Schools

Check Out the Proposed New, Revised School Board Policies

If you have questions about any of the proposals, leave a comment.

When I , one of our Facebook friends chimed in, wanting to know more about the new board policies.

That’s a request that’s easy to fill.

These policies are being revised or written to comply with new legislation and case laws, said Superintendent Scot Prebles. The first reading of the policies took place last night at the . There will be a second reading by the board before any of them are passed. Board members can still request changes in the policies at this point.

There were 10 new policies proposed and 13 policies to be revised. The current, full policy is available online.

This is just a quick look of the main points. If there are any policies below that you’d like to learn more about, let me know in the comments and I'll get you an update before they go to a vote.

New policies:

  • Nondiscrimination based on genetic information of the employee for the administration
  • Sick leave for administration and classified staff
  • Unrequested leaves of absence/fitness for duty for professional staff, classified staff and administration: This allows the district to place employees on leave if they are physically or mentally unable to complete their jobs.
  • Prohibition against disability discrimination in employment for professional staff, classified staff and administration: This policy used to be included in the “prohibition against discrimination based on disability” policy below.
  • Payment of accrued, unused vacation leave

Revised policies:

  • Physical examination policies for the administration, professional and classified staff: This allows the district to request a test to make sure candidates have the physical and mental capacities for the job they are applying for.
  • Prohibition against discrimination based on disability: This policy was amended mainly to remove the parts of the policy related to employment. Those parts are now separate.
  • The policies for nondiscrimination based on genetic information of the employee for professional and classified staff were revised.
  • School choice options provided by The No Child Left Behind Act
  • Use of medications for students
  • Graduation requirements: One change shows that school services for students with disabilities end when students turn 22. Previously, students could finish the quarter if they turned 22 during the school year.
  • Waiver of school fees for instructional materials
  • School calendar
  • Wellness, which gives guidelines for the district’s wellness policy for students
  • Public attendance at school events

Editor’s note, added Feb. 6, 2012: A reader on Facebook asked for some more details on a few of the policies above, so I called Board President David Tryon. Here are the answers:

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  • School choice options provided by The No Child Left Behind Act: This policy would be updated to keep it in compliance with federal law. Basically, it cuts down the amount of time a building has to be labeled as “school improvement” before a student can transfer.
  • Use of medications for students: The rewording would clarify that students can receive medications at school only when families have tried to give it at home first. It also clarifies that people who give the medication must complete training.
  • Waiver of school fees for instructional materials: This update trims the specific eligibility standards students must meet for a waiver of school fees, cutting one for students who qualify for reduced lunch/breakfast under the Ohio School Meals program. The policy still notes that eligibility is not limited to the listed standards, though.

 


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