Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 23, 2013 FLOW Area Violence & vandalism report shows improvement by Frank J. McMahon Ernest Palestis, interim superintendent of the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District, recently pre- sented the semi-annual report on violence and vandalism to the district’s board of education. The educator emphasized the improvement the district has made over the years. “We take violence and vandalism seriously, and all the data indicates that our efforts are working -- and working very well,” Palestis said. Palestis told the board that the state requires a violence and vandalism report every six months, and the latest report shows the school district has improved since the 2008-09 school year. During the two periods of the 2012-13 school year, there were 10 incidents of violence or fights; two incidents Lesson on safety Students from First Step Preschool recently got a lesson about fire safety from Franklin Lakes Fire Department. of vandalism, including theft; zero incidents of weapons offenses, such as with a knife or chain; and four incidents of substance abuse offenses, such as possession or distribu- tion. In the 2008-09 school year, there were 30 incidents of violence, six incidents of vandalism, one weapons offense, and 20 substance abuse offenses. Palestis also pointed out that the number of incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying has decreased since that record keeping began in the 2011-12 school year, when there were 50 incidents, eight of which were considered incidents of harassment, intimidation, or bullying. In the two periods of the 2012-13 school year, there were four incidents, all of which were incidents of harassment, intim- idation, or bullying. In addition, Palestis advised that the number of in-school and out-of-school suspensions as a result of the acts of vio- lence, vandalism, and substance abuse had decreased with 40 in-school suspensions and 49 out-of-school suspensions in the 2010-11 school year and 17 in-school and 30 out-of- school suspensions in the 2012-13 school year. “The comparison to several years ago shows signifi- cant progress, Palestis said. “This report speaks well to the cooperation we have in the district between our parents, teachers, staff, students, and police, and it shows a strong effort to educate our students so they will always be safe and secure. It really speaks well of the district when you put all the data together. We have something to be proud of.” The school board also approved a resolution recogniz- ing the week of Oct. 21 to 25 as School Violence Awareness Week. Palestis said each school building is holding meet- ings and classes on the subject during the week and recog- nizing the need for awareness in their own ways.