Problems at schools may be reported anonymously
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

LAKEWOOD - In an attempt to protect the 5,300 students of the Lakewood School District, the Board of Education has hiredWatchful i, a school violence reporting crisis management system, for $15,250.

The firm was hired during a Jan. 17 board meeting.

According to Michael Inzelbuch, the board's attorney, the initiative to enhance safety in the township's schools emerged in the aftermath of a Nov. 12 melee at Lakewood High School which resulted in the arrest of 11 high school students and one adult.

"We heard from many parents in the district on Nov. 12 who said they were either not notified, or notified too late about what occurred" at the high school the day before, Inzelbuch said.

According toWatchful i's InternetWeb site, "The Watchful i allows students to safely, easily and anonymously report any information they have that can alert officials that their fellow students may be planning or taking part in bullying, hazing, violent acts, bias crimes, vandalism, or a host of other dangerous and/or illegal activities. With the Watchful i, students can now use the telephone or Internet to anonymously relay this vital information to those who need to take action."

According to Ken Melveney, the president and founder of Watchful i, "We are more than just a reporting system.We are a crisis management system.We have the ability to accept a report via the Internet and the telephone. The important aspect is that the administrator acknowledges the receipt and assesses it."

He said the system, "would give administrators and local law enforcement personnel advance knowledge of things that were going to happen."

"With Watchful i we have the capability of notifying 5,000 people in approximately 40 minutes, with a 15- to 30-second message," Melveney said.

Inzelbuch said the system will be operational in all Lakewood public schools beginning Feb. 1. The total cost for the program will be $15,250 and include training and other technical aspects.

"The cost per student is $3.50 per year, in addition to a $25 per month charge for the 800 telephone number that would be supplied," Melveney said.

Melveney has offered to introduce the Watchful i program to all faculty members, parents and students by showing a video on how to use and access the system, which is available in English and Spanish.

Public comment was prohibited at the board's Jan. 17 meeting.

In supporting the contract withWatchful i, board Vice President Abraham Ostreicher said, "The safety of the children is paramount to everything else. That is why we have chosen to spend the extra dollars."