In order to improve the overall safety of BBCHS and its students, a new security team, comprised of former safety monitors as well as some new recruits, is ready to provide a sense of safety in addition to providing help to students in need. The security team is not just a team of your average high school hall monitors, but a team of people who are always there to help assist those in sticking to their path within life. Safety monitors who did their part last year, such as Don Collins, Jeff Anderson, Ryan Grace, and Dan Merten, have teamed up with six new members in order to make up what is now the school’s new security team. The new members of the security team are Nicole King, Dave Morefield, Jasmine Childs, Lonzale Mason, Nate Hill Sr., and Keith Schweigert.  

In previous years, BBCHS has had a couple of safety monitors that were able to assist students as well as keep an eye on activity in the building. This year, the school decided to expand upon that concept through introducing a new security team, with the main goal of helping students get to their classes on time in addition to helping keep the school safe against potential hazards and unwanted guests. The task of a security team member involves monitoring various hallways, with members alternating between hallways throughout the day in order to prevent boredom while on the job. Some members arrive as early as 6:30 p.m. to help staff prepare for a normal school day and usually stay at the school until 4:30 p.m. to assist students in getting home after school, as well as locking doors and closing the school. 

When asked about the benefits of the security team on student conduct, Director of Student Support, Mr. Evan Tingley, stated, “All of our numbers indicate that this year, referrals are down, tardies are down, attendance is better, so overall, we feel as though it’s had a positive impact. Some of these safety monitors are starting to really make relationships with students in a positive way where they are fist bumping students walking by or helping out groups of students throughout the day. The operation of a school at the end of the day involves relationships and we really looked for people who we thought could be stern when they needed to and could follow our school policy but at the same time being able to nurture to students in need. These are special people that we hired and they are doing a great job.” Tingley is currently happy with the results of the new security team and is hoping to keep up the good work for the times that are rapidly changing. 

Taking things little by little, Tingley meets with Assistant Principal Mr. Ryan Kemp on a weekly basis, discussing the conditions of the security team in order to help determine what changes or improvements can be made in order to help make things go more smoothly for administration, the security team, and the school as a whole. Tingley and Kemp receive feedback from the security team on what is currently working, what is not working, and where members are needed the most. Tingley commented on how things will look for the future of the security team, stating, “We’re learning as we go, it’s only going to get better, but so far I feel like we’re off to a pretty good start.” 

Nicole King, a new member of the school’s security team, is passionate in what she does as a security team member. She feels honored knowing that she is a part of a team of people dedicated to protecting the school as well as both teachers and students. Before becoming a part of the security team, King was a 1-on-1 paraprofessional in the Kankakee School District. She felt nervous starting out fresh in a new school district, but she became happy knowing that she now had the ability to work with both students and teachers, as well as the ability to help make an impact within their lives. King often interacts with both students and teachers, stating, “I interact a lot with the students. In the morning, I have three or four students that come to me and we actually talk about their day. We talk about what happened the night before, and I have a lot of students that talk to me about what’s going on in the household, or just overall how they’re feeling. You know, they might be having a bad day, relationship problems, etc. I have had some interactions with the teachers as well. They talk to us about certain things, such as how they like our presence here at the school, and we kinda just talk to get to know each other a lot, and that’s really positive, because the students can see that both the teachers and the security team are working together. Hopefully they can see that no matter what class you’re in, you can always be able to come together as a whole and work together for something towards positivity.” King wants students to know that she, in addition to other security team members, are there to help out those who are in need of help or support. By being supportive and interacting with both students and teachers, King is able to achieve her main goal of maintaining open communication with students in hopes of becoming a safe person to talk to in times of distress.

The security team is a group of people who are constantly communicating with one another, in addition to both students and teachers. When asked about what advice King had for students, she stated, “I would say to students to take advantage of the education that you are receiving. Make sure you reach and go above and beyond to continue on that path in education. You are never too old to stop learning. Go for it, continue to go for it, and don’t stop. I don’t care how you feel, how angry, and how defeated you may feel sometimes. Never, ever give up. Fight the good fight. There is a reward at the end, I guarantee it.” 

King is hoping to continue inspiring both teachers and students, in addition to her own fellow team members. The security team isn’t just a team of school staff looking to police student misbehavior, but rather, a team of extraordinary people that are dedicated to keeping our school a safe place for anyone who is looking to succeed in their education.