Policy handbooks gain initial approval
School board okays history book purchases
By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)
Originally published 10:01 p.m., May 28, 2008
Updated 01:48 p.m., May 29, 2008
Student handbooks for Emporia High School and Emporia Middle School received preliminary approval Wednesday night during a meeting of the board of education at Mary Herbert Education Center.
Both versions were approved, with minor tweaking, on votes of 5-0. Board president Grant Riles and member Homer Garza were absent from the meeting.
EMS students will have new behavior guidelines, with three levels of consequences, to equalize and clarify disciplines that will be applied for certain types of inappropriate behavior. A total of 25 discipline points will result in a long-term hearing to decide the status of the student.
EMS Assistant Principal Brian Pekarek told the board that the system had been significantly successful in the Junction City and Fort Riley school systems.
Level One, which includes inappropriate behaviors in the classroom, hallway or lunchroom; verbal, physical, visual or sexual harassment; inappropriate language or gestures; dress code violations; public display of affection; cheating; and other infractions. Level 1 will be handled by teachers or supervisors. One to six discipline points are covered at Level One.
Level Two, with six to 12 points, will involve office referrals, and can include a minimum of loss of privileges, Evening School and/or suspensions. Level Two infractions include aggressive behavior, such as threats, intimidation, pushing, extortion; vandalism; possessing or discharging any flammable substances; being disrespectful of adults; theft or possession of stolen property; displaying gang graffiti or signs; failure to submit to preliminary drug or alcohol screening assessments, among others.
Level Three, with 12 to 15 points, will result in an office referral with a minimum of an out-of-school suspension and-or a long-term suspension hearing. Infractions at this level include possession of a real or simulated weapon, battery or fighting, any activity that leads to police involvement, possession of tobacco products, alcohol, illegal or simulated drugs, or drug paraphernalia, among other infractions.
The building administrators may adapt the plan as needed in certain cases, the handbook proposal stated.
Disciplinary actions and points assigned will be available to parents on the district’s PowerSchool system, which allows parents to review their students’ individual scores and other personal information via the Internet.
Identification cards, introduced during the past school year, were added to the EHS policy handbook. Changes were made concerning corridor passes, excessive tardiness, seminar pass procedures, and pep bus transportation, among other items.
The EHS bullying policy, the majority of which was omitted inadvertently from the preliminary draft, will be identical to the policy approved for EMS. Board member Mary Helmer had asked for assurance that there would be no differences in bullying policy for those schools.
The board also unanimously approved purchasing new history books for Emporia Middle School. Eighth-graders recently were tested on their knowledge of social studies as part of the state assessments.
“The seventh- and eighth-grade teachers realized they really had kind of a misalignment of what they had been emphasizing and what was emphasized on the test,” said George Abel, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. “... What they found is that now with the new social studies test, they have plenty of other things they need to include, that they need to emphasize.”
Seventh-graders in 2008-09 will receive nine weeks of Kansas history, to prepare them for taking the tests, which are given every other year. Eighth-graders in 2008-09 also will study Kansas history to ensure that they are not omitted during the changeover year. The 08-09 eighth-grade class will take writing assessment tests, which alternate with the social studies tests.
Patricia Smiley, who is in charge of migrant learning, asked the board for permission to continue the summer-school program for migrant children. The program receives funding from federal and state sources.
The additional literacy and mathematics classes are needed for migrant students because their schooling has been interrupted, Smiley said.
A total of 93 youngsters already are expected for the classes.
“We’re about ready to run out of room, but every day we get more permission slips coming in,” Smiley said.
The maximum number that currently can be accommodated by the teachers hired is approximately 100.
“There were over 200 on the list,” Smiley said of the youngsters who had been recommended for the classes. Because the number of Tyson-related families moving from the area remains unknown, Smiley said, “We weren’t really sure what to expect.”
The board met Rob Scheib, who has been hired to replace Susan Hernandez, assistant superintendent of business. Hernandez earlier had announced plans to retire at the end of the fiscal year. Scheib has been superintendent of the WaKeeney school district for seven years.
The board met in executive session to discuss negotiations with Hernandez, Superintendent John Heim, and Personnel Director Teresa Davidson. No action was taken.
Comments
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Posted by slipandslide (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
sounds like a fair disipline policy
Posted by sexingthecherry (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sexual harassment is a level 1 offense? That is disturbing.
Posted by Absolute (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
For sure STC! That is very disturbing. Sexual harrassment is extremely serious and should be considered as such in the policy.
Posted by Absolute (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And cheating is a level one as well?? What in the world?
Posted by create (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 12:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"The seventh- and eighth-grade teachers realized they really had kind of a misalignment of what they had been emphasizing and what was emphasized on the test,"
Misalignment? Why weren't these people aware of Kansas state standards and benchmarks?
I agree with regard to cheating and sexual harassment. These are serious offenses and should be more than level one offenses. Might it be because the two are so common? All the worse.
Posted by Penny (anonymous) on May 29, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it is appropriate to have "cheating" at a Level I offense, because it is hurting only the student who cheats, whereas many of the other offenses hurt other students in one way or another. I'd be interested to see the entire policy/point system; perhaps the sexual harrassment is assigned more points than some others that are also Level I. Personally I don't find sexual harrassment by another student more serious than other forms of harrassment also listed at Level I. All can cause great emotional harm. I must say I have been pleased with the prompt response by EMS staff when bullying or harrassment is reported, they take it seriously unlike our previous district.
Now, if they could only have parental support when students get in trouble. Too many times the "lesson" isn't reinforced at home or is even undermined. We've always told our kids to expect to be in trouble at home when they get in trouble at school, even if it "wasn't their fault".
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