Board reviews major revisions to curricular/co‑curricular/extracurricular policy (JJA); several procedural changes recommended

The Garrett County Public Schools Board of Education received a detailed review of proposed revisions to Policy JJA (curricular, co‑curricular and extracurricular activities) and accompanying procedures intended to align written rules with current practice across the district.

District staff framed the proposal as primarily updating wording and removing provisions that no longer match operations. The presenter recommended striking language that limited how many student days groups could miss for activities and that restricted participation for elementary and middle school groups to "culminating only" events. Staff said the changes reflect new activities (for example Unified Bocce and middle-school students participating in high‑school marching band) and longer travel schedules for competitive events.

Key proposed changes. Staff described several substantive revisions: - Remove restrictions that would prevent elementary and middle school groups from participating beyond "culminating" events. - Strike language limiting group-related absences to three student days; staff cited robotics and multi-day competition schedules as reasons the limit no longer fits practice. - Clarify that principals approve schedules while athletic directors, band directors and other activity leaders create them; this reflects that these programs now manage scheduling rather than principals drafting every schedule. - Update references to district roles (for example, director titles) and move disciplinary and personnel-related sanction language into personnel policy to avoid duplication. - Clarify booster-club practice: booster funds raised externally can be held outside the district; when boosters donate purchased items to a school, those items become school property.

Board discussion and concerns. Board members expressed interest in transparency and parental representation on activity committees. One member asked for an annual list of extra-duty personnel and coaches. Another suggested inviting a parent from each end of the county to participate on the school activities review committee to ensure geographic representation; staff noted parent volunteers previously did not regularly attend committee meetings and that student participants sometimes did not contribute in adult meetings.

Status and next steps. The update was presented page-by-page and discussed; staff indicated the handbook will be updated after the policy and procedure are approved. The transcript records a detailed presentation and questions but does not show a final board vote on the policy during this meeting.

The board was told the handbook will include live links to the policies and forms, and staff said they will present a finalized handbook for the board after the policy/procedure votes are complete.