Security cameras installed at NDSS in February were aimed at curbing costly incidents of vandalism, but NDSS is still seeing expensive repairs since the cameras were installed. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

video surveillance

Vandalism at Nanaimo schools costing roughly equivalent of full-time teacher

Oct 13, 2022 | 4:07 PM

NANAIMO — While vandalism in schools is down, repair costs to schools in School District 68 are enough to fund at least one full-time teaching position.

New data presented at the Wednesday, Oct 12. business committee meeting showed 487 incidents of vandalism were recorded between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, costing a total of $82,136.35 in material and labour costs.

Executive director of planning and operations Pete Sabo said acts of vandalism increased approximately 36 per cent from last year.

“There were five schools that made up 47 per cent of the total vandalism in the district (for 2021/2022), and four of those five schools have video systems recently installed. One of them, John Barsby is currently being installed, we expect it to be a December go-live date.”

(SD68)

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Brechin Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Georgia Avenue Elementary, and Nanaimo District Secondary School. (NDSS) topped the list for number of incidents.

However Quarterway Elementary, NDSS and John Barsby Secondary spent the most money, all with repair bills over $8,000.

The most common vandalism issues are broken exterior windows, interior and exterior graffiti, and general grounds and building destruction.

Issues related to displaced people were also present, however, did not result in a significant tie-up of resources outside garbage cleanup.

All of those schools had exterior surveillance cameras installed earlier this year, something the board hopes will help reduce these issues.

Other schools, like Pauline Haarer Elementary, also had a significant issue with vandalism until they partnered with the City of Nanaimo to hire security guards. In the past two years, less than $600 worth of damage has occurred.

Sabo said there is still money in their exterior camera budget to equip one more large school or two smaller schools and they are still deciding which direction they will go.

“I think the major body of work for us this last year has been the exterior videos systems…we’re just getting them going now and we have had some success, and we hope that next year in February when we report back again on vandalism we’ll have a little bit more statistics that’ll support the ethicacy of those systems.”

Board member Stephanie Higginson questioned the breakdown of exterior graffiti versus interior, saying interior graffiti should require a different approach, as it’s more likely committed by students during school hours.

“There are possibly more opportunities for education for folks (about) the implications and costs of those what people might consider funny and small inconsequential events but are actually adding up to $100,000 a year which is an entire teaching position.”

As a former high school teacher, Higginson said interior graffiti issues could be solved using educational intervention by staff members to explain how the “funny and inconsequential” graffiti means less money for things like sporting equipment or school events.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow