied, “I believe that the students have been respecting the teachers, the school has also been doing a good job so far this year.”
When asking Hailey Cracchiolo about her point of view on this matter as a Senior at Lakes High School, she replied, “Theres been a lot less conflicts then there used to be. I feel it’s this way because of how much more supervision there is now.”
How has Lakes High School improved?
Due to the efforts and assistance of both students and staff, the manner that student disagreements are handled at Lakes High School has significantly improved over the last two years. There has been a significant difference, primarily because students have come forward to alert staff when they see warning signs or threats circulating throughout the school.
This allows staff and administrators to identify the origin of the issues and speak with the students to defuse the situation. Over the past two years, Lakes Lancers have demonstrated a significant increase in maturity and communication, which has made it very clear that everyone feels much safer at our school.
