Don't the police have better things to do instead of breaking up "horse play" and safety sciccors? Why can't this principal handle these issues? My gosh, what is going on in that school?

This is unbelievable!!! I cant see many teachers wanting to step in and break up "horseplay". Look what happened to Mrs J!

Time for a new Principal.

Now this is just ridiculous! What is going on at Noyes?! I put this on the superintendent (text-happy SPS Committee members, we are all looking at you, too!) who's lack of leadership has created an atmosphere of fear, confusion and disrespect among the staff and parents at the school. There are some excellent teachers down there (including the art teacher, btw) and it would be a shame to lose them over this nonsense.

More of us need to start voicing our concerns about how these things are being mishandled. I am beginning to think Wilson and some members of the SPS Committee underestimate how many of us in the Noyes community are rattled about the events of the last month. Honestly, this did not need to spiral out of control like this and is indicative of rookies and incompetence at the top levels.

The Noyes community needs to show up in force at the next SPS Committee meeting. . . .

What is going on at that school? I hope we are rewarding good behavior. Why can't the adults handle the disciplinary actions? Was this such a malicious aggressive event that we needed to police involved, or are teachers afraid to intervene verbally or by physically separating children to keep them safe? The teachers are walking on eggshells afraid their colleagues will report them. The impact on kids seeing police in the school is huge.
If this topic is one to be discussed at school committee on Wednesday, we should band together and make it known so the communities concerns can be heard. Get your friends to go to the meeting!

I think by law there are certain situations where a school is required to notify the police, as in ones where a weapon (like scissors) has been used. Besides, it says right in the article that the police were called after it happened!

Regardless of when they were called, at the very least, the next step should be to send a communication to the school community whenever police are involved. We parents should not be reading about this days later on the Patch (though at least thanks to the Patch, we are getting some info.). This puts parents in the position of quizzing our kids to make sure they weren't traumatized by police presence that day at school. What seems very broken is that the powers-to-that-be don't think anything going on in the schools is any of the parents/communitys' business. It is beyond unsettling to feel you are losing trust in how the schools your children attend are run. Ugh.

Also,I recall that communication was far better just a couple of years ago (incidents on busses etc. were communicated quickly - that was reassuring . . .)

You people are ridiculous...as stated in one post, schools are REQUIRED to call police in these situations.....but dont let facts get in the way of the mob

Here we go again with the insults and condesending attitude!

the takeaway is that regardless of what happens in the future, the fine staff at Noyes will be very hesitant to use their experience and professional judgment because Doyle and Wilson have removed their ability to discipline in fear of second guessing.

@ UserName. I agree 100 %. Which is why we as parents & taxpayers need to be at SPSC mtg this Wed @ 7:30. Its time the SPSC & Anne Wilson listen to our concerns, in a respectful manner. The "no comment" answers are getting old and redundant

The Principal is the final authority for all personnel and disciplinary decisions, unless appealed to the superintendent. This was the Principal's call, not the Superintendent's.

They did send out a communication about this "incident" this morning. I think they are required to notify the police. But I agree, this incident was pretty insignificant. Agree they are just walking on eggshells now.

I just hope that all those great teachers at Noyes are discouraged from using their judgement. Who can blame them after what happened to Mrs. J.

This incident with Janice Donahue leaves me cold. I am a former Noyes parent and the story about Janice's dismissal and the way it happen was a replay of an incident that happened at the Noyes school with another teacher who disappeared from the classroom without any parents of the class being notified. There was a serious safety issue (read out of control child) in the classroom the teacher attempted to prevent him from assaulting a little 1st grade girl. The mother of the out of control child went to the police and charged the teacher with child abuse. The school reacted by putting the teacher on leave and ultimately dismissed her. With this well qualified teacher removed the out of control child's behavior escalated. The other teachers were afraid to make the situation known. So using various undercover means to communicate with me, I was informed of what happened and was happening. This happened too late to save the teacher's position, but at least safety was restored to the classroom and the out of control child removed. The school committee was involved as was the director of pupil services and the superintendent and ALL the parents of the class. So I would strongly suggest that parents ban together and confront the powers to be....My story happened 23 years ago so the more things change more they remain the same. Don't stand aside... take action.... it is your children and their education at stake.

Kids pick up on conflict between adults and transfer it. It's only going to get worse and worse there until peace is somehow restored. This is not a time for Ann Wilson to flex her Superintendent muscle; this is a time for her to realize she leads a community - a town - not a business!

I just have a question. What kind of lawsuit will the town face when the next knife - or pair of scissors - or whatever - inflicts permanent damage on a child because teachers felt they had to go through a chain of reporting rather than physically intervening?