LEWISTON — The number of student detentions and suspensions at Lewiston High School is down.

During 2012-13, there were 2,252 detentions and 419 out-of-school suspensions.

During 2013-14, there were 946 detentions and 126 out-of-school suspensions.

Educators credit a new program that made two teachers deans. Their full-time job is to work with students, teachers and parents, and build relationships to help students focus on academics.

The program started in February. Results soon were obvious.

“I’m ecstatic,” Principal Linda MacKenzie said. “It’s beyond words how happy I am they’ve made such a huge improvement in such a short time.”

The deans are Jay Dufour and Ronda Fournier. He was a social studies teacher, she was a biology teacher.

Concerned that too many students were wasting time sitting in hallways after being kicked out of class and sent to the office, MacKenzie asked for the dean positions last winter.

The School Committee said yes, but on a trial basis. Committee members recently voted 5-3 to continue the program, and add an ed tech to staff an in-house suspension program in which students continue their school work.

What’s made a difference, Dufour and Fournier said, is they’ve had time to meet with students, develop relationships and change the school culture.

Students face detention for acts such as inappropriate language in class, refusing to put their cellphone away, blurting out comments or arguing. Suspensions are for more serious behavior, which can be involvement with drugs, thefts or violence.

When students act out and are sent to a dean, “we speak to them and tell them the adult in the classroom is the one in charge,” Fournier said. “We remind them, ‘Yes I know you want to use your cellphone in class,’” but show them the school policy that says that’s not permissible, and if they don’t turn over their phone, it results in suspension.”

“I want them to own their behavior,” Dufour said. He listens to their side of the story, and impresses on them that other students in class are trying to learn and the behavior is interfering.

“Ninety-nine times out of 100, kids will realize they messed up,” Dufour said. “We build those relationships. We’re there to help them.”

In a report, “Changing behavior at Lewiston High School,” several case studies were highlighted.

In one, a student was combative, got angry when when confronted and had a history of defiant behavior. That individual doesn’t have the best home environment but is “a very bright kid,” Dufour said. When confronted, “it could get dicey when he felt backed into a corner.”

Dufour began to work with the student weekly, listening and talking, reviewing his behavior, meeting with his teachers and getting to understand him.

He learned the teen was interested in volunteering, that he wanted to play sports and take honors courses. “I said, ‘it’s hard, but you can do that,’” Dufour said.

Today, the student is signed up for honors classes, is volunteering and looking into participating in clubs and sports.

The student responded to having someone to lean on and knowing someone cared, Dufour said.

Another student both deans worked with had a history of missing school, being late for school, poor grades and substance abuse. After working with that student for 11 weeks, the individual’s grades are almost honor-roll worthy.

Success doesn’t happen in every situation.

One student Dufour worked with has trouble at home, poor grades, skips classes and is defiant and disrespectful. After 48 discipline, mentoring and intervention meetings, the student still has poor grades, is disrespectful and was suspended.

“He’s somebody who has a lot of family-related stuff and other things going on, too much to focus on school,” Dufour said. “He’s brought that baggage to school, making it tough on teachers.”

Dufour said he’s gone to bat for the student, proposing alternative schedules. “We’re not there yet. We’re doing two steps forward, one step backyard.” He’s encouraged the student to take steps this summer that could help his school work.

Assistant Principal JoAnne Dowd said the deans are solving underlying issues, something assistant principals would like to do but don’t have the time. In addition to evaluating teachers for a new, comprehensive teacher evaluation system, assistant principals can only deal with crisis situations, she said.

Parents respond when a dean calls, Dowd said, adding that parents want their students to succeed.

“I have parents call me almost daily,” Dufour said. “They want some help.”

Often, students respond better to the deans than their mothers, even though both may deliver the same message. When the message comes from the deans and is reinforced by mom, “it’s a different story,” Dufour said.

Collectively, going from 2,671 suspensions and detentions in 2013 to 1,072 in 2014, represents 121 six-hour school days, time students are now in class.

“The numbers show the power of what can happen when you take the time to really develop personal relationships for students,” Superintendent Bill Webster said. “These two deans allow us to do just that.”

Lewiston High deans’ logbook

Number of students seen: ninth graders, 110; 10th graders, 91; 11th graders, 63; 12th graders, 32.

Number of student meetings: ninth graders, 384; 10th graders, 417; 11th graders, 167; 12th graders, 70.

Number of contacts with faculty: ninth graders, 181; 10th graders, 217; 11th graders, 97; 12th graders, 12.

Number of contacts with parents: ninth graders, 86; 10th graders, 43; 11th graders, 22; 12th graders, 5.

Source: Lewiston High School, from Feb. 3-May 21

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