Are Port Orange schools making the grade?

Also: City Council member Chase Tramont favors arming teachers

By Tanya Russo
| 3:20 p.m. February 20, 2019

Ormond Beach Observer
News

Mayor Don Burnette and City Councilman Scott Stiltner are concerned that school grades have gone down on the state's report card, especially for the elementary schools in Port Orange.

A joint workshop with the Port Orange City Council and the Volusia County School Board took place at the Lakeside Community Center at City Hall Complex on Feb. 19. Both groups discussed traffic safety, school safety, school rankings, overcrowding, textbook policy/plans, and expansion plans.

Tramont, a teacher himself, wants to allow teachers to be armed

Vice Mayor Chase Tramont questioned whether the board has considered training teachers to be armed in the classroom. Tramont is a social studies teacher at Spruce Creek High School.

“What is their (teachers') last resort?" he said. "What is their job? Personally my job is to go home to my wife and children. If someone comes into my classroom, I have zero recourse. I have 25 people to protect. I get that teachers are educators. They are also called to be protectors.”

“One school guard makes a big difference. Wouldn’t seven of them be more effective? It would be voluntary,” Tramont said. “It would be more cost effective. They would have to go through the same training the guardians have to go. I struggle to see how that wouldn’t be an appropriate measure.”

Russell said it was discussed and considered, but, at this time, it was decided that teachers would not be permitted to carry firearms.

Tramont also questioned what the procedure was about informing teachers if a student in his/her class has criminal charges against him/her.

The Volusia County courts notify the county schools of students who have felony charges. Principals in that student’s school are then notified. They in turn, notify the teacher(s).

The criteria used to assess schools have changed. School populations have increased. Materials used to teach students have changed. All those factors contributed to different assessment of school performance.

“We’ve talked about tutoring, but it is data-driven tutoring,” said Superintendent James Russell. “We’ve also ramped up our coaching, where it’s side by side with the teachers to improve learning. To our professional learning communities, we’ve sent our subject area specialist to help with their planning.”

Russell stated that the lowest grades from the schools come from the lower third of their population. The schools have spent a great deal of time helping to move the lower third of the population forward.

The schools shared demographics about changing populations as well as changes to the criteria about how schools are assessed for excellence that account for the change in the report card.

Traffic around Port Orange schools

Traffic was a concern for both systems. The schools have formed a committee that is looking into staggering start times. The schools will send out a survey to the residents regarding different start times. That survey will go to the superintendent to help make a decision. Burnette emphasized the importance of input into the committee so the city can do their part in monitoring traffic.

Stiltner wants to include law enforcement in the decision process because it has a big impact on the Police Department and how they deploy their officers to handle traffic for the schools.

Russell said that buses in the county are not at capacity and can transport the majority of students to and from school, which would eliminate a great deal of traffic issues.

The city reported that several sidewalk projects are being worked on which would increase the safety of children walking to and from school.

School safety measures

The schools presented several systems in place for school safety:

The School Marshall Program has 6 guardians at the elementary schools, and 4 school resource officers at the middle and high schools
Single point access on campuses with security fencing, gates, and door locking bars
A visitor management system
Panic button system for all staff that notifies staff/law enforcement officers/others
Entry control systems that have cipher locks (combinations of electronic, push button, and card readers
Camera systems capable for sharing with law enforcement agencies.
Threat assessment teams with mental health evaluations of students when threats are reported.
Law enforcement tour of campuses every three years.

Schools are over capacity

Both sides acknowledged that Port Orange schools are over capacity. The schools are looking into ways to redirect programs and create new programs to entice more students to stay within their home zones. Schools reported it was to Port Orange’s credit that they were over capacity. Spruce Creek High School was a prime example. It has a big draw in the county because of the IB program.

Council members thanked the School Board for coming to a joint workshop and suggested they meet biannually.