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Shawnee Heights board approves high school and middle school handbooks after debate on immunization citation, dress code and parking permits
Summary
The board approved updated high school and middle school handbooks. Discussion focused on adding a statutory citation for immunization exemptions (KSA 72-6262), clarifying parking permit timing, head-covering and 'clean' clothing language in dress codes, and requests for data on drug-testing policy results.
The Shawnee Heights Board of Education approved updated handbooks for Shawnee Heights High School and Shawnee Heights Middle School after discussion about immunization language, dress-code wording and administrative processes.
On the high school handbook, board member Christina Fleming asked that immunization paragraphs include a sentence directing families to KSA 72-6262 for exemptions. Fleming read the statute language aloud, noting it provides both a medical exemption (physician-signed statement) and a parental written statement for religious exemptions and requires school boards to notify parents of statutory provisions by May 15. District staff said the handbook already references required notices and that those notices are typically provided via enrollment documentation; staff agreed to review and, at a minimum, add clarifying language pointing families to the statute or state statute resources.
Board members also discussed proposed dress-code language in the high school handbook that would prohibit head coverings such as hats and hoods. Staff said the intent is to prohibit head coverings that “cover the vast majority of the head” while allowing hair accessories such as headbands and bows, and that requests for religious or cultural exceptions would be handled administratively; staff said such accommodation requests would typically be granted. Members raised concerns about the word “clean” in dress-code language and whether it had been used to discipline students; staff said disciplinary action for unclean clothing is rare and the district provides resources (including on-site washers and dryers at some schools) and works with families when issues arise.
On parking permits, the board approved clarifying language that students may obtain parking passes throughout the year rather than only during early August registration. A board member requested a staff report on how the district’s drug-testing policy was used during the past year; staff agreed to provide the data at the next meeting in June.
The middle school handbook was discussed separately. Staff explained existing practice for athletic conduct: negative reports from away venues can result in consequences such as suspension from practices or events, and the handbook language was intended to reflect that established practice. The board also asked for page numbers to be added to the middle school index to aid navigation.
Motion to approve the high school handbook (with the clarified parking-permit verbiage) passed on a recorded voice vote; the high school vote was recorded in the meeting as 6 in favor, 1 opposed. The middle school handbook motion (with index page-number changes) also passed, recorded as 6 in favor, 1 opposed.
Board members asked staff to provide the requested drug-testing data at the June board meeting and to confirm how immunization notices are distributed to families during enrollment.
