by Kate Evans
At their July 6 meeting the Morgan County School Board held their first reading of the following policies: the virtual education policy, dual credit policy (county specific), self-administered medication and epinephrine use, use of epinephrine auto-injectors by personnel (3165 and 4165), use of medications and control of casual-contact communicable diseases (special update-COVID).
The virtual education policy lays out student eligibility and requirements for the full-time Morgan County Virtual Academy. It also discusses attendance, grading, course progression, student support, family responsibilities and other topics.
Students enrolled full-time would be eligible for extracurricular activities at the school in which they are enrolled according to their attendance zone.
These policies are listed on the Morgan County School website for public comment for 30 days.
Policies adopted
Policies that had a second reading at the board’s July 6 meeting and were adopted included wellness, competitive food sales, student assessment, use of tobacco by professional staff, use of tobacco by service personnel, grading, service personnel staff development, entrance requirements, food services, child nutrition standards, employment of professional personnel, tuition reimbursement, preparedness for toxic hazard and asbestos hazard and epidemics and pandemics special update (COVID-19).
Additional second reading policies that were adopted included board-staff communications, weapons, student records, definitions, student supervision and welfare, local school improvement council, Mountaineer Challenge Academy, guidance and counseling, interscholastic athletics, educational program, athletic trainer, student supervision and welfare by professional staff, student supervision and welfare by service personnel, instructional resources and supplies, purchases, student abuse and neglect and transportation.
Other second reading policies that the board okayed after a second reading were prospective employable professional personnel reserve list, transfer, letters of reference, professional learning for educators, student parent and family engagement, meeting state accountability measures, nondiscrimination and access to equal education opportunity, Section 504/ ADA prohibition against discrimination based on Title 1 services, parent and family member participation in Title 1 programs, Title 1-parents right to know, district and school report card, preschool program, highly qualified teachers-delete and school choice options.
Additional policies that had their second reading at the meeting and were adopted included students with chronic health conditions, emergency medical authorization, student code of conduct, the schools and community agencies, discipline for special education students, exclusion from classroom or school bus, suspension and expulsion of students, use of restraint and seclusion with students, payroll authorization, facilities planning, disposition of real property, disposition of personal property, web accessibility, content, apps and services, information management, open enrollment for nonresident students, open enrollment for resident students, attendance, video surveillance and electronic monitoring and notice of meetings.
The board also approved revising its policy regarding substitutes in areas of critical need and shortage to reflect changes for the 2020-2021 school year and authorize the use of retired teachers as substitute teachers.
Areas of critical need and shortage are special education (LD, BD, MI and autism) reading specialist, reading education, World Languages, English Language Arts, science (biology, chemistry, physics, general, earth and space), math, social studies, physical education/ health, English as a Second Language, family and consumer science, career and technical education, gifted, art, music, theater, dance, early education, elementary education and library media specialist.
