Note: These minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved at the next Policy and Amendment Committee meeting.
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Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Policy and Amendment Committee
Wednesday, January 8, 2024
Regular meeting 2:00 pm
Hybrid meeting: WSESU Central Office, 53 Green St., Brattleboro, VT and
Remotely via Zoom
DRAFT MINUTES
Policy and Amendment Committee members present: Deborah Stanford (DS, Chair), Tim Maciel (TM, via zoom), Anne Beekman (AB)
WSESD/U Staff and Administrators present: Superintendent Mark Speno (MS), Mo Hart (MH), Shannon Kelly (SK), Bethany Bechard (BB), Brin Tucker (BT)
Invited attendees: Rebecca Olmstead, Nurse Leader (RO, via zoom)
Guests: Liz Adams (LA, via zoom)
Call to Order
DS convened the meeting at 2:03 p.m. and read the hybrid statement.
I. Approval of Minutes and confirmation of next meeting date
The minutes of 12/11/24 meeting approved by assent.
The Policy and Amendment Committee meets on second and fourth Wednesdays, from 2-4 pm at the WSESU Central Office and on Zoom. The next meetings are scheduled for:
January 22
February 12
DS noted that at the last meeting, in the review of C3, there was discussion of whether board members should be able to respond to public comment. The minutes stated that this item was going to be placed on the agenda for the January 14 full board meeting. DS has delayed this discussion due to an overly full agenda for January 14. She will put it on the agenda for January 28 or the first meeting in February.
DS amended today’s agenda to add D1 (Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment and Background Checks).
II. Policies
F16 Head Lice
Invited Attendee: Rebecca Olmstead, Nurse Leader
Committee reviewed the draft of F16 with proposed edits (in red) by RO.
RO gave some background on the direction head lice policies in schools have taken in recent years. When she was working as a public health nurse in 2004, many schools had a “no nit” policy—kids with nits or live lice were sent home and couldn’t return until they were lice free.
This led to a lot of missed school. In recent years, perspectives have changed, and the priority has been to keep kids in school. Lice is not considered to be a public health concern, just a nuisance. The draft edits suggested by RO bring F16 into alignment with current guidelines, removing references to “outbreaks,” full-class screenings, student isolation, and other former practices. It also moves oversight of the policy from the Superintendent and administration to school nurse leaders. It is no longer a requirement to have a head lice policy, but the policy will articulate current protocols and outline expected procedures for nurses.
The following edits were made to the draft document:
Page 1: “1. Identify community resources within the WSESU area and continue to collaborate with the district medical director.”
● Replace “district medical director” with “contracted school physician” to match language of the MOU for the medical provider.
Page 1: “3… This information will be reviewed at least annually at the beginning of each school year and as needed throughout the school year.”
● Add “reviewed by WSESU school nurses” to specify who does the reviewing.
Page 1: “4. Institute school and classroom practices that include:”
● Add “may” so that it reads “…practices that may include:”
o This will indicate that these are best practices for times of increased cases of head lice. They are not required day-to-day practices, but a checklist of things to implement, as feasible, when managing increased cases (avoid term “outbreak”).
o RO noted that there is not a lot of in-school transmission. Most transmission of head lice is thought to occur during sleepovers, social time, and after-school activities.
● Change “classroom” to “extracurricular” so that it reads “Institute school and extracurricular practices…” to encompass after-school as well as school-day activities.
● Final wording of this line: “4. Institute school and extracurricular practices that may include:”
Page 1, fifth bullet of number 4: “Discourage sharing of combs, brushes or hair ornaments.”
● Add “hats, helmets, and related sports equipment” to the list to expand best practices to athletic activities.
Page 2, under Managing Head Lice Cases: “2. Any student identified by the school nurse (or qualified designee) as having lice and untreated nits shall be discouraged from close contact with others and sent home at the end of the school day.”
● Reword as follows: “Any student identified by the school nurse (or qualified designee) as having lice and untreated nits may remain in school and attend activities as usual. Parent/caregiver will be notified.”
o The revision reflects current practice and guidelines. Students are not automatically sent home early and are not asked to isolate. Parents/caregivers are notified and may decide to pick the student up early. Page 2: “3. …A return to school plan will be determined with the nurse and the family.”
● Change to “return-to-school plan” for clarity. Page 2, number 4. The long quote from NASN was discussed and found to be confusing. RO will provide a clear paraphrase or summary statement to be added to the draft policy. Page 2: “5…Parents will be notified…”
● Change to “Parents/caregivers…” Page 4, under Procedures: “Send home for treatment at the end of the school day any individuals with evidence of live Lice.”
● Reword for clarity: “Any individuals with evidence of live lice shall be sent home for treatment at the end of their day.”
Page 4, under Procedures: “5. Encourage parents to notify…”
● Change to “Parents/caregivers…”
F16 is ON HOLD until the next meeting on 1/22. RO will provide a summary/paraphrase of the long quote, and the new draft with edits will be reviewed before sending F16 for a first reading. RO will attend meeting on 1/22.
F8 Student Medication
The edited version of F8 (with suggested changes from RO) did not get to the committee prior to the meeting. RO re-sent the edited version.
TM asked what “natural treatments” refer to and RO indicated that they refers to things like supplements and herbs.
As the committee did not get the opportunity to review the proposed edits before the meeting, DS placed F8 on hold until the next meeting. RO will plan to attend the 1/22 meeting.
F8 is ON HOLD until 1/22.
H6 Annual School Reports
Invited Attendee: Brin Tucker
The review of H6 started with a broad discussion. Highlights include:
BT summarized the new approach that is being used for the Annual Report this year. She emphasized that there has been a lot of conversation on how to make sure the Annual Report aligns with H6 better than it has in previous years. An SU-wide template has been created that targets all 12 categories of information required by H6. The report will include data with SU-wide averages, disaggregated when possible, and data that reflects CIP goals.
MS expressed confidence that the Annual Report will be much more robust this year.
BT noted that many of the elements of H6 are reported on throughout the year, at meetings, summits, and in presentations. There may be ways we can get better at archiving and accessing data that has been presented throughout the year.
TM expressed gratitude that future reports will be meeting all twelve indicators, but expressed concern that there is danger in providing too much information. He asked if it would be possible for the Independent Budget Review committee to review a draft of the annual report to make sure it is readable for the public. MS did not think that would be necessary. Work has been done to synthesize and explain the data, and there will be a table of contents.
TM asked if the board can see a copy of the report before distribution.
The report will go to print in the first week of February and it will be discussed at the summit on February 11. The board will be able to review it in preparation for the summit.
After the discussion, the committee worked through a number of small edits/corrections to the H6 policy.
● References to Continuous Action Plan were updated to CIP.
● “Youth Risk Behavior Survey” was removed from proposed additions. It is not a yearly report and the specific name is not needed in the policy.
● Proposed title for the policy was changed to Annual Report. The Annual Report does include all schools, so “Annual District Report” was too limited. The use of “School” in the current title – “Annual School Reports” – was a holdover from pre-merger days when most schools were their own district.
● References to “annual school report” throughout the document changed to “annual report” for consistency.
● The following line was deleted because it was outdated/unnecessary: “The Principal, in collaboration with the Superintendent, will work with other school personnel to prepare an annual school report of student performance.”
● “Student assessment” was deleted from the following line: “Under no circumstances will reporting of student assessment results reveal personally-identifiable information on individual students.”
● Added Act 139 to VSA 2903, as Act 139 is now driving early literacy instruction in VT.
DS asked if this policy is comprehensive enough, and MS confirmed that he thought so.
TM urged MS and BT to look at pages 19-20 of EQS, which clearly spell out minimum reporting requirements.
SK suggested that since schools are working with a new format this year, it would it make sense come back to the policy in May or June if there are issues.
H6 is ON HOLD until 1/22 to review with edits.
Gender Freedom in Schools
SK reported that she and MH proofread the Gender Freedom in Schools document and made small edits as necessary to clean it up. SK confirmed that the document is ready to go to Pietro.
Two more typos resolved. MS will ask MK to send the policy to Pietro on Monday for review, with SK, AH, and DS included in the thread.
DS outlined the plan for next steps for this policy: 1) Pietro will review. 2) P&A committee will do a thorough review after it comes back from Pietro. 3) Someone with legal expertise in LGBTQ issues, maybe from Pietro’s office, will review.
Gender Freedom in Schools ON HOLD.
F37 District Equity Policy
As tasked, TM and DS had both reviewed EQS (Education Quality Standards) in relation to F37 and they shared their thoughts with the committee:
TM reported that EQS is much more detailed and thorough than the F37 equity policy. He didn’t see any contradictions. EQS has many more definitions. He felt that F37 didn’t add anything new to what was offered much more extensively in EQS.
DS found the two documents to be distinctly different, and wouldn’t anticipate the same audience reading both. She thought the equity policy should reference EQS, but hopes the district would retain F37. EQS is very long, with a good portion of it dedicated to definitions. She felt that the district’s equity policy should refer to EQS, but that it could be short and succinct, so that people would read it.
TM noted that the state will evaluate school boards and school districts by EQS. He agrees that it is fine to keep F37, as long as there is mention in it that we will be measured according to EQS.
EQS gets very specific about what the reporting standards are.
LA reiterated that the equity policy should indicate that the district does not offer school choice.
TM will draft edits to F37 so that the policy clearly states that EQS spells out the reporting standards that the district and board need to follow. He will also confer with LA on language about school choice.
F37 is ON HOLD until 1/22, awaiting new edits.
F28 Student Athletics, Clubs, and Activities
MS reported that attorney Sean Toohey responded to the request for feedback on the proposed draft of F28. Toohey found it to be generally fine. He pointed out that “historically excluded groups” is a bit of an unknown, and could be grounds for dispute in the future.
F28 on is HOLD until 1/22 to review final draft.
Note on new policy on Political Campaigning
TM noted that he has been tasked with drafting a policy on political campaigning. This new policy is ready for the committee to review when there is time. DS will forward the draft policy to the committee. It will not appear on the 1/22 agenda, due to an already full agenda.
Meeting adjourned at 3:57 pm
Notes taken by Anna Monders (recorder)
Submitted by Anne Beekman (vice chair)
