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Three Rivers board reviews policy changes tied to Senate Bill 8 that shift counselor notification to parents
Summary
At its April 22 meeting, the Three Rivers Local School District board heard first readings of several policy revisions prompted by Ohio legislation; the biggest change would require staff to notify parents before referring a student to outside services, raising questions about counselor-student confidentiality and logistics.
The Three Rivers Local School District Board of Education on April 22 held first readings of multiple policy updates aimed at aligning district rules with changes in Ohio law, including provisions tied to Senate Bill 8 that would generally require staff to notify parents before referring students to outside services.
Superintendent Dr. Oll, presenting the packet, said the policies are largely similar to existing language but include new wording that emphasizes parental notification. "Most of it is similar to what we've had," Dr. Oll said, adding that the district is capturing long-standing practices in writing while complying with statutory requirements.
The proposed changes under consideration include policy GBH (student safety/staff-student relations), IGAH/IGAI (family life education), IGBLA (promoting parental involvement), JHC (student health services), IGBA (programs for students with disabilities) and related updates. Dr. Oll told the board the revision to GBH removes a sentence that previously said an employee should refer a student to the appropriate individual or agency; instead, the new language emphasizes that the first call should generally be to the parent or guardian.
Why it matters: board members and administration said the shift could affect how school counselors handle students who seek help. A board member warned the change "can be a delicate subject, especially if the student's reaching out to someone because maybe they're not getting full talking to their parent." Another board member summarized the tension: "It's very gray," referring to situations where a student asks for help precisely because they do not want a parent involved.
The administration outlined particulars that appear across the drafts: parents would be allowed to review curriculum and opt in or out of family-life or sex-education materials; health services would be communicated annually with an opt-out option; transfer students must provide required health records; and athletic physicals for grades 7–12 remain part of policy JHC.
Board members raised operational concerns: how notification will work when counselors see many students in a day; whether a hallway complaint or a poor grade could be interpreted under the policy's broad definition of "student mental health, emotional or physical health, and well-being"; and how the district will treat students aged 18, who legally have certain rights over educational records. Dr. Oll said the district will continue training and work to clarify logistics so staff can balance direct student support with legal notification requirements.
The board treated the revisions as first readings; no vote was required. Dr. Oll said more policy changes will be coming and that the district and Ohio School Boards Association have been reviewing statutory language and potential amendments.
Board members asked administration to return with implementation guidance and training that clarifies thresholds for notification, how notifications will be documented, and procedures for students who are 18 or otherwise able to act on their own behalf. The district did not set a timeline for final adoption during the April 22 meeting.
The policy drafts remain under review and will return to the board for subsequent readings and possible vote.
