The Springs School District is seeking comments from parents, students, staff, and community members on its updated code of conduct and safety plan, both of which have been posted on the district's website, springsschool.org. The deadline for comments is Monday, Sept. 20, when the school board is expected to vote on adopting the two policies.
The district is encouraging people to send comments by email because its phone system is being upgraded. Administrators' and board members' email addresses are posted on the website.
Only one public comment was read for the record during a public hearing on Monday that lasted about five minutes. It pertained to the proposed overhaul of the student discipline policy to a new one called "restorative practices and intervention."
"We believe it is a wise policy that will deal with behavioral issues far more effectively than does a system premised solely on discipline/punishment," wrote two parents, Nicole LaBarbera and David Kelley. "In addition, by engaging children in mediation to resolve conflicts and misbehavior, the school will be modeling for the children how they can work to resolve conflict with others in their interactions outside of school, teaching them skills they can use throughout their lives."