LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
The Paris-Union 95 school board will look different at its next meeting, pending the results of April 1’s consolidated election, but the potential trustee change is not the only personnel change the board is discussing.
During March 10’s meeting, district superintendent Mary Morgan Ryan took a moment to present the potential of introducing a school resource officer (SRO) to one or all of the school districts inside the city of Paris.
“The idea of a school resource officer has come up and I know that you have had a school resource officer in this district in the past, and there has been an interest expressed from the Paris police department, others in the community and in the staff about having a school resource officer,” Morgan Ryan said.
The superintendent explained to the board that her goal during the Monday evening meeting was to “get ready and help you all make a decision on whether we move forward with one or not.”
“I’ve given you a memo that expresses, from some building administrators, a rationale for having a school resource officer,” Morgan Ryan said. “I also included some financial information.”
According to Morgan Ryan, the initial idea is that the person fulfilling the role of a resource officer would be a city employee, but the cost of employing them would be split between the city and the districts they work with.
“The city would pay this person’s benefits, and then the school district, or districts, would share in the cost of that person’s salary,” she explained, highlighting the opportunity for Paris-Union 95 to collaborate with the Crestwood CUSD #4 school district.
“All of it is up in the air as to how the sharing works,” Morgan Ryan said. “I wanted to have this initial discussion for you to let me know, what information you need me to bring back in order to feel like you’re informed about this.”
Morgan Ryan presented the board members with several questions she believed would need answers to move forward, as she asked for the board’s feedback. Among her posed questions were ‘Would they be all of our buildings?’ and ‘Would we focus more on high school and junior high?’
Members of the Paris-Union 95 school board were quick to provide the superintendent with answers, as well as additional questions of their own.
“I would be interested to know how they would portion out their time between each school,” Tom Tuttle said.
“What is the officer doing in the off-season?” board member Chris Milam asked. “Also, the collaboration with the high school and Crestwood is outside of the Paris city (limits); there’s a zone, there’s a district. Would that be an issue? Or would that would fall underneath County at that point?”
“I fully support it having a school resource officer,” Milam added.
Another question posed by a board member requested information on what training an SRO officer would be required to undergo, and who would foot those costs.
“What would be the plan for splitting the costs between 95 and unit four?” Cindy Mathis asked.
Discussion among the board debated the need to prorate the officers’ salary for summer months and a back-and-forth over potential ways to divide costs among the high school and two districts. Despite the various questions, the board appeared unanimously in favor of pursuing the hiring of a school resource officer.
“I did pass on the memo that this is not decided … you as a board have a say in whether we approve this position, but also the city of Paris has to approve the position too,” Morgan Ryan said. “We’re not the only decision-makers, and that is another reason I wanted to have an initial discussion.”
Milam suggested the board form a committee to help organize the varying benefits, questions and requirements for the role and to better understand the needs and properly present findings to the city.
“There are some bad eggs in every school,” Milam said. “So we need someone, and I think this would be helpful … the benefits would be (very good.)”
Morgan Ryan and the rest of the board agreed with Milam, as did several members of the audience in attendance at the meeting.
Following the discussion, the superintendent told the board she would take all of their feedback into consideration and work on something she could present at a future board meeting.
“Thank you,” she said. “This is still in its infancy and I wanted to know what all of your questions were … The purpose of an SRO also is to work with kids and to build relationships so that the police are someone that you can talk to, work with and approach.”
The Paris- Union 95 school board will meet for its next monthly meeting at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 7, at 300 South Eads Avenue after the Edgar County consolidated election.