Bristol Warren Regional School Committee Chairperson Erin Schofield released the following statement to the Warren Times on Tuesday:

After meeting with the teachers union Wednesday evening, the School Committee directed the Superintendent to put additional therapeutic services in place at KMS as soon as possible so that we can make sure our students are receiving adequate mental health support. Getting the necessary supports in place is our number one priority. 

We also directed the Superintendent to obtain a police officer for the building because teachers union reps felt that having a police officer in the building would provide support as we work to put the necessary social-emotional supports in place. The police officer is there as a resource for the students and adults, not for disciplinary or punishment purposes or to be a security guard. In addition, the BWRSD has submitted a grant for an SRO to RIDE, which will be reviewed and processed upon receipt. At that point, a Warren police officer will undergo SRO training so that he/she can provide valuable resources to staff and build positive relationships with students at KMS.

We also created a subcommittee (made up of the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent, School Committee members, teachers, administrators, and union reps) that has been charged with researching programs and supports for KMS that will improve school climate and create a safe haven for learning, both academically as socially. The subcommittee is called the KMS Safety & Security Subcommittee because the issues were presented in a safety and security context. We will report out on our progress at the next School Committee meeting on February 25th.