USD 253 Board of Education members had several policies and handbooks to look over during their regular meeting Wednesday evening.
Among the presentations was a first look at the 2024-25 emergency operations plan. This year’s plan saw nearly a dozen added sections and policies for matters such as lockdowns, run-hide-fight, multiple casualty triage, Shelter in Place, extreme cold weather, earthquake, food safety plan, relocation sites and a template for the district’s cardiac emergency response plan just to name a few.
District Director of Human Resources Jared Giffin tells KVOE News this many additions is not typical each year, however, a deep dive of the document showed they were certainly needed.
Giffin also noted that while not all of the situations included in the additions are highly likely to occur, district administrators felt it better to be prepared for the unlikely in the event it becomes a reality.
The EOP review and discussion came as part of a larger presentation on various handbooks for the 2024-25 academic year. Additional presentations included first readings of staff, athletic and certified, substitute and administrator handbooks.
In separate business Wednesday, the Department of Teaching and Learning provided a review of recent vertical alignment conversations amongst district educators at all grade levels. The discussions took place last month and saw more than 80 classroom teachers from the pre-k to secondary level participate.
The purpose of the vertical alignment discussions is to allow time for teachers to coordinate curriculum and classroom instruction to provide “a seamless and cohesive learning experience for all students.”
Also Wednesday, now former Board Vice President Lilian Lingenfelter and President Jami Reever reversed roles with Lingenfelter selected to serve as president for the coming year and Reever chosen to serve as VP. The board also approved its annual list of appointments, a resolution establishing home rule, a separate resolution to adopt generally accepted accounting principles and received the latest Building for the Future construction update from McCownGordon.
The USD 253 Board of Education will reconvene for its next meeting on Wednesday, July 24 at 6 pm inside of the Mary Herbert Education Center.
