Wauwatosa School District Superintendent Demond Means, at the School Board's April 27 meeting, explained the district's decision to terminate its contract with Right at School, saying administrators have "lost confidence" in the before- and after-school care provider's ability to ensure the safety of students.
The decision followed at least two incidents of "physically aggressive behavior" by Right at School employees toward students at Eisenhower Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary schools, as addressed in a district to email to elementary school families on April 24.
Neither Means nor the district's letter provided details of the incidents, but Means told the School Board that the behavior, at least some of which was caught on surveillance video, clearly crossed a line that required an immediate response.
"It's awful. I don't know how else to put it. It's despicable, in terms of what occurred," Means said.
David Paulsen
The district will end its contract with Right at School effective June 11, at the end of the school year, and it is adding an additional level of oversight for these remaining weeks in the contract by assigning district substitute teachers to each of the 11 district elementary schools where Right at School provides care before and after school, as well as wrap-around care for junior kindergarteners.
"From the bottom of my heart — and I know I speak for the board as well — as a parent, we do apologize for what has happened to the children who were involved in these situations," Means said.