School officials discuss policy adjustments
On Jan. 9 Mountain Brook officials gathered at Cherokee Bend Elementary for the monthly Board of Education Meeting. In addition to recognitions and standard business, the board discussed three policy updates which affect the well-being of Spartan students.
The first update addresses the J-52 Jason Flatt Act Policy. Designed as a suicide awareness and prevention policy, this act amends a portion of the Code of Alabama 1975, and now includes ways to prevent harassment and violence. “Most of the things on this list that are required are things that we have already been doing,” said Dr. Dale Wisely. The only change, he said, was that the new law requires all faculty to be trained in suicide prevention annually.
The two remaining policies deal with children who may be in foster care within the city of Mountain Brook.
Formerly named Policy J-6a, Homeless, Migrant, Immigrant and Language Minority Student Attendance Policy will now also potentially include students who are in foster care and has been aptly renamed to reflect so.
The other policy that was discussed, named Policy J-6c School Placement of Children in Foster Care, is aimed at working with foster care families to provide choices of educational stability that are in the best interest of the student. According to the proposed policy, “A child in foster care will remain in his or her school of origin, unless it is determined that remaining in the school of origin is not in that child’s best interest.” If, for some reason it is not recommended that the child stay at his or her original school, the student “will be immediately enrolled in the appropriate Mountain Brook school even if records normal required for enrollment are not immediately available.”
While all three policies were presented, it was decided by the board that they remain tabled for one month to allow for community input.
Board members were also able to recognize the success of the high school students who competed in the State Trumbauer Theatre Festival Competition: Kate Edmonds, who earned third place in the Varsity Solo Acting Female Contemporary Dramatic; Tess Levine, who earned second place in the Novice Solo Female Musical Dramatic; Anne Noris, who earned first place in Varsity Female Musical Comedic; Ricky Feig, who earned first place in Varsity Set Design; and Thomas Jernigan, who earned first place in Novice Lighting Design.
Also during the meeting, members of the Board of Education:
- Approved the meeting minutes from Dec. 12.
- Recognized that January is National School Board recognition month.
- Presented this month’s financial statements and bank reconciliations.
- Approved the addition of four courses to the MBHS curriculum: AP Music Theory, AP Psychology, Math 112 Precalculus Trigonometry - Math 113 Precalculus Trigonometry and Algebra II with Trigonometry.
- Approved personnel recommendations.
- Approved the disposal of surplus items within the district.
- Approved the renewal of the Compass Line of Credit for $3 million as a protected measure for the district.
- Approved the bid from Fruhauf Uniforms Inc. for new marching band uniforms.
- Approved a resolution pertaining to tax renewal, which encourages the superintendent of Mountain Brook to inform the community of the election to renew the 5.7 and 18.1 mill school district tax on March 7 and the tax’s importance. The resolution also allowed for a small amount of spending to be used towards communication and community outreach regarding the tax.
- Tabled the purchase of new textbooks for recently added classes for one month to allow for community input.
- Announced that from Feb. 9-11 at 7 p.m., the MBHS Choir will be performing “Around the World” at the Fine Arts Center.
The next Board of Education meeting will be on Feb. 13 at Brookwood Forest Elementary.