001Ed to find out that that wasn't the case. Um, let's see. >> Marcus was actually taking it. >> Yeah. Oh, I just there's a policy in there that's education for employment which just you I didn't and which one? >> Uh it's 2420 that same section and I don't know I don't know if you guys were able to track. I did not sit down and compare because the numbers don't match. So, it's hard to just I can't sit down with the current policy manual and say, "Oh, number for number they match up or don't match up." >> No, we did not do that because you could >> Yeah, it's kind of impossible, >> right? Because each number is not >> has their numbering system and I don't know how the current ones were numbered. I don't
002>> Yeah, I will eventually get used to the new system or not yet. Yeah. So, I just don't know. This This one just felt really new to me. And so maybe the old newer than >> right >> okay it could be just a new it wasn't familiar to me so I feel like this is all kind of part of like ACP right acur planning >> correct >> okay okay um in the 5000 section there was some there's policy around truency of course and I had questions about the referral to the DA because I know we've gotten some feedback from the county on what the county wants in terms of truency and I just I I'm just sort of I guess I'm curious curious. I don't know that it matters how the policy is written or
003not written. Just wanting to make sure that however the policy is written doesn't then fall out of what we are doing locally. Um >> because I know there's been a lot of conversation with B County. >> Yeah, the county has a multiplestep process that you have to do specific in order. I don't know that that would have anything to do with school policy. >> Okay. It's just how you file it if that's what you're asking. Got it. >> Like they're very picky about, oh, you didn't do this step, right? And then once you file the whole thing, >> it's really in their hands and then whether something comes out of that or not is out of our hands. >> And P and Bernett County are government, same state, but they operate differently, much differently. And
004I think it's also kind of one of those things like DPI and there's those policies and rules coming from them but like it's not always yeah like how it like we the school has to do what they have to do but then like you said Erin like once you have done whatever your county expects of you it still isn't >> it's really we forms we've documented we've complied and now we wait So, as long as we're doing our part, somebody can't come back to say, >> you know, the school isn't following policy on. >> I just want to make sure that what our policy says we're supposed to do ends up matching up with what the county says we're supposed to do so that if we follow the county's process, we don't inadvertently not follow
005our policy. >> Just remember, Bernett and Poke County may have different processes. So, true. >> So, that's the odd thing. You can have two kids with exactly the same situation and Bernett may handle it different than both. >> Yeah. >> Well, our thresholds of when to act come from state statute, right? So, that's got to be >> Yeah, that's okay. Um, 5860. Um, so the this is on social events. And the last two lines of the policy, one says, "No student otherwise eligible for participation in a school social event will be denied such participation as a punitive device." But then the next line says, "Participation in school events is not a right and may be denied to any student who has demonstrated disregard for the rules of the school." To me, those things are in
006conflict and I just don't know if I'm reading that wrong, >> but it felt like those two sentences are fighting with each other. >> No student otherwise eligible for participation. So, they have to be eligible. So, if there's a academic or a behavioral requirement, >> they're not eligible. >> If they are eligible, they're eligible to participate. So, they've made the standard for academics and behavior. out they won't be denied to participate and the school can by race rights not allow a student to do it. So, I know it's a little confusing there, but they're eligible. Nothing else blocks them. Race, gender, >> way I read that. >> Oh, okay. >> Let's double check on that one. >> Yeah, I It just is goofy language. I feel like the two >> boom boom. The last second
007If the last sentence was ahead of the second last sentence, it would make more sense. Yes, that would fix it or go a long way to fix. >> Correct. >> Kind of prove it tonight and the next time. >> None of these things are things that I think we have to hold up in the manual for, but I did want to try and get some good things from that. >> Yeah. Let's see. Then 7,000. We're making >> um 7440.01. That's the video surveillance and electronic monitoring. um 7440.01 >> video surveillance and electronic monitoring. >> There's a requirement in here for um notification of surveillance and there's a sentence in the middle and I don't I don't know exactly what our current policy book says and how this policy written by might be different. So this
008might be why. But there is a sentence in here that says additionally that cuz it's talking about making sure that there are legible legible and visible signs at the entrance to the building and those kinds of things. But then it also says the district administrator is directed to annually notify parents and students through the student handbook and staff through the staff handbook of the use of video surveillance and electronic monitoring systems which may include and it kind of goes through that. And so I think since we're updating our student handbook, I think this might I don't think this is in the current handbook, I don't think it has been, but this this is so we'd be adopting tonight a policy that changes something we should add to our handbook that we're also about to adopt
009>> possibly. Then when that one came up, >> I walked down the hallway and make sure it was on the main entrances and then we also have cameras on our buses and box the cameras on. There's a sign that says this buses got surveillance equipment. So >> yeah. >> So I think >> if we adopt this policy, it changes what needs to be in your handbook is I think what I'm saying. >> There's a spot in the handbook on page seven. >> Does it have okay? Thank you. >> I looked pretty small. And you went through all the policies too for the person >> that it exists. Is that >> it's just a notification letting them know but because the language was so specific that it had to be in the handbook. It's not just
010like oh you can have a letter as part of your like open house or or um registration packet. >> Sure. >> It doesn't allow for that. It was very specific. So I was like, "Well, we better make sure we're this written differently than I'd seen it." [Music] >> Surveillance cameras and recording devices are used in district and transportation vehicles. >> Yep. So it's in the handbook. >> Um >> handbook will be in next month's I'll make sure it's under Okay. Um, this is just another issue maybe to talk talk with Ed about, not something we need to to solve tonight. I just know that it is an issue that had come up in the past and I wasn't sure exactly if or how it had gotten revol resolved. It's in the um 8600 transportation policy.
011Um, let's see. So, if obviously it's talking about um transportation for um there's a section in here about transportation for activities and my question was because I know this had come up in the past is once a student becomes an adult are they allowed to transport themselves to and or from any district activity? So, a senior in their senior year is 18. Are they allowed allowed to drive themselves to a district sponsored activity or not? >> Is there something that says they have to use? >> Well, I know that there's been situations where we have done that in athletics. >> Well, yeah, you can even take like kids going back and forth between L and for practices, you know, that transport themselves. But that wasn't because they're 18 or 17. >> No, they're just they're
012>> I've always treated the 18-year-olds just like everyone else because they think they're a kid who are responsible for. >> But there are places other places in our policies where kids who are kids who become 18 while they're still in school have rights that other kids don't. >> Yeah. They can sign off on >> they can sign off on stuff. And so part of part of why it came up like they can they can >> report their own absence or things like that. And so that was that was a question that had come up. >> There are places in the in the policy where it talks about things that they can do than another student like they can um they can like uh they have more control over what medications they take during the day
013or things like that. That are the difference. they can't carry them, but they can they can say, "Here's my I need to take this medication. Here's my medication." The parent doesn't have to do it. There's that kind of stuff that they can do. And I just know that that could come up once a student becomes 18. So, I just thought if we're going to follow up on on making sure policies are hopefully addressing some of the things that we want. Well, this says the policy of the board is for transportation for those students of any age >> whose distance from their school is so necessary within the limitations established state law >> and and it might not be oh to provide transportation any age. This is more back and forth in general. >> We can't
014say you're 18, you control of us anymore. >> Right. >> Sorry, that was I misread. I I read this the wrong way. >> Yeah. So, that's maybe just something for us to to think about with the transportation policy to make sure that that because I know that that was a thing that came up a couple of years ago because we had we just sometimes we have years where a bunch of seniors have birthdays in the fall and it becomes an issue. There are those types of questions that come up and it's called fear. >> The most common one is seniors thinking they can excuse themselves from school but then that's covered with the the office maintains the authority to decide what's excused and unexcused. Right. That was it. I did read them all. >> Yeah.
015>> And I'll go over like I said the other things that I found were like titles and I can go over those with Jessica if everyone's okay. you can improve typos getting fixed. There's a couple places where the needle language is still in there. Anybody else have questions about policy? Just me in your element. Yeah. >> Well, too for you, Carrie, because you worked so thoroughly on the old policy book um that >> was never I mean like you know I wasn't here long enough to do much of that before we got involved with this. So >> all right. Well, if there is if there is no more discussion or questions on policy, can I get a motion to approve the adoption of the new MEOA policies? >> Go ahead. >> I'll make the motion.
016>> Can I get a second? >> I'll second that. >> All in favor? >> Any oppose? All right. Well done, policy team. You got a new policy book. >> Everyone's very excited about it. It's all >> We're excited for our next policy meeting. >> What was it? July 8th or whatever date we met. And then I was like Jessica's like, "Oh, but yeah, never mind." Let's approve this and then we'll get that next date on the calendar. We did, >> but we can ongoing which it should be. I mean, yeah. >> Okay. Jumping in to our action items. The first one is consideration of possible action regarding the Wisconsin model academic standards for the 2526 school year. This was in your extras. It's in the extras and that is pretty much straight from DPI and
017Jessica did a great job working. >> It's that's also in our policy book. We have to approve the academic standards. They're given to us by by DPI. Um and so >> was that every July? >> Yeah, every July we'll do this same thing. So, can I get a motion to approve? I'll make that motion to approve. >> Can I get a second? I'll second. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Is approved. >> All right. Um, next is discussion on the um 612 student handbook. Marcus, what is that? >> Yeah. >> Oh, there it is. Thank you. >> Um, okay. Well, I will. Does anyone want to talk besides me? I'm just I'm giggling cuz I see the sketch. I was like, why is that first pronouncement? I guess I mean we should I guess
018we should um address the the dress code issue that was just address if you control S you can search for words. No, I just >> That's really fancy. >> You're asking a lot. >> That's fancy. I just >> I don't know the my own words that well. I just know things that >> I found. >> I just thought you like had this memorized. You're like, "Yeah, all right. Um, well, I I would love to hear if other people have thoughts before I jump in." I I did have a reaction to the midrifts with genitals, but nipples because I don't know. I mean, a lot of the a lot of people um wear belly shirts. I don't see how that interferes with academia and or I think it's more um probably gender kind of specific to
019females. Could be wrong on that. Um, so I guess I would want to admit that. And then I kind of wondered about um students may not wear hoods, skull caps, or any head gear that covers up ears. So are skull caps like baseball caps or they're like the like a small winter cap. So like um go like kind of like a kind >> and then with like >> so hoods like they can still wear a hoodie, right? It's just >> you could well this would say you could wear the hoodie. It just shouldn't be over your head, right? I mean I read that correctly. >> Um okay. So is this is that in reference to like >> I mean do you want to talk about that at all? >> Is it because earbuds? >> I
020think a lot of it is earbuds. Um I think a lot of it is also like the students will put their head their their hoods on and they can't really see the board very well. They can't participate in academics as well as they could without it. Not that they couldn't participate. Um I I think it brings down the level of of academic participation in a classroom. Um and they kind of disappear into their hoods. We want these students to be good productive members of their classrooms. Um I think that's I've just seen hoods become an issue in the classroom. This is in my two years teaching here. Um where and and anything that's covering their ears. I' I've got I've got I can't tell say how many times I've had kids who know I don't
021have earbuds in they'll just lie right to your face and then they've got earbuds in because there's they're covered because they're wearing hoods. >> Um and I hate to be that well showing your ears every day and that shouldn't be a thing that we have to really to do. I don't think so. It is it's really that is where I see it. >> Okay. Um, >> I was just curious like what was this >> and yet Marcus this would allow baseball caps, right? >> Yes, baseball caps. I I was I baseball >> and I lived in the neighboring districts Webster Gr and St. Cray Falls where we most open those do not allow any hats in their policies. >> Okay. >> And as far as a midruff, I just think that should be covered. I
022don't see any reason to have it. I don't care if you're a boy or a girl or whatever. I just think it should be covered. Um I so I had a reaction as well to the to the dress code proposal. I for me and and I know that not everyone that's here at this board table or even the administration was here when we changed the dress code back in 2023 to what it is um what it is now. But I I was I was part of those conversations and a really big advocate for those changes and I still feel strongly about that. Um, and I think we made a a an effort at that time to really focus on the notion that the board should not be interfering with parents ability to make decisions regarding
023their child's appearance together with their child unless it inter except when their choices interfere with the educational program of the schools. That's what we say in our policy. That's what this proposed handbook still says. the hood discussion makes sense to me because that that has an academic impact of the earbuds and potential, you know, less engagement in class and other things. Those those pieces make more sense to me. I I think that adding midriff as a thing that can't be showing one I there's I don't know that there's any way anyone can convince me a midriff is considered a private area. I don't think that that's when when when whenever we're using the phrase private parts on a body that's not commonly thought to be a midriff. I I don't think it can be described
024that way. And I think that whether or not a midriff shows depending on what shirt you're wearing has a lot to do with your body size and type. and we say we're not going to enforce codes against students because of body size and type. When we made the changes to the dress code in 2023, part of the strongest reason we did that is the negative impact that those conversations were having on our student population and particularly our female student population. I I don't know that I can adequately convey how much damage those conversations have done through the years. I know students from this district who are 10 years gone from school and can describe to anyone in this room exactly how shamed they felt by the conversations over their bodies and their dress code. And
025I'm very protective of us not going back to that. So, I'm really concerned about that. And I just don't know that there's any way to enforce that policy without doing that damage. And I worry my qu my question is I to me I think the I think that the outcome of that is too costly. I don't know what I don't know what we achieve by drawing that specific line. And so everyone knows Kyle and I have had this conversation. He's aware. We're both aware that we're in very different places on this topic, >> which is totally fine. >> I I appreciate the historical perspective on that. I mean, I think that's helpful in the discussion of it. >> And I did look at those same five districts and they all have no mid. I thought
026St. Croy Falls is one of the best uh towns must be long enough to be tucked in, which I thought was great. You know, that was a nice way of saying it. So, you have to type it in, but it's got to be long enough to be tied in. So, >> and I know that in in historically, and I mean, I don't know, Erin, I don't want to you were part of you were part of those conversations as well because at that time, you were the you know, you um the other area that we had a lot of conversation about is the spot that many of our staff were put in. We had many staff who did not feel comfortable being able to have those conversations with female students and so they would call the
027office and ask the office to do it and it fell to office staff to have that conversation. Um, and I think part of why they were uncomfortable is because there's no script that keeps you from commenting on a person's body if that's the comment you're making. We had a a group of students who I thought did I commended them for doing a phenomenal job of not just like complaining and blasting on social media, right? they collectively came together, presented you the presentation to me um students and parents and one of the students in particular did a really good job and she said you know I get up in the morning I take a shower I do my makeup I do my hair and when a teacher tells me that I'm unprofessional and I look at
028other students who haven't showered in weeks and come to school in pajamas then I question what part is unprofessional. Um same with the word inappropriate. Um why is my belly button inappropriate? Right? So we had we had a strong adult standing uh come to the table. Um and the students did a great job at the time. I did you know I ended up being involved in a lot of research. A lot of this langu language comes from oyas. Oyola has it scripted very similarly. Yes I was here. It was, you know, not the funnest moment of my life. Um, but it it was a couple of months process that we went through. >> I just don't know how much focus of like that in particular. Do we want to take him out of the classroom
029about a belly button? Then like I certain students are going to like want to wear clothes that they want to wear. We talk about freedom and is there What is that? Um, >> sorry, my computer. >> I think you might be talking about the mode of dress and grooming as an association personal style and individual preference, >> right? And right now, I mean, I have a stepdaughter. She just graduated. Yay. But I'm not into meet the cardiacs, okay? Not all about that. But she was all her girlfriends were I mean they got like straight A's. They're going to college. They live in Minnesota. Maybe it's a little bit more open to that dress code. But all of them were allowed to wear shirts. And I guess when I look at her, I don't sexualize her.
030I thought that she looked kept together and and very nice. So I guess as far as like midrifts, it doesn't bother me. about putting it next to like genitalia. I I just don't find it appropriate. >> Can I share one more thing and then I'll and then I just don't it's for a discussion but um the hardest part I had was helping the staff come up with an answer. So when a student or a parent says why, what's the answer? And we have some what I would think are wildly inappropriate answers. Um, which then is what you're referring to. >> It is. >> Um, but what is the answer? Because the word appropriate got challenged. The word professional got challenged with I thought very good points. Um, but it's how do we protect the staff
031in the answer to the why? >> Well, I guess I have a question about what the why. So, we changed the dress code in 2023 to what it is now. Has there been