North Middlesex committee adopts updated JKAA policy on timeout, seclusion and restraint

The North Middlesex Regional School District School Committee on July 29 adopted an updated JKAA policy on time out, seclusion and restraint of students, saying the district must have the revised policy in place before the start of the school year. The motion to adopt the policy as amended by the district’s legal counsel passed on a roll-call vote.

Erin Upton, the district’s director of special education, told the committee that changes in state law required updates to the policy and recommended the committee adopt the attorneys’ draft rather than the MASC model. “So our updated policy that you have in your packet, shows the differences between what the school committee had previously adopted, as well as what we're proposing, be changed and adopted tonight,” Upton said, explaining that the MASC language reads more like procedures while the attorneys’ version is more appropriate as policy.

Michael Le Bossier moved to adopt the JKAA policy as amended by NMRSD legal counsel; Alexander Bancutti seconded. The committee took a roll-call vote: Michael Le Bossier — yes; Chris Sloan — yes; Alexander Bancutti — yes; Lisa Bloom — yes; Jackie White — yes; Chair Lisa Martin — yes. The committee chair thanked staff for completing the revisions on a tight timeline: “I’d like to thank doctor Reese and miss Upton for all the work on this one,” Martin said.

A district staff member also confirmed that once the policy is adopted administration will update district procedures to align with the new policy and with DESE regulations and state law. The committee noted the revisions were recommended by the district’s attorneys and that the district needed the policy in place before the school year (counsel and MASC had identified an August 17 timeline).