Slashing suspensions

Glendale Middle School's discipline problems are shrinking.

Since as far back as 2000 Glendale has by far led Salt Lake middle schools in number of suspensions. But at the end of this school year student suspension reports show the number of suspensions decreased 77 percent since the 2003-04 school year.

School officials say it was a matter of taking time to listen to students and nipping potential problems in the bud.

"In the past suspension rates were just ungodly," said Ernie Nix, Glendale's principal, who just finished his second year at the school. "But if kids aren't at school we can't help them; we needed to look at alternatives."

In the past, the school had as many as 397 student suspensions during a school year. Vikki Fisher, an eighth-grade teacher, said students had a lack of respect for authority that affected instructional time.

"There was a very unhappy climate as far as teachers and staff were concerned — it did not feel like there was a lot of support," said Fisher, who has been at Glendale for 10 years. "One of the most important elements in reaching at-risk students is having a strong discipline program."

To quell suspensions this year school, officials, led by vice principal Mele Taukeiaho and Paul Szugye, dean of students, implemented a number of different methods that were alternative plans allowing students in trouble to stay in school.

Glendale is one of two district middle schools on Salt Lake City's west side. About 90 percent of students are minorities, and close to 95 percent come from low-income families.

Nix said the first thing he did last year was get students together and set very clear boundaries and guidelines with respect to both academic achievement as well as behavior within the school.

"I firmly believe that when kids are very understanding of the limits that are set for them, expectations are high, and we provide the help to meet that high expectation, then they get there," said Nix.

Behavior that generally prompted suspensions included fighting, bringing a weapon to school, sexual harassment and insolence to authority.

This year instead of closing the door for a given number of days on students who misbehave, Taukeiaho said they sat many of the students down, talked to them and let them come up with their own discipline plan, such as mediation, service projects or in-school suspension.