Sandy Barker, Linton Middle School principal, updated school board members on the progress of the school’s Youth Engagement Support Service (YESS) team on Nov. 28.
The team consists of seven members who are charged with connecting with students and de-escalating possible conflicts. The middle school transitioned from hired security officers to the YESS team in 2021. Barker said that there has been a noticeable culture shift since the change.
“They have continued to build positive relationships and bond with the students,” Barker said.
She showed a short video featuring students and teachers speaking about their personal experiences with the team.
Seventh grader Dyson Cooper described the YESS team as supportive.
“There have been times that I needed help or I just needed a safe space to calm down,” he said. “It’s just always a great place for that.”
He added that he had witnessed a fight about to start and felt safe enough to alert team members. Cooper said that they were able to speak to the people about to fight and calm them down before it got physical.
Outside of solving conflicts between students, the team members are able to speak with students one-on-one and help them with personal issues, problems at home or even schoolwork.
“When I’m upset and need somewhere to cool down, the YESS team has been there to listen to me,” said eighth grader Macy Edmund. “When I need help with work, something I don’t understand or a teacher isn’t helping me, the YESS members are always there to help me.”
Margaret Watson, a counselor at Linton Middle School, said that having the alternative security team at the school has been a “wonderful experience.” She said that the team works in tandem with other staff to give more support to students. She said that some students have begun to ask to speak with the YESS team members when going through a difficult situation.
“Our past security teams have, like a lot of security teams, they would come if a student needed to be removed,” Watson said. “I think having that rapport with students is incredible. They don’t just come to remove a student if they need to, they bring that student to their room and actually try to work with that student.”
