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Board reviews policy updates under Acts 57, 88 and 89; establishes district‑approved communications and training plan
Summary
Director Melissa Cates presented policy language to comply with Acts 57, 88 and 89, including same‑day parent notifications for credible reports (Act 57), staff training on grooming and boundary violations (Acts 88/89), prohibition on private 1:1 staff‑student social media or texting, and a vetted list of district communication platforms (ClassDojo, Canvas, Infinite Campus, SportsU/Bound, Pathwise).
Melissa Cates, director of human services, led a detailed presentation on required board‑policy updates related to Acts 57, 88 and 89 and the district’s planned implementation. Cates said Act 89 requires annual staff training on grooming and professional boundary violations and that Act 57 requires same‑day parental notification when there is a credible report of staff misconduct. She warned that the updated policy language treats grooming and boundary violations broadly: "adding and declaring that intent need not be present for actions to be considered grooming under the law," Cates said.
Cates walked the board through policy changes covering board members, administrators, professional and support staff, volunteers, and the reporting of child abuse and alleged misconduct. The proposed language restricts one‑to‑one private communications between staff and students via personal email, personal social media, private messaging apps or texting: "The student technology acceptable use and safety... 1 to 1 texting between staff and students is prohibited," she said. The presentation also named approved district platforms for staff‑to‑student and parent communication (school email, Infinite Campus, Canvas, ClassDojo, SportsU and Bound for activities, Pathwise for transportation) and described an app‑vetting process led by the district IT director.
Board members pressed for clarity on how "credible report" will be determined; Cates said the district would involve legal counsel immediately and would follow the notification requirement without conducting internal investigations first. The district plans to roll out a 25‑minute training video produced by the Wisconsin law firm Lacey and Lewis, and supervisors will lead training and a frequently updated FAQ for staff. The policy changes were presented for first reading and are scheduled for the Aug. 24 consent agenda.
Next steps: staff will finalize the policy language for second reading/consent on Aug. 24, conduct training at the start of the year, publish the approved list of district communication platforms and maintain an internal Q&A for staff and volunteers.
