Multiple policies up for comment in Hancock County Schools

NEW CUMBERLAND -- Five changes to Hancock County Schools policies currently are up for review by the public.

During the Hancock County Board of Education’s meeting Monday, officials noted the policy proposals are now available for a 30-day public comment period.

They include policies for the "Transportation of Students in Non-Conforming, Board-Owned Vehicles," the "Use of Communication Devices by Bus Drivers," a policy for "Bus Driver Drug and Alcohol Testing," a policy for "Personal Leave Benefits" and a policy for "Personnel Seniority."

"All these are on the website for people to look at," Superintendent Walter Saunders said.

The purpose of the vehicle policy is to establish "clear procedures and safety requirements" for the use of vehicles that do not include school buses, delineating authorized uses, certification requirements, including training and health and safety requirements, and vehicle safety requirements.

School Board President Jeff Woofter asked about current uses of the district-owned vans and whether they are taken out of the county for any purpose.

"Do we use them for employee trips?" Woofter asked, referencing travel for conferences or training sessions with multiple district representatives attending as an example.

Saunders indicated the school system has been cutting back on such instances in recent months but also encouraging carpooling when necessary.

The Communications Devices policy adds regulations on the use of cellular phones and other electronic devices, prohibiting their use by drivers while operating a bus and by aides while students are present.

The policy also covers the use of GPS devices.

The alcohol and drug policy describes practices in relation to any bus drivers found to have, or suspected to have, used alcohol or controlled substances, including suspensions and when testing is to be conducted. This includes the potential for random testing and testing under reasonable suspicion.

The policy was originally enacted in 2008 and has been updated previously on at least two occasions.

The Personal Leave Benefits policy notes "each regular full-time employee shall be entitled annually to one and one-half personal leave days for each employment month or major fractions thereof in the employee’s employment term."

The policy notes the acceptable uses of those leave days, as well as actions to be taken if unaccumulated leave is taken. This includes the use of leave for sick days, health conditions of family members, personal development and more, as well as how to submit requests for their use.

The seniority policy establishes updated regulations for the accrual of seniority during employment, how it is calculated, methods for comparing seniority between employees, classifications for service personnel and how seniority is to be considered in the event of school consolidation.

Saunders noted that while the district has a 30-day comment period established for any new or amended policies, because of the necessary time for review and approval by the state Superintendent of Schools, it could take up to three months for a policy to receive full approval.