Pennsylvania District Addresses Bullying, Installs Security Cameras

Pennsylvania District Addresses Bullying, Installs Security Cameras

The district is working with the Sweethearts and Heroes program, which is designed to empower victims and bystanders to take a stand and change a negative experience into a positive one.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • February 19, 2019

As part of its work on school safety, Monessen School District is taking a stand against bullying.

Superintendent Leanne Spazak has announced that the district will be scheduling an anti-bullying program, with presentations held during the day for elementary and middle school students and a public presentation in the evening.

The district is working with the Sweethearts and Heroes program, which is designed to empower victims and bystanders to take a stand and change a negative experience into a positive one, according to Spazak.

“We want to make sure our schools are safe, but we also want to address bullying in the community,” Spazak said. “The more people we can get involved in this, the better.”

Sweethearts and Heroes brings motivational speakers to campuses to educate students, staff and the public about the impact bullying has on individuals, schools and neighborhoods.

The program is just one of the steps the district is taking to improve school safety. School board president Roberta Bergstedt said the district will soon finish installing high-definition security cameras at Monessen Elementary Center. The cameras will give security officers and staff a clearer view of the campus.

According to Bergstedt, the district is ahead of the curve when it comes to school security.

“Last month, Dr. Spazak and I attended a meeting of the Pennsylvania School Board Association that brought together many other school districts to talk about safety and security,” she said. “We were surprised to learn that Monessen is more proactive and progressive at addressing security issues than many other school districts. It really showed how well we are doing. Our school board practices are much more efficient compared to some of the other districts.”

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

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