The Waterbury Board of Education on Nov. 19 approved a slate of state-mandated policy revisions and adopted a School Safety and Security Plan intended to keep the district eligible for safety-related grants.

Vice President Brown moved for approval of multiple policies required by recent state legislation. The board adopted revised policy 5114 (discipline and student conduct), policy 5118.2 (educational opportunities for military children), the renaming and adoption of policy 5131.911 under the Connecticut School Climate Policy and Regulations, and a set of library policies establishing procedures for material review, collection development, and display (policies 6161.12, 6161.13, 6161.14). The board also approved a revised wellness policy (6142.101) and a new policy to accommodate students with special dietary needs (5141.25). All motions carried on voice votes.

Superintendent Dr. Swartz/Schwartz described the School Safety and Security Plan — a voluminous document the district must submit to the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection by Nov. 1 — and said timely submission is tied to grant eligibility. He cited a recent safety response at Waterbury Career Academy, saying the district acted quickly after a student reported "the firearm or the gun that was, eventually found within the school," and that staff coordinated with SROs and the Waterbury Police Department during the incident.

Commissioner Van Stone raised a procedural concern about renaming the bullying policy as a broader "school climate" policy, saying the district policy search currently matches only policy titles and that parents could have trouble finding forms. Superintendent Schwartz and staff said a separate bullying protocol will remain and pledged to review and fix the policy search engine so that forms and procedures are accessible on the website.

Votes at a glance

- 11.1 Revised policy 5114 (Discipline/student conduct): Approved by voice vote
- 11.2 Revised policy 5118.2 (Educational opportunities for military children): Approved by voice vote
- 11.3 Revised policy 5131.911 (bullying/cyber → Connecticut School Climate Policy and Regulations): Approved by voice vote
- 11.4 Revised policy 5141.25 (accommodating students with special dietary needs): Approved by voice vote
- 11.5 New policy School Safety and Security Plan (policy 5,142 in agenda): Approved by voice vote; staff noted Nov. 1 submission requirement for grant eligibility
- 11.6 Revised policy 6142.101 (Student nutrition and physical activity, wellness): Approved by voice vote
- 11.7 New policy 6161.12 (Library material review and reconsideration): Approved by voice vote
- 11.8 New policy 6161.13 (Library collection development and maintenance): Approved by voice vote
- 11.9 New policy 6161.14 (Library display and program): Approved by voice vote

The board also approved participation in a Yale/Haskins repeat study on reading (opt-in for families) after staff clarified enrollment and MRI participation are voluntary. Several items on the consent calendar — including a project authorization letter to allow the Waterbury Development Corporation to manage Wilby High School football field renovations — were approved as presented.

The superintendent and staff said procedural forms related to library complaints will be available on the district website and that the board may revise statutory language (for example, removing or clarifying the word "regional") to avoid confusion about committee representation for magnet-school stakeholders.