STRATFORD — When Superintendent Uyi Osunde was principal of Windsor High School, he saw firsthand that the same mobile devices that students sometimes used to bully each other could also be an effective tool in stopping such behavior.
What the schools did, Osunde said, was adopt an app that Windsor has been using for the past four years that he said he has been effective in helping school officials respond to bullying cases. Now, Stratford schools have launched a similar application that allows students to make reports to school officials while remaining anonymous.
“Kids are our eyes in the school,” said technology director Matthew Rivers, who helped set up the application in the district. “They have a pulse on what’s going on in the classroom, with their peers, with their friends.”
Rivers said officials hope the app, called “Stopit,” can empower students to help people, and provide a more comfortable way to report issues. Previously, he said, they would’ve had to visit a school administrator or school counselor to report an incident.
School officials say the app can help them overcome what they see as a “no snitching” culture prevalent among young people, and proactively address issues such as bullying or substance abuse. Teachers and other school officials have busy schedules, Rivers said, making it difficult to spot students facing problems.
The app is among a number of safety measures implemented by the school district. Other actions include the hiring of a new safety director, training specialists in de-escalation and the installation of additional alert systems on school buildings.
The school district launched the app last week and had received one or two of reports as of Friday. Stopit has been installed on the Google Chromebook laptops the schools assign to middle school and high school students, and students can also download the app onto their phones or personal computers.
When students open the app, they then select their school district and describe an incident, before sending the anonymous tip to a school official. That official would then receive an alert. The app also allows school officials to communicate with the student making the report. During this interaction, Rivers said officials would allow students to decide whether to disclose the names of those needing help, or they would point them towards services offered at the school.
If a victim wants to, the app can also help them “get more information, have that one person either use the app or have them come in contact with us directly so we can help them,” Rivers said.
Although officials say the app was not implemented in response to national events like the Uvalde school shooting earlier this year, Osunde said the app could be used by officials to respond to any “suspicion raised” regarding a potential shooting.
Osunde said the app is part of the district’s ultimate goal of creating an environment where both students and teachers are excited to come to school, and feel that the district prioritizes their safety.
“There’s a lot more work to do,” Osunde said. “But I do know that we are safer today in Stratford Public Schools than we were a year ago.”
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