The Derry School Board did a first reading of several updated policies at its Sept. 23 meeting.
The policies reviewed are GBEB-A, Staff Conduct in Arrest of an Employee; GBEBB, Staff Conduct With Students; GCH, Orientation of New Staff; IC, School Year/School Calendar; and IHBG, Home Education Instruction.
Superintendent Laura Nelson said the changes had been vetted by the New Hampshire School Boards Association and were made on recommendations from that group.
Member Dan McKenna, who serves on the Policy Committee, said the changes were mostly minor.
In Staff Conduct in Arrest of an Employee, the draft policy adds a Paragraph 6, stating that “All provisions of this policy will be implemented in accordance with corresponding disciplinary provisions as may be found in collective bargaining agreements.”
The policy includes the following:
• Employee arrested for a misdemeanor with no danger to students, employees or the District, no employment action;
• Employees arrested for a misdemeanor with possible danger to students, employees or the District, suspended with pay pending adjudication;
• Employees arrested for a misdemeanor that would indicate possible danger to students but not to District or other employees, reassigned to different job away from pupils pending adjudication; and
• Employees arrested for felony offense, suspended with pay pending adjudication.
The draft of Staff Conduct with Students also now includes the paragraph, “All provisions of this policy will be implemented in accordance with corresponding disciplinary provisions as may be found in collective bargaining agreements,” McKenna said.
“Orientation of New Staff” has been streamlined to three paragraphs, deleting a checklist of orientation requirements.
School Year/School Calendar will be updated to include the district’s being able to look at the number of hours required by the Department of Education (DOE), as well as the number of days. In the event that schools are closed for an extended period of time due to emergency conditions, the Superintendent may recommend to the board a revised schedule that satisfies all DOE requirements, but may amend the number of days in the school year.
In the homeschool policy, McKenna said the committee updated it to reflect 2012 changes to RSAW 190:3, removing the requirement for parents to annually notify their local superintendent of their intent to homeschool.
The policies will receive a second read and be updated in a future meeting.
