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Franklin Pierce School Board approves policy updates, a Pierce County violence-prevention contract and routine operational items
Summary
Trustees unanimously approved several policy revisions (foster care, anaphylaxis prevention), delegated athletics authority to WIAA, approved a Pierce County contract amendment for violence-prevention services, and passed routine surplus/field-trip items; staff also reviewed changes tied to House Bill 1536 on withheld diplomas and Senate Bill 5891 on bus trespass.
At its regular meeting the Franklin Pierce School Board voted on a bundle of policies, contracts and operational items.
Unfinished-business votes: the board adopted revised Policy 3116 (students in foster care) and Policy 3420 (anaphylaxis prevention and response). Staff noted Policy 3420 reflects provisions tied to state legislation described in the meeting as House Bill 1608, intended to expand access to anaphylaxis medications in schools.
New-business votes: trustees approved Resolution 25-R-04 delegating authority to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) for sanctioned athletics; meeting discussion noted two previous delegation amendments related to transgender athletes had failed and that the issue may proceed to litigation. The board also approved a Pierce County contract amendment intended to sustain mentoring and violence-prevention programming at Franklin Pierce and Washington High Schools and to fund startup of a Communities In Schools site at Franklin Pierce High School. District staff clarified this is additional funding the district is receiving, not an expenditure.
Operational votes: the board approved routine items including surplus declaration for van 307, an information-technology surplus list, and overnight field-trip travel requests for student leadership; all passed unanimously.
Policy and procedure reviews: staff reviewed proposed Policy 3520 (student fees, fines and charges) tied to House Bill 1536 (discussion centered on limits to withholding diplomas: the district must release a student’s diploma after five years or when the amount owed is under $1,000, and the policy adds public-reporting requirements for rare instances when diplomas are withheld). Transportation director Tim Bridgeman presented proposed changes to Policy 6600 and related procedures that cover matters including transporting students with infants (requiring rear-facing child restraints and noting limitations of bus LATCH systems), driver authorization and referencing federal/state rules and Senate Bill 5891 provisions that make unlawful presence on a school bus a criminal trespass offense in certain circumstances. Staff and trustees discussed removal of inapplicable language about meal charges given districtwide free lunch.
Board process: several policy items were presented as routine or minor; where staff indicated additional procedural detail was needed, the board directed staff to return with revised procedures. The meeting closed after an executive session on personnel and the board reconvened with no further action before adjourning at 9:28 p.m.
