WSESD Board Policy and Amendment Committee Agenda and Minutes

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Policy and Amendment Committee
October 17, 2022 at 3:00pm
in the District Office Conference Room


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AGENDA
I Approval of Minutes from 10/4/22


II Update of Board actions on 10/11/22 concerning:
D7 Volunteers and Work Study Students
E8 Tobacco Prohibition
F10 Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
F39 Students Experiencing Temporary Housing Insecurity


III. Continue Review
H7 Leadership Councils
IV Reconsider

F23 Policy on the Prevention of Harassment, Hazing and Bullying of Students (Re-adopted by WSESD Board on 9/13/22)


V. New Business:
F21 Policy on the Use of Restraint and Seclusion


Consider the following 4 policies as a unit:
D2 Professional Development
G8 Local Action Plan
G1 Curriculum Development and Coordination
D4 Educator Supervision and Evaluation


VI. Additional Policies highlighted by the Policy and Amendment Committee for review
H2 Parent Involvement Policy
F1 Student Conduct and Discipline (Hold pending review of all related policies)
D1 Personnel-Recruitment, Selection, Appointment, and Background Checks (Regarding including students in the hiring process)

Meeting to conclude at 4:30.

….

Windham Southeast Supervisory District (WSESD) Board
Policy and Amendment Committee
53 Green St.
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Oct. 4, 2022


DRAFT MINUTES
Members attending: Deborah Stanford (DST, Chair), Tim Maciel (TM, Clerk), Liz Adams (LA, via Zoom).
Guests attending: Barbara Nowakowski (BN), Paul Smith (PS), Mark Speno (MS).
DST convened the meeting at 3:02 pm.
Minutes of 09.20.22 meeting approved.
Committee agreed to DST’s request to amend the agenda to discuss F23, Policy on Prevention of Harassment, Hazing and Bullying of Students, with attention to changes to Steps 4 and 5 under “Implementation.”
Committee also agreed to amend the agenda to hold D2, Professional Development, until the next meeting to connect it with G8, Local Action Plan, D4, Educator Supervision and Evaluation, and G1, Curriculum Development and Coordination.
______________________________________
TM brought up a document written by DS, “WSESD/SU Policy Language Mandating Reporting to the Board – 2022.” He noted that the calendar presented to the Board at the last regular meeting by the Superintendent was a good start, but was incomplete and called for much more
discussion and consideration of mandated reporting per a variety of policies. He noted that it was understandable that not all policy reporting requirements could be met during this transition period, but it was nevertheless important that the Superintendent and the Board work together to
determine which reports should be included in the calendar for 2022/23. The policies that mandate reports from the Superintendent or his designee include: C7, F22, D2, G1, D3, D4, G8, H1 and H2.
______________________________________
Policy Review
D7: Volunteers and Work Study Students
– Discussion of D7 continued from the previous P&A Committee meeting.

– Reference to an email from Brin Tucker (BAMS) who suggested that the 20-mile limit be expanded to 35 miles. Committee agrees.
– Discussion of misunderstanding by some in. the District who believe the policy would allow a parent to transport his/her child to a school-sponsored event along with a friend of the child. This would be in clear violation of the policy if parent/guardian did not complete full background
check and registration as a volunteer.
– Admin procedures in the policy should include note about permission slips for parents/guardians picking up a child not their own.


– DST: D7 will be presented to the Board and public for a 3rd Reading.
H7: Leadership Councils.
– H7 will be reviewed at the next P&A meeting after MS discussed common protocols that all LCs should follow including a code of ethics. It was noted that not all schools are currently allowing remote access for their LC meetings.
– MS said that at the October 25th Board meeting the LC membership will be submitted and approved. Once approved, and at the next LC meeting, the LCs will appoint their chairs and clerks. Once the chairs and clerks are in place, an orientation will be scheduled at the Central Office for chairs and clerks. .
____________________________________
LSP2, Business and Non-Instructional Operations.
– BN gave a brief history of local policy management before the merger. She noted that the District readopted many policies into WSESD policies following the merger. Some discussion ensued over whether LSP2 should also be included in D7, Volunteers and Work Study Students.
The committee felt that it would be unnecessary to include it in D7. Moreover, LSP2 is specific to BUHS#6 and so no action was taken by the committee.
BN will check to see that a $300,000 minimum insurance coverage is still sufficient. [Note: She checked and it is sufficient.]
F10: Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
The current policy puts the onus of reporting on the principal, principal’s designee or the Superintendent. This is insufficient. Any person who suspects abuse or neglect or receives information about abuse or neglect is a mandated reporter.
DCF is the absolute minimum for reporting abuse or neglect. AOE and/or BPD may also be contacted.

Discussion of adding a procedural section to the policy listing the steps to follow when reporting.
Since no two cases are alike, this may be difficult, but perhaps a range of optional steps could be suggested.
LA sent a list of proposed changes to the policy that BN will include in the proposed policy (see LA email sent to BN on 10.05.22 at 2:56 p.m.).
F10 was approved by the committee to be submitted to the Board for a first reading.
F39: Students Experience Temporary Housing.
A liaison/support person is in each school to assist students experiencing temporary housing. The district should remove all barriers and let parent/guardian enroll students in the school of their choice.
F39 was passed by the committee for submission to the Board for a first reading.
E8: Tobacco Prohibition
E8 was passed by the committee for submission to the Board for a first reading.
______________________________________
DST adjourned the meeting at 4:31 p.m.
NEXT MEETING: Monday, October 17, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

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