Pearl River School District Working On Anti-Bullying Program

As part of an anti-bullying campaign, the Pearl River School District is going to join an international program, as well as team up with organizations from Rockland.

Sue Wheeler, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, spoke about about Pearl River joining the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting in Pirate Cove at Pearl River High School. Olweus is an international program that began in Norway aiming to reduce bullying in schools and stop new bullying issues from starting.

“It’s focused on peer relations,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said the Mental Health Association of Rockland will assist in going over the dangers that come with bullying. The Community Awareness Network For A Drug-Free Life And Environment (CANDLE), a non-profit dedicated to preventing violence among youth and substance abuse based in New City, will work with high school students.

The program comes thanks to the state’s Dignity for All Students Act, which passed last year and requires all districts to implement a new bullying policy by July 1, 2012. The members of the Pearl River administration and board of education felt it was important enough to than required, however.

Wheeler added the program is in the early stages.

Transportation was once again a topic of discussion. Voters in the district approved a , meaning approximately 300 students who would’ve been eligible to take the bus to and from school no longer have that option.

The school district has been working with Transport of Rockland to figure out an alternative way to get to school in the mornings. The Route 92 bus, which starts in Spring Valley and ends in Nyack, goes through some of the same areas where buses were cut. The district is working on a deal where students interested in trying out the 92 would get a pass for 10 free rides on the bus, and if they want to continue using it, they would a student discount of 10 rides for $11, when normally a ride on that route is $2. The program is scheduled to start on Monday Oct. 31.

“There weren’t a lot of kids that rode that route from what we’ve heard, but there were a lot that could’ve,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Morgano. “High school kids don’t all ride the buses even when they’re able to, but we’re trying to help them out however we can.”

The bus would get the students to Central Ave. near the ShopRite around 7:05 a.m., giving them enough time to make it campus by the start of classes at 7:34. The problem with that option, Morgano said, is the return route isn’t the same and doesn’t have as many afternoon runs. Despite that concern, the district is going to give the plan a try.

“We’re going to send out letters to the parents of students who had buses cut on that route and let them know of the plan,” Morgano said. “We’re hoping if students start using it to be able to sell the tickets for that route at the school.”

Morgano added that the district has been working closely with Bill Schule, Transport of Rockland’s transit administrator.

It was also school board recognition week at Pearl River, so Mary Flanagan, the district clerk and official secretary to the board, gave all board members a letter of recognition, as well as a hat that said “Pearl River Pirates” on it and a flash drive.