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Committee reviews policy edits, suicide‑prevention language and plans mass‑casualty exercise; staff flags traffic‑direction legislation
Summary
Members reviewed recommended policy edits from an external school‑board association, flagged a change in student drug/alcohol policy language and asked staff to consult discipline and pupil‑services on suicide‑prevention and alternative‑school services; staff also outlined a tabletop exercise April 15 and ongoing planning for a full‑scale drill, and noted a bill moving in the legislature on school staff directing traffic.
The committee reviewed proposed edits to safety and security policies and discussed emergency drills and pending legislation during its March 17 meeting.
Chair Miss Porter said legal staff were delayed reviewing the policy packet but that the materials included recommendations from the external school‑board association. Staff asked committee members to review the packet and return comments; one member noted that the recommended edit to the drug and alcohol policy appeared to remove the word “possess,” and staff said they would consult discipline personnel and legal for the rationale and implications.
Miss Porter asked that suicide‑prevention language be reviewed carefully for the district’s unique resources and recommended clarifying which family‑intervention and wraparound services are available — particularly for students referred to alternative placements such as Blackwood Academy. Staff said Matt Sherman from pupil services should be consulted and that a series of services are available, but the process for requesting them should be clarified.
A staff member raised two agenda items for future work: an update on a planned full‑scale school exercise involving the sheriff’s office and county emergency management, and an update on pending state legislation about school staff directing traffic. Staff said planning meetings are underway with the sheriff’s department and Richland County emergency management and that a tabletop exercise is scheduled for April 15.
Why it matters: proposed policy language could change disciplinary definitions and the committee requested clarification to ensure policy aligns with district practices and resources. The planned exercises and the moving legislation could require policy edits and additional training.
What’s next: staff will follow up with legal and pupil‑services on the flagged policy language, schedule any needed committee discussions this summer, and provide an update after the April 15 tabletop and work toward the full‑scale exercise.
