SCRANTON, Pa. — Dismissal at Scranton High School is going smoothly this week. Dr. Erin Keating, the district's new superintendent, says that's because of teamwork.
"Everybody's working together, and we've seen a decrease in those areas where there were problems," said Dr. Erin Keating - Scranton School District Superintendent.
Those problems were reports the district received of violence, including fighting and aggressive behavior between students at the end of the school day as students made their way home or when they attended after-school activities.
"Parents, community members everywhere. It's very critical for them to communicate with the district," said Kevin Kearny, School Safety & Security Coordinator.
"And we wanted to take action to make sure that everyone's safe. That's our job," said Dr. Keating.
The district announced that there will be an increased security presence in known problem areas around the district.
School officials are working with the Scranton Police Department to be proactive about combating violence off school property, too.
"And it's not a school problem. It's a northeastern Pennsylvania problem that we're seeing. This is not just Lackawanna County; it's Luzerne County. So the more proactive that we can be, the more we can work in partnership with the police departments, with our community members, to make sure kids are safe, the better things are going to be," explained Dr. Keating.
School officials want parents, neighbors, and those who spend time in the area to say something when they see something.
"We rather it be reported to us. If it's school-related, the Scranton police would like the tip line to be used. So it can be investigated and dealt with," said Kearny.
The district says this heightened focus on violence will continue into the summer as programming continues across schools in the district.
Check out WNEP's YouTube channel: