PARKERSBURG - Nearly a third of Wood County Schools' middle and high school students say they have been the target of threats or violence from other students, with nearly a quarter reporting they have felt unsafe on school grounds.
Even so, officials say the numbers actually show a decrease in school safety concerns among students
Nearly 2,900 students in grades 6, 8,10 and 12 were given the Pride Survey in the spring. The results of the survey and a breakdown by school are available at the district's Web site www.woodcountyschoolswv.com under Departments: Student Services and Assessment.
The survey, conducted by Wood County Schools every two years, asks questions concerning drug, alcohol and tobacco use as well as safety questions. Information gathered from the survey helps guide the policies and procedures put forth by the Wood County Board of Education.
"The issue of safety in particular has been a major focus for years with this school board," said Superintendent Bill Niday. "We are continuing to look at those policies and make sure all of the policies the board passes in those areas help improve safety for the students."
Overall the percentage of students reporting violence, being threatened or feeling unsafe has decreased, said Dianne Boggess, coordinator of Safe & Drug Free Schools for Wood County Schools.
The highest numbers were seen in grades eight and 10. More than 39 percent of eighth-grade students reported they had been threatened with physical harm by another student, and more than 22 percent said they had been punched, slapped or kicked by another student.
In 10th-grade more than 37 percent of students reported being threatened, and nearly 15 percent reported being hurt by another student.
Students in 12th-grade tended to report the lowest percentages of violence or feeling unsafe.
"As the students get older, that feeling of fear seems to diminish," Boggess said.
The survey also found:
- Students felt the safest place at school was in the classroom.
- 22.7 percent of students reported never or seldom feeling safe in school parking lots, 19.7 percent on the school bus, 19.3 percent in school bathrooms and 19.1 percent on playgrounds.
- 2.2 percent of students surveyed reported bringing a gun to school.
- 8.2 percent reported participating in gang activities.
- 5.3 percent of students reported thinking often or a lot about committing suicide.
"We continue to hope to see those numbers drop over the next several years," Niday said.
Niday said school officials already have begun reviewing data for their individual schools to help them develop procedures and programs to improve safety and student relations.
"The schools determine what sort of programs they put into their school plans," said Boggess. "The information really helps more at the school level than at the county level."
Boggess said the declining numbers already give officials a good idea of how programs are affecting student interaction and safety concerns.
"The kinds of programs the schools are offering, like peer mediation training, conflict resolution, teachers teaching about not bullying, are finally paying off," she said. "We are finding a reduction in the number of students dealing with these problems and feeling unsafe."
Niday said the survey gives officials a good gauge of problems within the schools and areas in need of attention because many of the questions are based on how students feel about their safety.
"The most important part is if kids feel safe and secure in school," Niday said.
