Officials mandate criminal checks on school volunteers

By Lynn Hotaling

The new policy on volunteers states that "all school volunteers other than occasional guest speakers, one-time volunteers under professional staff supervision or those not in direct contact with students will be required to complete a criminal background check before working with students."

This provision will also apply to both paid and unpaid non-staff coaches, the policy states.

"We really debated this (volunteer policy)," said Superintendent Mack McCary. "But there is much information that this is one of the strongest steps we can take to keep pedophiles out of our schools."

Board members also approved recommendations and an action plan presented by Allen Painter, chairman of the Safe Schools Advisory Panel. The panel's final plan is similar to preliminary recommendations Painter made last November and provides for a school safety needs assessment and in-service training for teachers on verbal, physical and sexual abuse and harassment. Under the plan, students would also receive sexual abuse and harassment training at least once each year.

Informational packets will be provided to each family, and school system policies will be more widely disseminated when the plan is implemented, Painter said.

A key element of the action plan will be to "refine the internal process of reporting verbal, physical and sexual abuse and/or harassment utilizing a highly competent, trusted and accessible school team."

Board member Ray Trine asked how Painter expected to achieve this goal.

"How do we develop people kids can talk to and overcome the 'code of silence?'" Trine asked.

The school system hopes to accomplish this aim by recognizing people already on staff who kids are comfortable talking to and allowing them more time to reach students, Painter said.

Superintendent McCary expressed his appreciation to Painter and the other members of the panel for their work in formulating the plan.

McCary established the panel in August after first-year Blue Ridge School teacher and athletic director Joe Brooks pleaded guilty to eight felony and three misdemeanor sex-related charges involving Blue Ridge students. He was dismissed from his duties at the school July 25.

Though events at Blue Ridge precipitated the formation of the panel, both McCary and Painter said the intent was not to investigate a specific school but to make recommendations to improve safety at all schools.

In other policy action, school leaders made changes to the policy governing fund-raising by parent organizations, adding a provision that the superintendent must be notified of the event. Parent groups must obtain the approval of the principal for all fund-raisers. In addition, the new policy limits each school to two major fund-raisers per year.

Policy amendments approved by the board did not include changes to the elementary school attendance policy recommended Feb. 11 by school social workers. Instead, a panel will be formed to make recommendations for an attendance policy for all county schools.

"We seem to change our attendance policy every year," McCary said. "That's an indicator that we've not figured out what we want to do."

Instead of approving any changes now the superintendent said, he'd rather take advantage of an offer made by Harris Regional Hospital.

"Harris Regional will loan us someone to work with (Assistant Superintendent) Nancy Sherrill to form a panel," McCary said. "The social workers did what we asked, but we need to involve others."

The superintendent then recommended board members not approve the policy changes proposed by the social workers last month. "We'll come back later with information from the panel," McCary said.

Social workers had recommended that all illness-related absences after five per semester be labeled unexcused without a doctor's note. This would allow them to begin intervention much sooner in cases where students have excessive absences.

Social workers cannot begin legal proceedings against a parent until a child accumulates 10 unexcused absences. Under the current policy, student performance suffers because all absences are excused, and students never accumulate the 10 unexcused absences required for intervention, social workers told board members.

Also Feb. 25:

- Auditor Scott Hughes told board members that Jackson County Schools received an unqualified opinion - a favorable report - on this year's school system audit.

One area of concern Hughes mentioned is that the school system's fund balance has declined. The fund balance actually available is down to $184,000, he said, though the school system has another $200,000 in the fund balance that is already appropriated.

- Maintenance director Arlin Middleton reported that he recently toured the new Scotts Creek School with project architect Ronnie Smith of Spartanburg, S.C.

Smith intends to work with contractors during spring break to address any remaining items of concern at the new facility, Middleton said. Smith and Middleton will walk through the building again in April to check for problems that need to be noted before the warranty expires in May, Middleton said.

- Board members recognized SMHS wrestlers and swimmers who competed in the state tournaments.

Both swimming coach Johanna Lewis and wrestling coach Todd Odom expressed appreciation to SMHS Athletic Director Si Simmons and to the school's athletic booster club for the backing their teams have received this year.

- Exceptional students from Smokey Mountain Elementary demonstrated the computers they use as part of their "wireless classroom during the Spotlight on Quality segment of the board meeting. Laura Spalding teaches the class.

- In personnel action, board members approved the employment of David Mayhew, tutor, Blue Ridge.

Resignations were accepted from Tammy Shuler, DDC assistant and bus driver, Cullowhee Valley; Rebecca Crowe, teacher assistant, and Anne Strawn, school food service, both at SMES; and Patricia Wehunt, tutor, Fairview.

Approved as non-employee coaches were Ben Lunnen, Andy Lunnen, Foord Lyman and Keith Anderson, boys baseball, and Teresa Shular, girls softball, all at Cullowhee Valley; and Joey Hawkins, John Davis and Adam Holt, baseball, SMES.

Approved as substitute teachers were Tammy Holder, Karen Spratt, Lisa Enloe and Allison Pegram.

- School officials will hold a policy work session Monday, March 11, at noon. Ordinarily the board holds a work session at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. The school board's next regular meeting will be Monday, March 25, at 6 p.m.

Back to Archive: 03/07/02.