Lake County school board staff propose broad updates to student code of conduct

Lake County School Board staff presented a consolidated update to the 02/1926 Code of Student Conduct and Policy Guide at the May 5 workshop, describing language cleanups, alignment with recent statutory and state board-rule changes, and operational clarifications for schools.

The revision package, led in the presentation by Carlos Salas, staff, covers attendance definitions, notification for suspensions, medication and health-management procedures, treatment of head lice, detention versus "school plus" distinctions, classification of certain preK–2 exposure incidents, and disciplinary-level consequences including alternative placement. Salas told the board the document is the product of a multi-department committee that included school-based administrators and union representation and will be circulated again after staff incorporate today’s feedback.

Why it matters: The guide governs when schools may impose discipline, how families are notified, and which health procedures nurses and staff follow. Small phrasing changes can alter how schools apply discipline or communicate with parents across the district.

Key points discussed

Attendance: Student services clarified that the district will keep the existing threshold that "more than 10 excused unexcused absences in a semester is considered to be excessive," rather than changing the text to an 18‑day or percent-based rule. Dr. Landry, Student Services, said the 10‑in‑a‑semester standard will remain: "More than 10 excused unexcused absences in a semester is considered to be excessive." Board members raised an operational concern about how some schools have avoided allowing students who exceed local attendance rules to participate in graduation; the presenters said those decisions are made at the school level.

Parent excuse timeframe: Staff flagged a contradiction between two sections (one that required documentation within 48 hours and another that allowed a longer window). After debate, the board signaled support for replacing the longer language with a one‑week allowance for parents to submit excuse documentation; staff agreed to revise the wording and explore making the process easier in the student information system.

Notification of suspensions: The code will reflect a statutory change requiring schools to notify parents within 24 hours but will permit multiple delivery methods (U.S. mail, email, phone or other parent‑chosen methods). Salas explained the goal is to preserve proof of delivery while giving parents a choice about how to receive the written documentation.

Medication and medical management: The draft clarifies that nonprescription medication may be administered for up to "3 consecutive school days"; after that an order from the child’s medical provider is required to continue administration. Dr. Landry said the change replaces ambiguous "72 hours" language: "we're going 3 consecutive school days." For secondary students, the document continues to allow carrying some medications with written parental consent; elementary students must receive medication from a school employee and complete the district form.

Health and safety items: The section on head lice will change wording from "recommendations" to "guidance" to reflect national guidance and reduce confusion; staff confirmed the district still excludes live (active) head lice from school until addressed, but does not automatically exclude students for nits only. The district’s student accident insurance provides secondary coverage for injuries but excludes American (tackle) football; Mr. Oyer, district staff, noted parents can review details on the district website.

Discipline categories and consequences: Staff clarified definitions for detention versus "school plus" and transportation responsibilities (parents are responsible for transport to school plus). The code will add a specific entry to classify some preK–2 incidents of exposing private body parts as "inappropriate conduct" rather than coding them as higher‑level lewd and lascivious offenses, so administrators have a clearer, less punitive code when intent or age suggests a non‑criminal incident. For level 3 and 4 infractions (including alcohol and drug possession), the district will use consistent language that such infractions "may be suspended up to 10 days" and that alternative placement is available on a case‑by‑case basis with a one‑year maximum for alternative‑placement assignments; zero‑tolerance offenses remain separately designated and may carry longer placements.

Vaping enforcement and detectors: Board members asked how incidents caught by administrators versus law enforcement are handled. Staff said documentation must go into the district reporting system and that coding must distinguish tobacco, THC, or other contents; they also said law enforcement and administration will coordinate a districtwide, consistent response as vape‑detector deployments increase. Salas noted the district has deployed one K‑9 and was receiving a second this week as part of a deterrence and detection effort.

Next steps and operational changes: Mr. Weeks, Focus/IT staff, told the board that the parent workflow in the FOCUS student information system can be customized so parents can indicate an excused absence without uploading a photo of a handwritten note, and that leftover enhancement hours from the system conversion can be used to implement that feature: "we can spec that out next Thursday... It won't be a problem to put it in." Salas said staff will make the edits requested by the board, circulate the revised draft for final review, and then release the updated guide publicly.

Ending: Board members praised the cross‑department collaboration and asked staff to return a revised version that reflects the agreed clarifications and consistent language before the document goes to public posting.