When a young person experiences a traumatic event, they may still have to get up and go to school the next day.
Now, as part of an initiative with the state Attorney General’s office, Centre County school districts are among those implementing a program to handle those students with extra care.
Jonathan Bucher, assistant superintendent of the State College Area School District, explained the "Handle with Care" program during the school board meeting Monday, saying it's meant to help students who have been through a trauma that involved law enforcement.
That could be domestic violence, a medical emergency, a drug overdose or a fire.
“The principal would simply get a notification saying, please treat the student with care," he said, explaining how the process works.
The principal would then let the student’s teachers know.
“Please give them extra space, extra time. If they're not their normal selves, please handle them with care," Bucher said. "That's pretty much the premise of this program.”
The notice police send to the school does not include specific information about what happened.
School Resource Officer Matt Hertlein said domestic incidents are one of the biggest issues officers on night patrol respond to.
"So a lot of times we'd be out at someone's house, we'd deal with the children there. And once we left, I mean, it's kind of sad to say, but we're on to our next call," Hertlein said.
He said they do already have a police social worker they notify, but this is a "big step."
"The three words — handle with care — that'll let the school know that child may need something extra," Hertlein said.
School board member Jennifer Black said it sounds like a good program.
“So many of these things, we just would have no clue," Black said. "And the kid would come to school and have to do their best. So, I really appreciate this.”
Handle with Care is already in place in other states and more than 20 counties in Pennsylvania, including Blair, Lehigh and Luzerne counties.
Bucher said in Centre County, the school districts are working with state police as well as local police. They hope to have it in place by Sept. 1.
