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School board gives preliminary approval to Safe and Healthy Schools Commission policy with amendments
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Summary
The board voted to preliminarily approve draft Board Policy 5,800 to (re)establish the Safe and Healthy Schools Commission, adopting trustee amendments including reducing membership from 15 to 11, adding a school-based member, adding 'prevention' language and requiring annual reporting to the board; a 13‑day public review was initiated.
The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees on Jan. 13 gave preliminary approval to draft Board Policy 5,800, which would formalize the Safe and Healthy Schools Commission and open the draft for a 13‑day public review and comment period.
Paul LaMarca, the district’s chief student services officer, told trustees the policy would move the commission out from emergency management language and into its own policy umbrella governed by Board Policy 9100 to ensure compliance with Nevada’s open‑meeting rules. LaMarca said the draft reduces the commission’s size from 15 to 11 to ease recruitment while retaining the same categories of representation.
Trustees debated membership, composition and reporting cadence. Trustee Diane Nicolette recommended adding a Washoe County School District employee who works directly with students to the commission’s composition so the body includes “boots on the ground.” Trustee Christine Hall proposed a package of four amendments: add one school‑based district employee to section 3, add the word "prevention" to section 2.b, add "academic" to section 2.d (to cover intellectual needs alongside social and emotional), and require that the commission meet quarterly and “report to the board annually.” General counsel and staff confirmed that "health, safety and welfare" are standard legal terms used to define government authority and that Policy 9100 applies to public bodies.
Trustees moved and seconded the amendment package; the motion to adopt the amendments, give preliminary approval to the draft policy as amended and initiate the 13‑day public review passed unanimously. Staff said they had consulted with the commission chair during drafting and would incorporate trustees’ changes before the review period.
The board’s action initiates a public comment window; staff will return with any recommended final edits after the review period and present a final policy for adoption at a future meeting.
