At the September 25 meeting of the South O’Brien School Board a new policy was introduced and its first reading was approved unanimously. The model policy is new to South O’Brien. It is new across Iowa and is recommended for adoption by both the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB).
House File 604, now chapter 96 of the Iowa Code was signed into law on May 26, 2023 by Governor Kim Reynolds and satisfies certain requirements that law established. The new Iowa Code 279.79 requires a policy at different grade levels describing how a school district or charter school “may discipline a student for making a threat of violence or causing an incident of violence that results in injury or property damage or assault.”
The draft policy outlines the purpose and authority of the policy, who it addresses, how and why. The policy intends to keep safe from harm students, staff and community. This policy intends to correct student behavior in the event of a violation within the context of a student’s age, grade level and maturity. It also limits the district’s discretion to district-owned property or property under this district’s discretion, or while engaged in school activities.
The policy explains the meaning of “threat of violence,” “incident of violence,” “injury,” “property damage,” and “assault.”
A grade-level breakdown of district responses to any of the defined incidents above are part of the policy. Grade levels are PK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. They are characterized as escalating responses, always beginning with parent notification. Definitions of responses are included. Among the responses are “detention,” “Expulsion,” “in-school suspension,” “out-of-school suspension,” “placement in an alternate learning environment” and “removal from the classroom”.
The next reading of this policy will be held at the next regular school board meeting, Monday October 23.
The proposed policy is required to be provided to parents as well as be published on the district’s website. It will also be posted to our website at www.belltimescourier.com.