The Policy Committee convened on Monday, 22 November 2010, at 5:00 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Office located in the Holman Center for Career and Technical Education of Pekin Community High School, City of Pekin, County of Tazewell.

Chairperson Karen Hohimer called the meeting to order at 5:06 p.m. Also in attendance were Board Members Carl Johnson and Paul O’Neal; Superintendent Paula Davis; Assistant Superintendent Tim Ruwe; Business Manager Carla Schaefer; and Recording Secretary Rick White.

COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC COMMENTS, & PARTICIPATION

None.

PRESS [Issue 74, October 2010]

Policy 2:150 – School Board: Committees

PRESS changes to this policy involve updated legal references and footnotes only. Superintendent Davis suggested striking “Local Professional Development” from the list of District committees in current policy since it is now defunct.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 2:220 – School Board: School Board Meeting Procedure

PRESS amendments to this policy establish new deadlines for approving and posting open meeting minutes and change the deadline requirement for submitting minutes to the treasurer. Member Johnson asked about District procedure regarding the destruction of verbatim closed minutes tapes. Mrs. Davis responded that, lacking any perceived need or request to do so, the Board has not acted to destroy such tapes for some time.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 2:230 – School Board: Public Participation at School Board Meetings and
Petitions to the Board

Two of the policy’s guidelines regarding public comment have been edited by PRESS, as have footnotes and legal references. Mrs. Davis suggested leaving current policy alone and adding number 5, absent from current policy, regarding the conduct of individuals who address the Board at a meeting.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular
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Policy Committee Meeting
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meeting.

Policy 2:260 – School Board: Uniform Grievance Procedure

The list of statutes that may serve as the basis of a grievance has been updated by PRESS to (1) add “Bullying,” (2) delete “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),” and (3) add “Employee Credit Privacy Act.” Mrs. Davis pointed out that it is not the District’s practice to run credit checks on employment candidates, but some districts do before hiring.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 4:10 – Operational Services: Fiscal and Business Management.

This policy has been updated by PRESS in response to law which (1) codifies the long-held practice of some districts of abating money from the working cash fund and transferring it to funds most in need of the money, and (2) extends the time for transferring money from specified funds for any purpose. Legal citations and footnotes are also updated.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 4:150 – Operational Services: Facility Management and Building Programs

PRESS alterations to this policy are confined to footnotes and legal citations only in compliance with legal changes.

It was decided to retain the current District policy and not bring alterations to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 4:170 – Operational Services: Safety

PRESS has updated this policy to clarify the requirement for schools to conduct a law enforcement drill. Footnotes have also been updated.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 5:10 – General Personnel: Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority
Recruitment

PRESS has updated this policy in response to law, adding the Employee Credit Privacy
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Policy Committee Meeting
22 November 2010
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Act which prohibits discrimination on the basis of credit history absent the applicability of an exception. Some footnotes have also been altered.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 5:30 – General Personnel: Hiring Process and Criteria

PRESS has updated this policy in response to law concerning (1) criminal offense convictions that disqualify an individual for school employment, (2) requirements for substitute teachers, (3) the Employee Credit Privacy Act, and (4) when the board president may share records of convictions.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 5:90 – General Personnel: Abused and Neglected Child Reporting

PRESS changes to this policy concern the Abuse of Adults with Disabilities Intervention and Department of Human Services Acts. Mrs. Davis noted that, typically, only Life Skills students reach the age of 21 while still attending Pekin High.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 5:120 – General Personnel: Ethics and Conduct

Renamed and amended in response to law, this policy now makes it a civil rights violation to fail to take remedial or disciplinary action against any employee who engaged in sexual harassment of a student. The District, explained Mrs. Davis, is always careful to create a chain of evidence which reflects vigilance in following up on charges of this nature. That is why we have prevailed in court concerning sexual harassment cases. The committee discussed the type of evidence required to initiate an internal investigation. Students who feel they have been harassed are asked to put allegations in writing, with consequences for those who are caught lying. Teachers who have been involved in incidents that have proven groundless have been informed that the District is happy to include a letter in their personnel file to that effect if they so choose.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 5:185 – General Personnel: Family and Medical Leave

PRESS changes to this policy involve updates to footnotes only.
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Policy Committee Meeting
22 November 2010
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It was decided to retain the current District policy and not bring it to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 5:220 – Professional Personnel: Substitute Teachers

PRESS updates to this policy are in response to law and concern substitute teachers.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 5:260 – Professional Personnel: Student Teachers

PRESS updates to this policy are in response to law and concern the need for criminal background checks and checks of sex offender, child murderer, and violent offender against youth databases prior to field experiences in the district for student teachers.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 6:110 – Instruction: Programs for Students At Risk of Academic Failure and/or
Dropping Out of School and Graduation Incentives Program

PRESS changes to this policy involve updates to legal references and footnotes only in response to law which gives a new definition of “dropout.”

It was decided to retain the current District policy and not bring it to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 6:210 – Instruction: Instructional Materials

PRESS changes to this policy involve updates to footnotes only in response to law concerning electronic or digital textbooks.

It was decided to retain the current District policy and not bring it to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 6:300 – Instruction: Graduation Requirements

PRESS changes update this policy in response to law concerning students who transfer during their senior year as a result of their parent being on active military duty. Reasonable accommodations must be made regarding graduation so these students do not unduly suffer as a result of their parent’s move.

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Also, concerning the District’s current policy, graduation requirements for the Classes of 2009 (page 3 of 9) and 2010 (page 4 of 9) are to be removed. Requirements for the Class of 2011 (page 5 of 9) remain unchanged. Requirements for the Class of 2012 and beyond (page 6 of 9) will now apply to the Classes of 2012, 2013, and 2014 only and remain unchanged. A page will be inserted listing new requirements for the Class of 2015 and beyond as approved by the Board of Education at its 28 June 2010 regular meeting. Current policy pages 7, 8, and 9 of 9 will be retained unchanged. Policy pages will be renumbered as necessary.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 7:50 – Students: School Admissions and Student Transfers To and From Non-
District Schools

PRESS has updated this policy to clarify that a student will be enrolled without a birth certificate. Legal and cross references, as well as footnotes, have also been updated in response to law.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 7:60 – Students: Residence

Only footnotes and legal references concerning the Educational Opportunity for Military Children Act have been updated by PRESS.

It was decided to retain the current District policy and not bring it to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 7:100 – Students: Health, Eye, and Dental Examinations; Immunizations; and
Exclusion of Students

PRESS modifications to this policy are minor. A suggested date change will not be made. Other changes are limited to legal references and footnote edits due to recodification.

It was decided to retain the current District policy and not bring it to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 7:270 – Students: Administering Medicines to Students

PRESS updates to this policy involved changes to footnotes and the addition of a cross reference only.
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Policy Committee Meeting
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It was decided to retain the current District policy and not bring it to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 7:290 – Students: Adolescent Suicide Awareness and Prevention Programs

In the past, the District has taken the position that it need not include this policy in its Board Policy Manual; that decision was upheld. The program is optional.

It was decided not to bring this to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

Policy 7:310 – Students: Restrictions on Publications

This policy has been renamed and updated to include a definition for “publication,” as well as a reference to “sexting.” Footnotes have also been updated.

It was decided to bring this policy to the Board for a first reading at its next regular meeting.

OTHER

Member Johnson asked about Board Policy 7:190, “Students: Student Discipline,” which is included for a second reading in this evening’s regular Board meeting agenda. Are students prevented from possessing weapons for hunting purposes by its provisions? Mrs. Davis said she will seek an opinion, but she is confident that weapons provisions of the policy speak only to prohibited student conduct on school grounds and/or at a school function.

ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to conduct, the Policy Committee meeting was adjourned by Chairperson Hohimer at 5:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Rick White, Recording Secretary