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Board updates religious-release policy; approves Parkwood Elementary therapy dog
Summary
Trustees revised district policy on release time for religious instruction to add background-check and liability requirements and explicitly bar district funding for religious instruction; the board also approved a therapy dog at Parkwood Elementary funded by a Colton Kaiser Foundation grant to support speech services.
The Greater Clark County Schools Board of Trustees on March 10 approved a revision to district policy governing release time for religious instruction and separately approved a therapy dog placement at Parkwood Elementary.
Staff said the policy updates clarify how the district will comply with statutory requirements for release time: organizations providing instruction must meet required background checks (including DCS checks referenced in the discussion), maintain liability insurance for services and transportation, and the district will not use financial resources to support religious instruction. Staff said the revision had been reviewed by legal counsel and appropriate administrators before the board moved and approved the change by voice vote.
Separately, the board approved use of a therapy dog at Parkwood Elementary. Staff explained that Elizabeth Beck, a district speech therapist, will use the dog in speech-language sessions and for student engagement. Training costs for the dog are covered by a grant from the Colton Kaiser Foundation, which staff said will pay for the training. The board moved and approved the therapy-dog request by voice vote.
The policy revision establishes clearer operational requirements for outside organizations seeking to use release time for religious instruction and the therapy-dog approval adds an additional support resource for student services. Staff will implement the policy updates and the Parkwood therapy-dog program under standard oversight procedures.
