Five parents and a student told the Greece Central School District Board of Education on March 4 that repeated fights, reports of weapons and the routine locking of bathrooms at Arcadia High School are making students fearful, disrupting instruction and harming mental health.

The speakers described incidents they said occurred this school year at Arcadia. Bridget Miceli, a parent, said her daughter was targeted after returning to school on crutches following a knee injury and that school officials dismissed the reports as “normal middle school boy behavior.” Miceli said she filed a DASA complaint when she felt the school did not take the matter seriously. Her daughter’s account was echoed by Milana Miceli, a ninth-grade student who said she witnessed a student punch another during study hall and that locked bathrooms and frequent “hold in place” announcements have interfered with learning.

The parents urged the board to increase security staffing and cameras, expand social work and counseling supports, and enforce consequences so that a small group of students does not disrupt the education of the majority. Tiffany Kilberry, who said she owns businesses in Greece and has a son at Arcadia, said incidents have spilled into the community and hurt the school’s image. Roxanne Angst and Courtney Cardo described frequent fights, weapons reports and recurring disruptive behavior in multiple schools that, they said, has led some students to avoid school and some teachers to leave.

Why this matters: School safety and disruptive behavior were the central focus of public comment at Tuesday’s meeting. Multiple parents and a student said a relatively small proportion of students are producing frequent major disruptions, and they asked the district for immediate, practical steps to protect students and preserve instructional time.

Superintendent Smalley responded during the superintendent’s remarks, saying the district “hear[s] you and we recognize the issues that you have shared.” He outlined district efforts: adding staff positions for violence prevention, expanding social worker and counselor roles, implementing trainings and restorative practices, conducting mediations and using behavior contracts and suspensions where appropriate. Smalley said the district will continue to work with families and noted that similar behavior challenges are being reported statewide.

Board members acknowledged the speakers and said they will press for follow-up. Vice President Farmer and other board members thanked parents for speaking and reiterated a desire for collaborative solutions. Several board members said they want to protect the learning environment for students who attend school responsibly while also addressing the needs of students who cause disruption.

What was not decided: No new policy or vote was taken at the meeting on school safety measures. Parents asked for specific actions — security guards, bathroom cameras, more social workers and consistent consequences — but the board and administration described existing and ongoing efforts rather than announcing new contracts or staffing changes.

Context and next steps: The board held the speakers’ comments during the resident forum portion of the agenda; the superintendent and district staff said they will continue site-level work and districtwide strategies to reduce violence and improve school climate. Parents were invited to engage with schools and district committees; the board said it will continue oversight and follow up in future meetings.

Ending: Parents and students who addressed the board said they will continue to press for visible changes at Arcadia. The district said it will maintain its combined focus on accountability, supports and root-cause interventions.