Sand Springs board OKs first-read policy updates adding conduct standards, cellphone limits

Sand Springs Public Schools trustees on Aug. 4 approved a package of new and revised district policies, including expanded standards of teacher conduct, clarified reporting duties for suspected child abuse and a tightened personal electronic devices rule that would, by default, keep phones off students' persons during the school day unless a school site procedure allows otherwise.

The board took the action during the meeting’s action-item portion after a first read; the measures were presented as required changes in response to a recently adopted rule from the legislature and to organize existing language across the policy manual.

District staff said the updated standards of performance for teachers add specific language addressing “antisemitism” as a protected perception in the section enumerating prohibited conduct. The revisions also add language about a ‘‘knowing and willful failure to report suspected childhood abuse and neglect’’ to align with the state rule, and revise disciplinary language in suspension, nonrenewal and termination sections.

“It's making sure we're held accountable for following the constitution and rule of law,” District staff member Miss Durkee said when summarizing the changes and their origin in legislative rulemaking.

The board also approved a change that removes a short paragraph about students of parents on active military duty from policy FE and places that content into a new, separate policy referenced in the presentation as FEG. District staff said that segregation is intended to make the active-duty-child protections clearer.

On personal electronic devices, the revised policy adds the phrase “unless otherwise directed by a school site procedure,” which the district said permits individual school sites to adopt procedures that differ from the district default. District staff explained a practical enforcement plan: teachers or staff who encounter a noncompliant student would ask for the device to be put away, and repeated noncompliance would result in the device being secured in a lockable pouch kept in the office and released at day’s end. Angela Noel, identified by staff as the grant writer, secured funds to purchase those pouches, the board was told.

Board members voted unanimously to approve the first-read and approval actions. During discussion, board members and staff acknowledged that the cellphone provision could produce site-specific questions and said administrators will develop FAQs and site procedures to handle edge cases — for example, student-athletes leaving campus early for contests would be considered outside the “bell-to-bell” school day, permitting device use while traveling.

The superintendent’s office also noted that the changes to conduct and reporting sections reflect required language from a state rule passed by the legislature and that those changes will also be reflected in the staff and student handbooks.

The policy package was advanced with a board vote recorded as Mullins: aye; Hamlin: aye; Naugle: aye; Spoon: aye; Wagers: aye.

Less-critical items in the same package included annual approval of digital communication platforms (with the addition of eCadence) and the first read of an updated Reduction-in-Force (RIF) policy, which staff said will return for final approval next month.

Board members and staff said they will publish FAQs and site procedures before the school year begins to reduce confusion among parents and staff.