Board approves first reading of 10 safety and facilities‑related policies; trustees seek clarifications on parental notice and hazardous materials

The board approved by unanimous vote the first reading of 10 district policies in the E series covering support services, environmental and safety programs, hazardous materials, disease prevention, emergency procedures, safety plans and drills, school closings, building grounds and security.

Policy officer Miss Tesnier presented the code headings and said the items were being presented for first reading; she cautioned that language could change between first and second reading. “First reading verbiage can change from first to second,” she said.

Trustees asked several substantive questions during the policy discussion. Board member Miss McDowell asked whether policies that reference public‑health measures should also include parental notification or consent language. She noted concern about a passage tying district procedures to directives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the South Carolina Department of Public Health and asked whether the board should clarify parental rights in policy. Miss Tesnier and Dr. Smith responded that some statutory directives (the discussion referenced South Carolina Code section 59‑10‑220 regarding bloodborne pathogens) bind districts and that administration would seek language that preserves required compliance while addressing parental concerns.

Other policy questions included: whether risky‑behavior instruction (vaping, impaired driving simulations) belongs in the safety policy or elsewhere; whether prescription medications should be listed under hazardous materials (administration said prescription medications are handled through nursing services and should be secured with the nurse); access to school grounds for community use and clarifying which outdoor facilities are open; and whether the district maintains a current asset inventory (district staff said equipment over $5,000 is asset‑tagged).

Trustees also discussed safety‑related practice such as reunification drills; administration described an existing reunification plan used for exercises with staff and, on some occasions in the past, with students at limited drills. The board will receive redrafted policy language before second reading.

What the board did Tuesday: Approved the policies for first reading and asked administration to return with edits and clarifications before the second reading.