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Student and parent raise concerns about Policy 237 and National Honor Society eligibility at Albert Gallatin Area School Board meeting
Summary
At the Dec. 2 board meeting a student (identified as Caileigh Theodori) and a parent (Marlena Theodor) said a cell-phone violation led to the student's exclusion from National Honor Society; a community member backed claims of inconsistent enforcement of Policy 237 (Responsible Use of Technology).
At the Dec. 2 meeting of the Albert Gallatin Area School Board, a student identified in the minutes as Caileigh Theodori and her mother, Marlena Theodor, addressed the board about the district's Policy 237, Responsible Use of Technology Resources.
According to the minutes, Theodori described an incident she characterized as a cell-phone policy violation and said she was not inducted into the National Honor Society as a result. Jennifer Sterbutzel spoke in support of the student and told the board she observed inconsistencies in how Policy 237 discipline is applied across cases.
The comments came during the public forum; the minutes do not record a response from board members or staff that changed the student's status or reversed the personnel decisions underlying National Honor Society selection. The board entered an executive session later in the meeting for “student confidentiality” and resumed the public meeting at 6:50 p.m., but the minutes do not state any formal outcome related to the student’s NHS eligibility.
Why it matters: Policy 237 governs student use of electronic devices and sets procedures for discipline; inconsistencies in enforcement can affect academic recognition such as National Honor Society membership, which parents and students say has significant consequences for college applications and scholarships.
The minutes reflect the parents’ concerns but provide no detail on any appeal process or timeline for review. The record lists a motion to enter executive session for student confidentiality (the minutes attribute the motion to Paul Dunham, who is also listed elsewhere in the attendance as absent), and the board later resumed the meeting. The minutes do not specify whether the executive session addressed this particular complaint or whether any staff follow-up was assigned.
Next steps: The minutes announce the next regular board meeting on Jan. 21, 2026, and a separate school consolidation meeting scheduled for Dec. 4, 2025; the record does not list a scheduled hearing or reconsideration related to the NHS selection. Parents who want clarification should contact district administration as listed in district notices.
