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USD 261 superintendent and staff propose in‑school suspension rooms, hire three behavioral paraprofessionals
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Summary
Dr. Queen Reid proposed bringing back an in‑school suspension (ISS) model for USD 261 elementary schools and hiring three behavioral paraprofessionals to staff ISS rooms, aiming to reduce out‑of‑school suspensions and provide reteaching and de‑escalation supports; the board pressed for details on affordability and training and asked for a fall update with data.
Dr. Queen Reid proposed that USD 261 reintroduce in‑school suspension rooms at each of its six elementary schools next year and hire three additional behavioral paraprofessionals to staff them.
"It's been evident for years now that we need an in school suspension room for elementary," Reid said, adding the rooms will be used for reteaching, de‑escalation and to help students return to class. "This is a way to keep kids in school to also give them the thought that…we're retraining, we're refocusing on behaviors."
Reid described a model that pairs each building with a behavioral paraprofessional and retains a district behavior specialist to provide training and oversight. She said principals estimated that roughly one‑third to one‑half of students who received out‑of‑school suspension (OSS) this year might have been better served in an ISS setting.
Board members raised questions about cost and the program’s effect on younger students. Treasurer Mr. Ryan said the district would draw funding from a combination of Title funds and other district sources to make the hires, and confirmed the expense is "doable."
On training, Reid said the district will use its existing behavioral specialist, Jennifer White, to help hire and train new paraprofessionals. The plan includes summer in‑service and on‑the‑job shadowing with current behavioral pairs so new staff can learn strategies before the school year begins. Board members emphasized the need for CPI/de‑escalation training and for age‑appropriate approaches for lower elementary grades.
The board also discussed documentation and due process. Members said principals will notify parents when a student is placed in ISS and that discipline tracking will be maintained in the district's student information system so teams can identify patterns and measure improvement. "Anytime a child is placed in an in school suspension room as part of due process, the principal will notify that parent," a board member said, and Mr. Hirsch noted the system will include a paper trail in PowerSchool.
The board asked for follow‑up. President Jennifer Bains and other members requested a training summary and data update in the fall to evaluate how the new staff and ISS rooms are working and whether the approach reduces OSS rates.
The board did not take a binding vote on the proposal at the meeting; administrators presented the plan and answered detailed questions about training, funding and documentation.
