Park Ridge resident urges policy requiring staff to contact parents during student dysregulation

Micah Philbrook, a Park Ridge resident, addressed the board during the public-comment period on Feb. 20 and urged the district to adopt a clear policy requiring staff to contact parents or guardians when students experience significant emotional dysregulation.

What the commenter asked: Philbrook said the district emphasizes social and emotional learning (SEL) but lacks a clear policy obligating staff to honor reasonable student requests to contact family members during acute dysregulation or crisis. He argued the absence of a consistent protocol can lead to escalations, missed instruction, and inequitable family notification practices.

Requested elements: Philbrook asked the board to consider a policy that (1) requires staff to contact parents or guardians for students experiencing significant emotional or behavioral dysregulation, (2) specifies communication protocols and documentation standards to ensure timely family notification, and (3) provides SEL-focused training so staff can respond empathetically and effectively while fulfilling notification expectations.

Board response: The board did not provide an immediate response during public comment; staff and trustees did not take formal action on the request during that meeting. The board’s published public‑comment rules (announced at the start of the meeting) state that the board will listen but will not respond immediately and cannot take formal action on non‑agenda items outside regular agenda items.

Ending: Philbrook thanked the board for their time. The request will be available in the meeting record and can be raised later in a committee or future agenda if the board directs staff to draft policy language.