Board adopts revised secondary-school code of conduct; staff will add AI guidance

The Greene County Schools board voted to approve a revised code of conduct for secondary schools after a staff presentation and board discussion that included parent and advisory feedback.

Miss McCclure summarized the review process and said the district received 16 survey responses from parents and community members. Staff described specific changes made after public comment: minor language edits to progressive-discipline and repetitive-referral sections for clarity, the addition of a new offense category labeled “inappropriate physical contact” to address pushing or shoving (distinct from fighting), and clarified examples in the fighting/simple-battery sections. Miss McCclure said these changes were intended to improve clarity and consistency for students, families and staff.

Board members questioned whether the level definitions were sufficiently quantified, whether the referral cap before a tribunal (an eighth violation under the proposed chart) is appropriate, and whether the code adequately addresses AI-related plagiarism. Staff offered options: approve the code tonight and return in July with a proposed AI addendum or table the full code until AI language is inserted. The superintendent and staff recommended approving the code and adding AI guidance as a follow-up amendment because student handbooks are distributed soon and the district is moving away from printed handbooks to electronic distribution.

The board approved the code of conduct by unanimous voice vote and directed staff to prepare any AI guidance or addendum language for consideration at a future meeting.