Policy Review Committee posts multiple policy updates for public comment, including volunteer and weapons rules

The Policy Review Committee of the East Stroudsburg Area School District voted Feb. 23 to post a set of proposed policy revisions for public review and subsequent board action in March.

Committee leadership presented edits intended to align district policies with recent school‑code changes and practice. The package includes updates to Policy 204 (attendance), which adds language barring a habitually truant student from transferring to a cyber‑charter school during the school year unless a judge rules such a transfer is in the student’s best interest; Policy 218.1 (weapons), which clarifies principal search authority on reasonable suspicion and requires prompt reporting to the superintendent and local law enforcement; Policies 805.1 and 805.2 addressing relations with law enforcement and school security personnel; Policy 1414.0.1 on extracurricular participation by charter and private‑school students; Policy 702.1 on commercial sponsorship and advertising; Policy 709 (references and housekeeping); and Policy 916 on volunteers.

District staff said the attendance changes reflect recent Pennsylvania school‑code updates and are intended to ensure families are notified when truancy becomes a concern. “We have to notify families when truancy becomes a concern,” said Speaker 2, summarizing the proposed notice requirements and the district’s commitment to provide supportive interventions such as parenting classes, counseling and individualized attendance plans rather than financial aid.

On weapons reporting, Speaker 1 read proposed language that would allow a principal or designee to search a student’s locker, clothing, bag or vehicle on reasonable suspicion and to continue a search if a student resists; the policy also requires the principal to report confiscation or incidents to the superintendent and to the law‑enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the property. Speaker 2 clarified that incident notifications would be building‑specific (families and employees in the affected building, and bus or field‑trip transportation when applicable) and would be made within 24 hours while protecting the alleged perpetrator’s identity.

The committee discussed who comprises a school threat‑assessment team. District staff said membership varies by school but typically includes the principal, school police officer, counselor and a mental‑health professional; assessments for self‑harm are routed to medical professionals, while threats to others are referred to police.

Proposed changes to Policy 805.2 would designate the chief of police (as named by the superintendent) to serve as the district’s school safety and security coordinator and would require quarterly coordination meetings with building leadership and annual attendance records for those meetings.

A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on proposed revisions to volunteer classifications in Policy 916. Under the draft, field‑trip chaperones would be classified as “position volunteers,” which Speaker 2 said makes them subject to background checks and other clearances; some speakers warned this could deter volunteers and impose costs. Committee members also raised that a TB test is required under the school‑health code for adults with more than 10 hours per week of direct contact with children. “The TB test…is embedded in” the current code, Speaker 2 said, while other members asked staff to explore whether local health partners could help cover or facilitate testing.

Committee members also reviewed facilities‑use rules for class‑3 nonprofit organizations that currently receive up to two free events (eight hours total). Speaker 2 noted weekend personnel costs can be significant and proposed revising the district’s concession to reduce the free allocation; one proposal discussed during the meeting was reducing the free allowance to one four‑hour event or splitting the initial cost so the district shares the first event’s expense. Staff agreed to return in March with updated fee language and cost calculations.

On commercial advertising, staff said the district intends to prohibit personal, political or religious advertising while allowing government public‑service announcements; the policy language as presented would permit partnerships (for example with signage vendors) to assume responsibility for sign maintenance under written agreements.

The committee voted to post the listed policies for public review in February with subsequent board action planned in March. The motion to authorize posting was moved by Speaker 4 and seconded by Speaker 5; the voice vote was recorded as 'Aye.' Specific roll‑call tallies beyond the recorded abstentions earlier in the meeting were not recorded in the transcript.

The committee adjourned; the next meeting was scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.