WCS Amends Code Of Conduct
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A penalty unpopular with many parents of Warsaw Community High School students was modified Monday by the Warsaw School Board.
The athletic code of conduct originally said that an athlete or a student involved in co- or extra-curricular activities who violated the school's drug and alcohol policy would be suspended from their sport or activity for 365 days for a first offense.
The amended version adopted Monday still suspends the student for 365 days but allows for a "buy back" provision on a first offense, in which the suspension may be reduced to half of the sports contests for the season if the student agrees to participate in a substance abuse program.
Because the "365 rule" applied to first offenses, many parents objected to what they called the harshness of the penalty.
School superintendent Dr. Lee Harman said the board's policy committee looked at other schools in the same category as WCHS, and "we were pretty much alone in how we used the 365."
He said other schools suspended students for a year from sports on the second or third offense.
Harman also said that the 365-day suspension ran the risk of alienating the suspended student.
Larry Chamberlain, board member, said the modified policy "is an attempt to win back students who are first-time offenders. But it still has teeth."
Parents present at Monday's meeting supported the change in the policy.
"The problem with 365 is there's a problem with the kid coming back after the year," said Denny Wilson. With the revision, he said, "they have an opportunity to come back and redeem themselves, so there's some grace in that."
He also said the policy makes take responsibility for their actions and face the consequences while giving them help if they have a substance abuse problem.
Roy Szymanski, board member, disagreed with the change and said he wanted to keep the stricter policy.
"I think this is taking a step backwards - softening up," he said. "And I don't feel offended because we're the only school in the state that has this policy. ... If we're the only school, I think we ought to stand up and take a bow."
The final board vote, with board member Brad Brail absent, was four - Chamberlain, Charles Sauders, Dan Robinson and Craig Allebach - in favor of the provision. Szymanski voted against the change as did Cathy Folk, who thought the language in the policy was not specific enough regarding the appeal procedure.
"I think we're gonna run into problems with this," she said.
The school corporation received an award from the Ohana Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes enhancing education through technology. Warsaw Community Schools, said Harman, was selected by the Ohana Foundation as the top technology school district in the state and will go on to regional competition.
Criteria for the award include use of varied technology to enhance education, universal access, use of new media and distance learning opportunities.
In other business the board:
• Gave business manager Rande Thorpe permission to advertise for the 2000-01 budget hearing at the next school board meeting.
The proposed total budget for next year is $44.5 million, a 5.7 percent increase over this year's budget of $42.1 million.
Thorpe said the budget will be discussed in detail at the next board meeting.
• Approved textbook rental charges for the 2000-01 school year: kindergarten, $29; grade 1, $88; grade 2, $81; grade 3, $83; grade 4, $74; grade 5, $72; grade 6, $76. The fees for middle and high schools depend on the schedule of each student.
• Reminded the public that filing as a candidate for one of three school board positions begins July 26 and ends Aug. 25. Information on filing procedures and the individual seats up for election is available at the administration office.
The school board meets in the administration building at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. Board members are: Craig Allebach, Brad Brail, Larry Chamberlain, Cathy Folk, Dan Robinson, Charles Sauders and Roy Szymanski. [[In-content Ad]]
A penalty unpopular with many parents of Warsaw Community High School students was modified Monday by the Warsaw School Board.
The athletic code of conduct originally said that an athlete or a student involved in co- or extra-curricular activities who violated the school's drug and alcohol policy would be suspended from their sport or activity for 365 days for a first offense.
The amended version adopted Monday still suspends the student for 365 days but allows for a "buy back" provision on a first offense, in which the suspension may be reduced to half of the sports contests for the season if the student agrees to participate in a substance abuse program.
Because the "365 rule" applied to first offenses, many parents objected to what they called the harshness of the penalty.
School superintendent Dr. Lee Harman said the board's policy committee looked at other schools in the same category as WCHS, and "we were pretty much alone in how we used the 365."
He said other schools suspended students for a year from sports on the second or third offense.
Harman also said that the 365-day suspension ran the risk of alienating the suspended student.
Larry Chamberlain, board member, said the modified policy "is an attempt to win back students who are first-time offenders. But it still has teeth."
Parents present at Monday's meeting supported the change in the policy.
"The problem with 365 is there's a problem with the kid coming back after the year," said Denny Wilson. With the revision, he said, "they have an opportunity to come back and redeem themselves, so there's some grace in that."
He also said the policy makes take responsibility for their actions and face the consequences while giving them help if they have a substance abuse problem.
Roy Szymanski, board member, disagreed with the change and said he wanted to keep the stricter policy.
"I think this is taking a step backwards - softening up," he said. "And I don't feel offended because we're the only school in the state that has this policy. ... If we're the only school, I think we ought to stand up and take a bow."
The final board vote, with board member Brad Brail absent, was four - Chamberlain, Charles Sauders, Dan Robinson and Craig Allebach - in favor of the provision. Szymanski voted against the change as did Cathy Folk, who thought the language in the policy was not specific enough regarding the appeal procedure.
"I think we're gonna run into problems with this," she said.
The school corporation received an award from the Ohana Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes enhancing education through technology. Warsaw Community Schools, said Harman, was selected by the Ohana Foundation as the top technology school district in the state and will go on to regional competition.
Criteria for the award include use of varied technology to enhance education, universal access, use of new media and distance learning opportunities.
In other business the board:
• Gave business manager Rande Thorpe permission to advertise for the 2000-01 budget hearing at the next school board meeting.
The proposed total budget for next year is $44.5 million, a 5.7 percent increase over this year's budget of $42.1 million.
Thorpe said the budget will be discussed in detail at the next board meeting.
• Approved textbook rental charges for the 2000-01 school year: kindergarten, $29; grade 1, $88; grade 2, $81; grade 3, $83; grade 4, $74; grade 5, $72; grade 6, $76. The fees for middle and high schools depend on the schedule of each student.
• Reminded the public that filing as a candidate for one of three school board positions begins July 26 and ends Aug. 25. Information on filing procedures and the individual seats up for election is available at the administration office.
The school board meets in the administration building at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. Board members are: Craig Allebach, Brad Brail, Larry Chamberlain, Cathy Folk, Dan Robinson, Charles Sauders and Roy Szymanski. [[In-content Ad]]