District 113 Revises Student Conduct Rules

Student discipline was at the forefront of discussions for Township High School District 113 as the school board debated changes in policies at its meeting last Monday.

“I’ve read through this,” board member said about the proposal. “I think it’s too harsh.”

Small said some of the consequences of the new disciplinary policy might be too severe, although he did not elaborate. He sought an additional meeting to reassess the new codes regarding student conduct at and Deerfield high schools.

“These are codes that are reviewed annually and have been subject to meetings with principals, students, etc.,” said board president Harvey Cohen. “They have been reviewed and debated every which way.

"The [school] deans have discretion, as do the principals, on applying policies and determining their consequences,” he added.

Cohen also said it would be asking a great deal of the deans and others who worked on the policy to participate in another meeting about the matter. 

Despite Small's reservations, some minor revisions were approved Monday night.

The disciplinary changes come on the heels of an incident last month in which a student was expelled from Highland Park High School over an alleged drug-related offense. Action was taken against the teenager, who was only identified in the records as No. 2134650, during a special board meeting on May 27.

Cohen said Monday that only two expulsions had occurred in the last two years, both involving the alleged distribution of narcotics.

Assistant Superintendent Sue Hebson confirmed last Tuesday that one of the expulsions referred to the recent case. However, she said the incident was not the reason for the policy review, as it is part of  an annual process.

The student expelled in May can petition for reinstatement to the high school for  the 2012-13 school year.

Hebson said the new policy was no harsher than the previous one, noting that changes included a clarification that a student suspended for alcohol or tobacco possession on school grounds would miss 20 school days rather than just 20 calendar days.

“We made very few changes,” said Hebson. “We’re just making our policies consistent.”

Study groups formed to examine district needs

Also at Monday's meeting, the school board moved forward with plans to create four community-based study groups to help determine how best to achieve the district’s needs. A market research team has met to discuss polling and research options as part of the effort. 

The groups, which will include two board members, will focus on:

• Teaching and learning needs - focusing on classroom needs, the Deerfield High School library and other spaces where students learn.
• Physical education needs - focusing on athletics, the 1914-built buildings and the Deerfield High School athletic fields.
• Structural needs - focusing on such items as roofing, plumbing and heating and ventilation.
• Financial needs - focusing on a cost analysis and estimates. 

They are some of the same concerns that the District 113 sought to address in its April 5 ballot referendum. that called for issuing $133 million in bonds to pay for renovations and other projects.

“I recommend we do a thorough job in this process,” said . “We are starting again.”

Fornero said a number of community members have signed up to participate in the study groups, whose meetings will be open to the public. The groups will tour the school facilities during what he refers to as “peak times,” which will be this winter when the weather confines students mainly indoors. 

The superintendent added that the time frame for the groups’ work would be between now and November 2012.

Cohen said there was no decision made on pursuing a second referendum.

“If we would do that, that decision will only be made after reports from the leadership team and study groups,” the board president said. “What the future holds, we’ll see after the reports come in.”

On the matter of finances, the board set a public hearing on the for Aug. 22.