Board approves revised internet-use policy, volunteer background checks and other routine items

The Muscogee County School Board on Sept. 15 approved several agenda items and routine measures, including a revised Internet acceptable-use policy and an upgrade to volunteer background screening technology.

The board voted to approve the revised policy IFBG (Internet acceptable use) after a motion to waive the usual 30-day review period. Board member Frey moved the policy revision and Miss Hillary seconded. Staff told the board the waiver was requested to meet a state Department of Education deadline to submit the policy by Oct. 1 as part of the district—s annual technology audit. The board recorded the item as passing; a full roll-call tally was not given in the meeting record.

The consent agenda, moved by Miss Chambers and seconded by Miss Buckner, also passed. The consent package included item 14A: an agreement with Raptor Technologies to provide volunteer background screening at a Level 2 screening standard for Muscogee County schools; the district said volunteers would not be required to pay for the background checks. A board presentation clarified Raptor is intended to streamline volunteer screening and that the procurement decision was recommended by the district—s risk-management office.

The board also approved the evening—s general agenda and later voted to excuse board member Jackson (motion by Miss Chambers, second by Miss Tillery). At the meeting—s close, the board voted to enter executive session for a legal matter and a personnel matter; the motion carried and the board adjourned to executive session.

A separate agenda item discussed the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) used for gifted screening; Christine Hall, the district—s executive director of curriculum and instruction, described the CogAT as a nationally normed assessment of cognitive ability and said the district would provide norming details on request.