Back to School '24: Restorative tardy room, new disciplinary measures in place for school year

Last spring, Steel Valley opened a restorative tardy room at the high school to address chronic tardiness. There was a strong, positive response, and the district will utilize the room for the high school and middle school this year.

The room is overseen by district Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion coordinator Mr. Olando Dulin and community liaison Mr. Kevin Clarke (pictured), with additional staffing by an intervention specialist from Turtle Creek Valley Services, a district social worker, and school district counselors. This year, the room will also include representatives from Dr. Liz Miller’s office with UPMC and the Pittsburgh Study to help support students.

It will begin Tuesday, September 3 for both the high school and middle school.

“We saw great results from the restorative tardy room last year, reducing our tardies for high school students from 378 to February to 86 in May,” Superintendent Mr. Bryan Macuga said at the July board meeting. “We started it mid-year. We think starting it now, at the beginning of the school year, will produce some really positive results.”

Mr. Macuga also detailed a new procedure for students returning from an out-of-school suspension.

“Too often we suspend students and have them reenter the building without a plan. They have an issue in school, we don’t address that issue, they come back in, and that issue continues,” he explained.

Starting this year, any K-12 student serving an out-of-school suspension will be required to return to school with a parent/guardian to put a plan in place for successful re-entry into the building. The meeting will include building administration, guidance counselor, social worker, and anyone else to ensure that the student returns in a positive way and remains in the school.

Parents can contact their building principal and counselors for more information.