Policy committee advances revised notification and school-access rules for registered sex offenders to board

The Newburgh City School District policy committee voted to forward a revised draft of Policy 5450.1 — Notification of registered sex offenders and access to school property — to the full board for second reading and adoption at the Jan. 28 meeting.

Committee members discussed changes intended to balance campus safety, legal limits and students’ right to education. The revised draft adds explicit remote options: parents or guardians who are registered sex offenders would be offered remote Google sessions for parent-teacher conferences and live streaming of activities; students who are registered sex offenders would be offered remote learning "to fulfill the requirements unless required by law," the committee noted. The draft also says paroled registered sex offenders are encouraged to vote by early mail ballot but may vote in person during a limited window when children will not be on campus.

Committee members said a final sentence will allow the superintendent to establish regulations to implement the policy if needed. The draft retains a limitation that, "unless required by law, registered sex offenders will not be allowed on school grounds," while acknowledging that court orders or other legal obligations could override that restriction.

Members discussed reporting and enforcement language added to the policy. The presenter said she added a paragraph requiring a report when committee members or staff “see a registered sex offender on campus” and suggested reporting to law enforcement as well as internal district channels.

The committee also noted overlap between this policy and Policy 2120.2 (voting procedures) and said the voting policy language on parolees should be consistent across documents. Committee members agreed to forward Policy 5450.1 to the board for a second reading and adoption on Jan. 28.

Ending: The committee recorded the item for the Jan. 28 board agenda and asked staff to prepare the implementing regulations and ensure cross-references to the district’s voting policy were consistent.