The Rossville Consolidated School District Board of Education approved personnel appointments, five policy revisions and several safety and operational plans during its Aug. 4 meeting.
All action items passed unanimously, with board members Hufford, Michael, McCullough and Root voting in favor.
The board accepted Paul Mullen’s resignation as Rossville Elementary general music teacher, effective July 22, and Emma Doering’s resignation as a preschool instructional assistant, effective Aug. 3.
Selia Crouch was appointed elementary music teacher at a base salary of $46,000, with Amy Goris serving as her mentor. Gabbie Hamilton was hired as a preschool instructional assistant, and Brittany Lewis was approved as a substitute teacher. The board also approved a job description for the Clinton-Carroll Joint Services assistant director of exceptional needs.
Extracurricular appointments included Angie Bogan, elementary yearbook; Taylor Mink, Spell Bowl; Christina Schaefer, Art Club and high school Student Council; Jason Newhouser, auditorium and theater programs, Fine Arts Department chair and Speech Team; Linda Cleveland, assistant auditorium supervisor and assistant Speech Team sponsor; and Amanda Oakes, Dance Team.
Class sponsors are Cory Dunn and Tracy Fife, Grade 12; Abigail Funk and Kelsey Hall, Grade 11; Anne Meeks, Grade 10; Joel Wilson, Grade 9; Vince McClure, Grade 8; Royce Huffer, Grade 7; and Stephen Back, Grade 6.
Other appointments covered department chairs, FFA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Esports, National Honor Society, Spanish Club, student councils, vocal and instrumental music, and yearbook.
The board gave final approval to revisions of Policy 3420, Resignation of Employees; Policy 4300, Student Discipline Rules; Policy 4320, Attendance; Policy 4340, Student Acceptable Use; and Policy 4360, Reporting Threats Made to Employees.
The employee-resignation policy now directs employee resignations to the superintendent or designee and a superintendent’s resignation to the board president. Employees must be notified of board action within 10 days.
Student-discipline revisions expand prohibited weapons to include pocketknives and imitation firearms. The policy also broadens language covering violations of law, conduct rules and school policies, and requires reviews of certain expulsions before the next semester or school year.
Attendance changes update when students may be counted as present, including qualifying legislative service, election work, military duty, Civil Air Patrol participation, State Fair activities, FFA or 4-H events and court appearances. Religious observances are identified as administrator-approved absences.
The rewritten Student Acceptable Use Policy prohibits password sharing, equipment damage, online harassment, releasing personal information and accessing sexually explicit material. It also requires internet filtering and allows parents to request additional filtering for school-owned devices used away from school.
The threat-reporting policy requires employees to immediately report threats, intimidation, battery or harassment involving a school employee — including themselves — to the building principal. The principal must notify local law enforcement.
The board also conducted a first reading of proposed revisions to Policy 4302, Bus Discipline. The proposal would replace a driver-recommended one-day suspension after a third minor violation with referral to a building administrator.
Other approved items included school bus routes and the transportation safety plan, the confidential Emergency Operations Plan, and certified and classified employee evaluation plans.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1.