By Nancy Edwards
HSE School Board approved a motion for a new policy that strictly prohibits anti-bullying in HSE Schools and revised the student handbook to reflect the new measures, which include:
- Students in grades 1-12, in addition to staff and volunteers, will receive anti-bullying training.
- Immediate reporting and documentation of any suspected bullying.
- Parents of students suspected of bullying, as well as parents of students being bullied, will be notified by a phone call.
- All staff and volunteers must report “bad behavior” on school premises.
Background checks for host families
The board recommended a new procedure for any host families housing students for a school-sponsored trip to complete a full background check. This procedure must be completed by all persons 18 years and older who reside in the home. The board reviewed the first reading of the new procedure.
Participation of non-public and homeschooled students in the public schools
The board approved a measure to ensure consistency in extra-curricular activities with public, non-public and home-schooled students.
A student who is being educated at a non-public school or at home may be allowed to participate in one or more of the district’s on-going, co-curricular or extracurricular activities at the school the student would attend if enrolled in the district. They also will be allowed to enroll in one or more program courses provided that the enrollment request is submitted in writing to the superintendent prior to 10 days after the start of school.
Proposal for fine arts alternative credit
The board approved a motion for a fine arts alternative credit proposal as presented for the model of AP/Dual Credit classes. In order for a student to be approved for the alternative credit, the student must submit a proposal to the department chair, describe how he/she will present evidence of standard proficiency and agree to assessments used for grading.
PISA update testing
HSEHS and FHS have been awarded full subsidiaries worth $8,000 per school for the OECD test, to be conducted on Jan. 29 and 30. The test will provide data that compares HSEHS and FHS to other schools in developed nations. 89 students from the two schools will be selected randomly to participate in the test based on PISA test questions and metrics.
Piloting AP Capstone
A new diploma option that awards the AP Capstone Diplomas and Certificates to students who earn high marks in AP Capstone courses is being piloted for the 2014-215 school year by the College Board. FHS and HSEHS were invited to be among the first 100 schools in the nation to participate.
Students in the program will complete two newly developed AP Courses, AP Seminar and AP Research, along with any four other AP classes. In the fall of 214, parents and students are invited to attend an AP Capstone webinar, which will review the details of the program.