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Katy Citizen Watchdog$ |
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We’re Taxpayers. It’s Our Money. |
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Katy School Trustees Make Changes To Discipline Plan |
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The Katy Independent School District has added flexibility to its discipline management plan and student code of conduct by endorsing several amendments that relate to student attendance, conduct and dress guidelines. The changes, approved by school board trustees in a 6-0 vote Monday, will go into effect in the 2008-09 school year. The plan is reviewed by administration officials annually and changes are proposed to the board. One of the most significant changes will allow students who are assigned to an education alternative placement program to participate in extracurricular activities on their home campuses when the placement extends into the next school year. Assistant superintendent Bonnie Holland said the student must first obtain the approval of the principal from the home school as well as the alternative school. Holland said the district is reaching out to parents and students who are concerned about the loss of practice opportunity from extracurricular programs such as band, orchestra, and choir during the students' alternative placement. "These students will also be allowed to attend summer activities on the home campus," she said. "They can already attend Katy ISD summer school." Another change will be to allow students in some instances to wear clothing that depicts weapons. For instance, Holland said, if the student is demonstrating pride because his parent served in the military, it would be allowed. However, students are still prohibited from wearing garments that portray threatening or violent use of weapons, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, nudity, gang affiliation and insults to race, religion, gender or ethnicity. There will be tougher restrictions for cell phone use on elementary campuses than secondary campuses next year. Elementary students can't carry phones during the day, while riding on the bus or during afterscool activities. In junior high and high school, students can carry phones but they are expected to be turned off and out of sight during the instructional day, Holland said. Previously, only high school students were allowed to keep phones in their possession. Middle school pupils had to store them in lockers during school hours. Under a change to attendance regulations, students who have received an attendance warning letter will need to have a note from a physician or a health clinic to receive an excused absence. Parents can also take students to school to be assessed by the nurse. Holland said advisory groups such as the Katy Improvement Council, composed of staff and parents, had input to the changes. In other matters, trustees renewed the district's policy for property insurance with Travelers Companies, Inc., for a premium of $1.087 million to cover $50 million in losses. The value of district property has increased by $120 million since 2007 and the total insurable value for district property is now $1,175,298,508, Superintendent Alton Frailey said in a June 25 recommendation to trustees. helen.eriksen@chron.com
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Helen Eriksen, Houston Chronicle |
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Date: 06/24/2008 |
