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RCSD policy committee forwards code-of-conduct updates and dozens of policy changes; mental-health ad hoc discussion delayed after heated exchange
Summary
The Rochester City School District policy committee on April 1 forwarded updates to the district code of conduct and dozens of other policies to the full board for readings and a June vote, and — after a contested exchange — deferred a planned discussion about creating a mental-health ad hoc committee to the April 24 business meeting.
The Rochester City School District policy committee on April 1 moved a large group of policy updates to the full board for readings and a scheduled vote in June, including a comprehensive update to the district’s code of conduct.
Commissioner Griffin, chair of the policy committee, opened the meeting and a motion by Commissioner Vice President Malloy and seconded by Commissioner Patterson sent the committee into executive session to discuss pending litigation with general counsel before returning to public business.
In the public meeting, the committee approved an agenda amendment to remove an unfinished-business item — a planned discussion to form a mental-health ad hoc committee — from the committee’s agenda and defer that discussion to the April 24 business meeting. Commissioner Adam Santiago confirmed the April 24 date after making the motion to defer. The motion passed after debate; Commissioner LeBron recorded a “nay” and raised a point of order later, and other commissioners objected to the way discussion proceeded before the vote.
The committee heard a long presentation on the code of conduct rewrite and recognized the 28-member code committee that drafted the document. Administration staff said the code had been adopted in 2016 and amended in 2024 and that the process included public hearings and cabinet review. Key updates highlighted by staff included a behavior matrix tied to interventions and responses, a prohibition on pre-K suspension language, requirements to consult the chief of schools before suspending students in K–3 and students with disabilities, updates to data collection and SSEC reporting exhibits, and an implementation and monitoring section. Committee members were told that recommended changes are highlighted in yellow in the packet and that the board would receive an abbreviated overview to summarize major changes before full review.
The committee then moved a long series of policies out of committee for readings and eventual board votes. Items forwarded included policy 1400 (Code of Conduct), student-harassment/bullying prevention policy (01150), school-based planning (1210), parent and family engagement (1900), service learning (4314.3), grading systems (4710) and the wellness policy (5405). Administration also presented updates and recommended adoption of NESBA/NISBA sample language for a new extreme heat condition days policy (8113) and a new policy on employees expressing breast milk at work (9520.6). The committee forwarded purchasing- and procurement-related policies (6700, 6725, 6741, 6745, 6750) and discussed “lawful piggybacking” language; Commissioner Malloy asked that staff consider clearer wording about when the district may rely on procurement conducted by other governmental entities.
Two policies were presented with recommendations to rescind: a civic-education policy (43.11.2) and a school-to-career/post-secondary transition policy (43.14.2). Commissioners voiced differing views: Commissioner Santiago and Vice President Malloy opposed rescinding civic-education policy; President Simmons and others said forwardings allow further public and board review through the readings.
Committee members also discussed program-evaluation processes in the context of purchasing and contracts. Administration said it maintains a program-evaluation team that prioritizes evaluations by spending level and will share a program-evaluation schedule and reports with the board.
The meeting included occasional procedural disputes and a heated exchange about recognition and speaking order after the ad hoc mental-health item was pulled; the chair asked for order and the meeting continued. The committee adjourned after the set of motions to forward policies passed.
Ending: The policy committee forwarded multiple policies to the full board for readings and a June vote, deferred a planned mental-health ad hoc discussion to April 24 amid objections from at least one commissioner, and asked administration to provide supporting materials including evaluation schedules and a summary of code-of-conduct changes.
