February 15 marks National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the hard work and efforts of school resource officers across the country. Here in the Lackawanna City School District, we consider ourselves lucky to have Officer Keith Kwiatkowski, who goes above and beyond every day in his SRO role.
Officer Kwiatkowski is known, loved and respected across all the schools and consistently bolsters efforts to strengthen our community and keep our district safe.
“He has helped tremendously with our students and been a positive influence,” said Julie Clark, Assistant Principal of the Lackawanna Middle Schools. “Officer Kwiatkowski has built numerous relationships with our students, families and with the community. He bridges the gap between school and home. We’d be lost here without him.”
Part of what makes Officer Kwiatkowski so special are his efforts that extend beyond the school environment and into the community. He was one of the first people Adriann Johnson, the LCSD Assistant Superintendent of Personnel and Safety, met when she started in the district. She immediately saw what an asset he was to not just the school, but Lackawanna itself.
“He’s very knowledgeable. He’s very passionate about the work that he does and the students that we serve,” said Johnson. “He loves this community. He loves the children and the teachers and the administration, and he’s at everything—not even just in a work capacity, but as a citizen of this great city. He is just someone who is trying to dispel this idea of what police officers are.”
For students in the district’s summer program, the lessons on teamwork, leadership and resilience are thanks to Officer Kwiatkowski, who seamlessly integrated the Learn to Play program into the day.
“Officer Kwiatkowski's commitment to the community extends to fostering trust and building bridges between law enforcement and the neighborhoods he serves,” said Jennifer English, Principal of Extended Learning and Community Engagement at LCSD.” By leading by example and embodying the values of compassion and service, he has forged lasting connections with the youth, instilling in them a sense of belonging and a shared responsibility to create a safer, stronger community.”
Lackawanna City School District expresses its immense gratitude for Officer Kwiatkowski and thanks him for his incredible work in the district. Happy National SRO Appreciation Day!
