Norwich — Schools Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow launched an administrative take-over of the Teachers' Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School on Friday as school officials clamp down on persistent student behavioral issues.

Implementing the changes was not easy, prompting calls to police when students, and in some cases parents, refused to comply with the rules, Stringfellow told parents in a letter Sunday.

Stringfellow sent a three-page letter to parents and staff Sunday outlining the drastic changes, which included installing Assistant Superintendent Tamara Gloster as “supervisor in charge” at the 395-student middle school and moving her office there for at least this week.

Students were surprised at the clampdown on school rules and discipline — including a ban on cell phone use during school, re-instatement of after-school detentions and in-school and out-of-school suspensions — on Friday, Stringfellow wrote in her letter.

“Several students became non-compliant and received consequences,” said the letter.

No details of the types of student behavioral issues were provided Monday. Stringfellow reported that some students refused to comply with administrators, support staff and social workers, even after parents were called.

“We were very concerned that there was potential that students and staff would not be physically safe,” Stringfellow wrote. “In that case, the police were called to assist.”

Three students were arrested Friday, Norwich police Lt. John Perry said. Norwich police on Monday provided statistics on calls to Global Studies school since school started on Aug. 30. Two student arrests were made previously, on Jan. 20 and Dec. 20, but police provided no details. In total, police have been called to the middle school 50 times “for service,” and responded to 12 incident reports.

Stringfellow wrote that in some cases Friday, parents refused to pick up their child at school for an out-of-school suspension. In her letter, she stressed that parents or guardians must provide updated contact information for schools, be reachable by phone and provide alternative contact people to pick up children “if their behavior becomes disruptive or unsafe.”

“If parents/guardians become belligerent or use obscene language on the phone, I have instructed my staff to respectfully end the call,” Stringfellow wrote. “Unfortunately, this occurred several times on Friday. I will not permit my staff to be subjected to this behavior.”

The moves came on the eve of a Board of Education meeting Tuesday, when Stringfellow will present a plan to reinstate school resource officers at Global Studies and Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School.

School board Chairman Robert Aldi, a retired city police captain and strong advocate of school resource officers, said Monday the board was informed of the actions taken at Global Studies school. Aldi said the board would not have an active role in the situation, other than monitoring and supporting the superintendent.

“Certainly, the school has had its challenges, not only last year but this year,” Aldi said. “The Superintendent decided that it’s got to be rectified. It’s not safe in that school now. That’s another reason I was looking to bring back school resource officers, at least one in that school.”

The Board of Education is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Kelly school auditorium, 25 Mahan Drive. Public comment will be taken at the start of the meeting.

The board in January directed Stringfellow to meet with Police Chief Patrick Daley to form a plan to bring back school resource officers, eliminated in budget cuts several years ago, as soon as possible.

But administrators decided that Global Studies school needed more immediate changes. Several specialized staff have been brought to the school to address school climate and assist with administration. They will remain at the school “for a to-be-determined amount of time.”

Stringfellow wrote that she and Gloster spent several days at the school prior to launching the changes “supporting and observing, and we determined that the school discipline structures needed to be reset.”

Stringfellow attributed part of the problem to “inconsistent” discipline structures due to school leadership fluctuations this year. Principal Alexandria Lazzari started the year at the school, but then went on leave for three months. Interim Principal Adam Rosenberg led the school during her leave. Lazzari returned on Jan. 3.

Stringfellow was at the school all day Monday and was not available to comment on the actions and the status of Lazzari.

Stringfellow and Gloster led a staff meeting last Thursday to announce the changes.

The reset of discipline includes strict enforcement of the rule already in place banning cellphones, smart watches, air pods and other paraphernalia during school. Students are to keep cellphones in their lockers, and parents should contact the school office if they need to reach their children. For the first offense, the phone would be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the day. For a second offense, the parent would have to come to the school to pick up the phone. A third offense would result in an after-school detention, with a mandated parent-school conference.

Students will be required to remain in their classrooms during class, unless they need to see the nurse, and students are required to be respectful and compliant with teachers and staff.

In the staffing changes, retired principal Rosemary Burns will join Gloster, and former middle school teacher and elementary school dean Gregory Ballassi will serve as dean of climate and culture at Global Studies. Instructional coaches Susan Johnston, Charity Wilson and Nicole Sutherland are assigned to the school, along with administrative assistant Chelsea Wilbur.

Stringfellow will remain at the school “all day, every day,” at least through this week.

Stringfellow called the school rules and disciplinary structures “extremely reasonable” and told parents that most students already comply with the rules and teachers’ instructions.

“We have a system in place where we are rewarding these students and are hopeful that once consequences for noncompliant behaviors are followed with fidelity that all our students will have a rewarding school experience,” Stringfellow wrote.

c.bessette@theday.com