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School committee approves first read of student code of conduct and weapons policy updates
Summary
The school committee approved the first reading of policies A–E, including an updated student code of conduct (JIC) and a weapons and school safety policy that expands the definition of 'weapon' to include toys that could be perceived as weapons, such as water guns.
The Lewiston School Committee reviewed and approved the first reading of policies labeled A through E on Monday, including an update to the student code of conduct (JIC) and revisions to the weapons and school safety policy.
Member McLaughlin asked whether the updated code of conduct would produce changes on the ground; staff responded that the JIC draft reflects a larger body of behavioral work the committee had previously discussed and that on‑the‑ground changes will be implemented through that broader set of updates. Staff noted the weapons and school safety policy was revised to clarify what qualifies as a weapon and now explicitly includes toy items that could be perceived as weapons (for example, water guns) in the definition.
Member Heard raised a formatting question about how Lewiston Public Schools branding appears on the policy packet; staff said the footer issue is a PDF formatting artifact and not present on the website.
Member Bowden moved to approve the first read of policies A–E; the motion was seconded and the first reading passed unanimously.
Why it matters: the code of conduct and weapons policy define disciplinary expectations and safety protocols for students; clarifying the definition of a weapon may affect how staff respond to incidents involving toy items.
What's next: these policies will proceed through the district's adoption process; staff said the revised language is intended to align the written policy with the behavior‑management work already underway in schools.
