ROCK SPRINGS – Changes to the student use and access internet policy, specifically consequences for students who violate the policy, were unanimously approved by the SWCSD No. 1 Board.
After being presented the changes and given a month to review them, the board officially approved the changes to the policy on Monday. While there were a few small housekeeping language changes, the biggest changes involve the consequences for students who violate the policy.
In the new policy, there are now four steps of consequences.
Under the first offense, the old policy stated a student violating the policy would have privileges revoked for 45 days from the date of the offense. The new language will leave the discipline up to the building principal.
Under second offense, the old policy said the student will no longer be allowed to use the district wide network for a semester from the date of the offense. In the change, students who violate the policy twice will face up to three days suspension and may receive additional disciplinary action.
Under the third offense the old policy said privileges are revoked permanently, throughout their remaining school years. The policy now states student who violate the policy can receive up to a five-day suspension and may also face additional disciplinary action.
In the old policy there was not a fourth offense but this now changes as one has been added. A student who violates the policy four times can face up to 10 days suspension and may receive additional disciplinary action.
Classroom sizes and ratios
With the state requiring a classroom ration of 16 students to one, the board was also presented changes to the three policies addressing classroom size.
The policies which address minimum class size and maximum class size will basically remain the same. They set a minimum class size of 10 and a maximum of 23 students in kindergarten through third and a maximum of 27 students in fourth through 12th. There are just some small cleanup items.
The biggest change is the policy that address class size and paraprofessional hours in K-4 classrooms, specifically in the outlying schools.
The policy currently reads outlying elementary school building principals will make recommendations to the Director of Human Resources concerning paraprofessional time. The Director of Human Resources shall consider the number of students and classroom units in these outlying elementary schools using the three unit building hourly per day allotment as a guide.
The change will drop this from three unit building hourly per day allotments to two hours per unit classroom per day allotments.
The current policy also states an increase or decrease of a single classroom unit will be prorated using the three unit building hourly per day allotment of paraprofessional time.
Again three unit building hourly per day allotments will change to two hours per unit classroom per day. The sentence final hours will be determined by the Superintendent/designee is also proposed to be added.
The board was just presented these changes on Monday. They will now review them this month and will take final action on the proposed changes at the regular board meeting in March.
To see the proposed changes go to http://www.sweetwater1.org/www/sweetwatercsd1/site/Hosting/School%20Board/Agenda%20Attachments/11-c-IHB-R-1.pdf and http://www.sweetwater1.org/www/sweetwatercsd1/site/Hosting/School%20Board/Agenda%20Attachments/11-b-IHB-R.pdf
