Getting Answers: Westfield Public Schools spearheads new ‘school safety attendants’ program

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - All year long, parents worry about the safety of their children, especially when they are in school. That’s why Westfield Public Schools started a new safety program to provide extra pairs of eyes on students this year.

It’s a pilot program called “school safety attendants” featuring volunteers who are retired or current military personnel or first responders. In exchange, they receive an incentive that may motivate others to join for the upcoming school year.

Volunteers from the “school safety attendants” program in Westfield are showing up in the schools every day, connecting with kids, and making a difference.

The program was born from joint efforts by the Westfield Public Schools, State Senator John Velis, and the city’s Veterans Affairs Department.

Stefan Czaporowski, Westfield’s school superintendent, and Christopher Rogers, the director of student interventions and safety, told Western Mass News the goals of the program are simple.

“They are building relationships; they are another set of eyes and ears in the building, and often times when there is a safety issue in the school, it is known that something is going to happen somewhere,” said Czaporowski. “So, this is just another trusted adult for our students to confide in and maybe even prevent something that might happen that way.”

This program is also the result of multiple safety concerns that have come up in recent years because of the many mass shootings in schools across the country.

“We have protocols in place, we have systems in place, and I think, and while this—I don’t know that this is going to deter it, but we hope it does— we hope it’s a deterrent, knowing that there is another adult in the building who is, you know, trained in identifying threats,” said Rogers.”

On Wednesday, Western Mass News got a chance to see one of the volunteers in action at the Southampton Road Elementary School. Carl Schwarzenback, a military veteran told us he first decided to volunteer so he could spend more time with his son Lincoln, and he really enjoys the experience.

“Teachers focus on teaching, counselors can focus on counseling, the administrators can focus on administrating, and I can be there to focus on talking or just listening, that’s it through the day,” said Schwarzenback. “Walking, getting my step count in, saying hi to kids, high fiving. It’s, it’s a lot of fun actually.”

Volunteers are eligible for up to $1,500 off their property taxes.

Czaporowski told us they started with three schools participating this week, but they are hoping to have more volunteers and reach all six of their elementary schools next year.