Liberty board reviews major changes to employee conduct, tutoring and crowdfunding rules during policy work session

Liberty Elementary Governing Board members spent much of a special work session on April 15 reviewing chapters of the Trust policy that address staff conduct, outside employment, gifts, mandatory reporting and investigations.

The meeting, held at the district office, was a first/second-read style review of Trust-proposed policies. Amy Castellanos, a board consultant leading the review, read section numbers aloud and invited comment while trustees and administrators asked for clarifying language, cross-references and exceptions that would fit the district’s largely K–8 context.

Board members focused on several specific items. Trustees debated whether teachers should be allowed to provide paid private lessons to students they currently teach. Vice President Kenyon and Board Member Zimmerman both raised the possibility of limited exceptions — for example for music teachers who see large numbers of students across grade levels — while also pointing to conflict-of-interest concerns when the teacher is also the student’s classroom teacher. Castellanos said the Trust policies were intended to align with ASBA policy and that the work session was an opportunity to provide feedback; Superintendent Michael Todd and HR director Stephanie Mahorn explained that some language must be finalized and then brought back for later reads.

Trustees and staff also pressed for clearer treatment of crowdfunding and small teacher wish lists versus larger grants. Concerns centered on accountability and IT compatibility for donated technology. Board members flagged examples — Amazon wish lists and DonorsChoose projects — and asked for wording that preserves classroom-level donations of consumables (paper, wipes) while requiring district review of donated technology and any grants that could create ongoing maintenance or program obligations.

Other discussion points included firearm/weapon language on campuses, clarifying when private security or law-enforcement officers may be armed, and how authorization should read (superintendent or designee). On investigations of alleged employee misconduct, trustees pressed for clearer procedures and mandatory-reporting cross-references so serious allegations are reported promptly to law enforcement.

Board president Michael Todd and staff emphasized this session was intended to collect feedback and that several policies will likely need subsequent reads; Castellanos said she expects the transition will require multiple passes. Trustees asked staff to produce redline versions showing the proposed Trust text compared with current ASBA policies so cross-checks are easier.

What happens next: trustees did not adopt any of the policies discussed during the work session. Administration will prepare revised redlines, add requested clarifications (including clearer delegation language for superintendent/designee, explicit handling of donated IT equipment, and mandatory-reporting cross-references) and return the items for additional reads in public sessions.

Ending

Trustees emphasized they want the policies to protect students, avoid unintended constraints on teachers doing small-scale community fundraising, and preserve clear lines of authority for serious investigations. Administration said it will return redlined language and a plan for public review before the board adopts any of the Trust policies as district policy.