Shawnequa Holt-Pate supervises close to 60 school safety agents on Staten Island and coordinates between an NYPD precinct and the schools within it. She belongs to the UFT’s Supervisors of School Security Chapter.

What drew you to school security work?

I started as a school safety agent back when I was 24. I had graduated from college, and I figured I’d try it to see how I like it. It’s been 20 years, so I guess I like it!

What do you like about it? 

I like getting to know the people I work with and being a positive light for the students I interact with. When I first started, I had what some would call a rough population of students, but they’re just kids. Once they get more comfortable with you, you can either start to tell them to straighten up and fly right, or say, “Hey, you did really well there, and I saw it.” I get to validate the good things they do that they might feel the world doesn’t see.

What surprised you when you were promoted from agent to supervisor? 

As a school safety agent, I thought my supervisor just drove around to the schools, picked up the payroll and went home. I didn’t understand the magnitude of administrative work we had while also needing to complete our work in the field. We make sure the schools are adequately staffed, and we make sure the personnel have proper training and complete the schedule. I’m also the platoon commander, so I keep up with vehicles and make sure transportation is in place when we need to send people to training or coverage. It’s a challenge.

How do you respond to a safety incident at a school? 

I coordinate between the precinct police and the school safety agents, and usually I’ll go check things out in person. For example, one day when I was in Brooklyn, some of the kids had an altercation outside the school. I was in the school at this time, and a parent whose child was involved in the conflict came into the school. This was a scanning school, meaning it had a metal detector at the door. This parent was so upset she didn’t want to go through scanning. So I had to shut down scanning and calm down the parent. I said, “We understand that you’re upset, but this is still a school — a safe place — and we need you to be calm enough to express yourself and articulate what happened to your child.”

By the time I de-escalated with the parent, we had pockets of students who had started to fight outside the school. I had to make sure my agents were breaking up fights. I sent some agents outside and some inside. I used my radio to request additional support from the police precincts. They responded quickly, we broke up the fights, and no one was seriously hurt.

It’s a lot going on at once, and my job is to give direction. People will follow my lead. If I’m running around and anxious, my people will be, too.

What was your most memorable day of work? 

When I found out I was being transferred to Staten Island from Brooklyn and I received an outpouring of love from my agents and my colleagues in Brooklyn. They threw a luncheon for me and told me how much they appreciated me.

When you show up for people, they show up for you. School safety agents are out there responding to emergencies and maintaining order in the school, and they need to get a thank-you.

— As told to Hannah Brown