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North Smithfield committee reviews medication policy language for diabetes, approves consent agenda and moves to executive session
Summary
At its July 15 meeting, the North Smithfield School Committee discussed updates to the district medication policy — including rules for diabetic students’ self-testing — approved the consent agenda with minor grammar corrections, and voted to enter executive session for personnel matters under Rhode Island law.
The North Smithfield School Committee reviewed proposed edits to the district medication policy, approved the consent agenda with minor grammatical corrections and then convened into executive session for personnel matters at its July 15 meeting.
Committee members raised questions about a diabetes-related provision in the medication policy that conditions student self-testing on whether an individualized health care plan (IHCP) "designates it appropriate." A staff member noted the district uses an older policy and said the new draft was largely copied from "the secretary of state" and state guidance. The staff member said age and location are factors in deciding whether a student should self-test in class and that procedures exist for safe testing and needle disposal. "I test 4 times a day. I'm quite capable of doing that," the staff member said, explaining why older students may self-manage more independently.
A committee member asked whether the draft policy addressed the use of naloxone (Narcan). A staff member confirmed the district maintains a separate Narcan policy.
After the policy discussion, the committee approved the consent agenda with the requested grammar corrections. During the meeting, members also noted recent hires — including a new kindergarten teacher and a new school psychologist — and reported that a teacher who had been omitted from a prior recall list had been contacted and notified.
Later in the meeting committee members voted to convene into executive session "in compliance with Rhode Island General Law 42-46-5(a)(1)" to discuss personnel matters. After returning to open session the committee voted to seal the executive session minutes under Rhode Island General Law 42-46-5(c) and 42-46-4. Committee members stated that no votes were taken while in executive session and that the executive session covered superintendent and administrator performance evaluations. The staff member present said the committee would consider a vote next month on extending the superintendent's contract based on the evaluation.
The meeting adjourned after the executive-session actions.
