Board approves student and employee handbooks; cell‑phone and tech‑privacy updates included

The Fremont City Schools Board approved updated student handbooks and the employee handbook after a staff overview of changes required by recent state law.

Director of Student Services Jim Boss summarized the handbook changes and said administrators reviewed handbooks line‑by‑line to align practices with handbook language. Boss highlighted updates to cell‑phone policies, the addition of a technology‑privacy notification required by state law, and a new disclaimer noting that future legislative or policy changes will prevail over handbook language.

Item 1 (student handbooks) was moved by Mr. Nalley and seconded by Mrs. Bloom. Board discussion praised the process that produced the documents as thorough and workable for parents; a board member said the handbooks were easy to navigate and likely understandable to families. The roll call vote approving the student handbooks recorded yes votes from Mr. Nalley, Mrs. Bloom, Miss Lewis and Mr. Price. Outcome: approved.

A consent motion approving staff items 2–5 (personnel matters listed in the packet) was moved by Miss Lewis and seconded by Mrs. Bloom and approved by roll call.

Item 6, the employee handbook for the 2025–26 school year, was moved by Mrs. Bloom and seconded by Mr. Nalley and approved by roll call; the board noted the employee handbook is more directly relevant to administration and labor groups.

Board members and staff said the policy committee, building principals, and administrative teams participated in the review. Board members requested that staff be prepared to answer parent questions once the handbooks are distributed and emphasized that the handbook process has been collaborative.