Great Bend USD 428 students will be able to anonymously report bullying and other harmful, inappropriate or unsafe behavior using a cellphone app from STOPit Solutions.
The mobile app allows real-time reporting and messaging of text, images or video. Users can report incidents such as bullying; cyberbullying or cyber abuse; harassment; violence, threats or weapons possession; alcohol or drug-related issues; hazing; discrimination; and ethics violations such as cheating or plagiarism. With STOPit Messenger, users can have a real-time, two-way, anonymous dialog with the school. This allows the school to ask questions about the report and conduct an effective investigation.
The app can be downloaded for free from iTunes and Google Play. However, the district has not yet implemented the service, which will require a code.
School board members asked Assistant Superintendent John Popp whether other school districts using this service have experienced problems with students making false reports to get someone into trouble. While that is a possibility, he said it appears such behavior has not been common. “The false reports are very minimal compared to the benefit.”
The cost to the school district will be $1 per student. However, Popp said the district can apply for a grant through StopIt Solutions that will fund the app for 18 months.
Grants/contributions
The StopIt Solutions grant was approved by the school on Monday, along with the following contributions to the district:
• USD 428 received $941 from the Local Contribution School District Checkoff Program, a program that provides that each Kansas taxpayer may designate an amount on his or her income tax return as a donation to a Kansas school district.
• Sunflower Electric Power Corporation contributed $250 for the Vocational Technology Club at Great Bend High School.
• Advanced Therapy & Sports Medicine contributed $100 for the 2020 GBHS Junior-Senior Prom.
• Great Bend Middle School received $2,669.97 in contributions from the GBMS Booster Club: $469.98 for two commercial grade microwaves for the student cafeteria and $2,200.00 for a projector and an electronic drop-down screen for the new gymnasium.
• Riley Elementary School received $1,720.88 from the Riley PTO for the Riley Gifts and Grants fund.
Personnel
Several personnel changes were approved at Monday’s Great Bend USD 428 Board of Education meeting.
• Marla Davidson, a kindergarten teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, will retire.
The following licensed teacher resignations were approved:
• Gwen McDonald, fifth-grade teacher at Riley Elementary School.
• Karen Kitchen, second-grade teachers at Riley.
• Darla Saindon, fourth-grade teacher at Park Elementary School.
• Emily Mulch, librarian at Great Bend High School.
Five licensed employee appointments were approved:
• Susan Miller, math teacher at Great Bend Middle School.
• Miranda Zink, special education teacher for Barton County Special Services (Ellinwood)
• Kaitlyn Jerke, first-grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School.
• Nicole Taylor, third-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School.
• Kelsey Beakey, school psychologist for Barton County Special Services.
