Board reviews restraint policy revisions; district cites statutory alignment and training

The board reviewed proposed revisions to policy JKA addressing use of restraint and seclusion. Superintendent Peter Hiltz and staff framed the edits as technical updates to align district policy with recent statutory language and best practices and said training and implementation guidance accompany the policy.

Hiltz noted a recently corrected typographical error in the JKA draft and explained legal and duty‑of‑care imperatives: restraint may be required when an individual is “imminently harming others, imminently harming themselves, or the adult in that case,” and failure to act in those circumstances could be negligent. “We have a policy framework, we have expert training, we have legal analysis, we have statutory guidance, and we are following all that,” Hiltz said.

Directors and staff discussed clarifications the board requested, including how the district uses restorative practices to address property damage and whether parent consent processes were clear. Director DeVola suggested emphasizing restitution options; staff noted the district already has a restorative practices policy that can encompass personal, environmental and financial restitution.

Board members with direct experience in CPI training and school safety said the revisions bring the policy into compliance with state law and recent statutory changes triggered by events in other districts. Several directors supported moving the updated policy to the April action calendar so implementation rules (the corresponding regulation) could be finalized.

Ending: with no objection the chair moved the restraint policy updates to action on the April board agenda.