During your school day, have you seen one of the school resource officers walking around and wondered what their purpose is in our schools? This is such a pertinent question, considering nearly half of the public schools in the U.S. have a full-time SRO working there. For Neuqua, there are two amazing officers who work with the school: Officer Mark Schumacher and Officer. Jason Woods. However, due to Wood’s upcoming promotion to sergeant, a new SRO, Officer. John Calero, has been brought in to take his place. Both Schumacher and Calero are talented individuals who help serve the community by working at IPSD 204 schools and aiding the youth.
As Neuqua is split into a main building and freshman center, there are two SROs instead of one, with Schumacher at the main building and Calero at the BFC.
Before working at Neuqua, both of our SROs have experience working at various middle schools, including those in the IPSD 204 district. With over a decade of experience individually, they have experienced many different walks of life and unique situations. To get this position, you must first become a sworn Naperville Police Officer and complete an SRO training course. Subsequently, one will need to apply for the position and undergo an interview to determine if they are a good fit. It’s preferred that officers looking to specialize, such as aspiring SROs, have at least three to five years of experience, ensuring they have a solid foundation for themselves
“They want you to become a juvenile officer,” Calero said. “It helps to bridge the gap between the policing world and the school world.”
As SROs, they help to protect students and staff in a multitude of ways. This is achieved through physically enforcing safety or providing a resource that students can utilize when they have questions that need to be answered. SROs believe it’s essential to play a positive role for children, showcasing the humanity of the people who wear the uniform. This impact can be vital in making it easier to call or ask for police help. In a way, they’re very similar to teachers, as SROs educate many students on mistakes while encouraging them to learn from them. They’re both more than happy to talk, whether informally or formally, allowing students to feel more comfortable.
“I always try to be in the hallways as much as I can,” Schumacher said. “If you have an issue, you can always come and see me.”
Especially in recent years, the way the police have been viewed across the country is not always in a positive light. Through SROs, Neuqua students can gain insight into how police officers truly operate and break down the negative connotation associated with them. This is primarily supported by the way they interact with students and staff , openly building relationships within their community.
“If I can change somebody’s mind about the police,” Calero said, “I positively changed their opinion, and I’m happy.”
Not only limited to regular school hours, the SROs attend any games or large activities for Neuqua and other high schools in the surrounding area. It’s much easier to have officers experienced with interacting with kids at these kinds of events to ensure that everything runs smoothly and everyone has a good time. Furthermore, they usually leave the school by at least 3:00, as their work doesn’t typically end by the time the school day does. Their usual day-to-day activities vary, but they generally check in with their administrators, complete paperwork, and monitor the hallways according to their schedules.
Neuqua is lucky to have two dedicated SROs who are always willing to help and connect with their communities.
