School board approves new rules to curb vaping use

The Tea Area School Board met June 14 and discussed changes to the middle school, high school, activities and Chromebook handbooks.

In both the middle and high school handbooks, they updated the wording on dress code to remove visible chains. The books still discuss proper attire and items that have potential to harm. COVID-19 brought a different way to do pass slips. That change of going from shared paper slips to using a shared Google doc will stay.

Under restroom regulations, no more than one person is allowed in a stall. This rule is being implemented because it has been an issue with vaping. Student fees that will be identified in July will be displayed in the portal. The activity busing part will return to the pre-Covid wording in regards to encouraging students to ride home on the bus unless signed out by parents.

In the middle school book, wording was updated from attempt to need to communicate with parents when a child needs to be kept after school. No opened food may leave the lunchroom. Students violating good conduct are liable for disciplinary action at extracurricular or co-curricular activities. A school setting disruption moved from a class 3 to a class 4 in the discipline grid.

In the high school book, they reverted to the foreign exchange student policy prior to Covid of two students per year. While the district will communicate with parents or guardians about students’ missed classes, they will directly plan with the student a plan to make up work. Under youth possessions, they will be allowed to keep their backpacks throughout the day. Sophomores and older will be able to have open lunch. They discussed the discipline grid and moved a classroom setting disruption to a class 2. They also discussed disorderly conduct.

In the activities handbook, they will revisit the home school participation at a future meeting once they have more direction from the state department of education.

In the Chromebook handbook, the school will provide 100 percent coverage for the first unintentional damage caused by fire, unforeseen water loss and stolen computers.

With district Covid numbers at zero and the county number at 12 active cases, the board approved the COVID-19 response teams recommendation to move to masks optional. Anyone with a positive test will still need to quarantine.

The board approved the resignation of Clay Robinson as half game/concession manager.

They also approved the new hires of Corey Boadwine as foodservice director, Brenda Whitehead as middle school math teacher, Amber Hermanson as special ed teacher, Natasha Hinman as middle school behavior counselor, Keith Cutler as assistant boys basketball coach, Clay Robinson as ninth grade boys basketball coach, Logan Shockman as middle school football coach, Andrew Griffin as assistant track coach, Alyssa Gilbertson as middle school cross country coach, Scott Frey as half game/concession manager, Audrey Arendt as administrative assistant to superintendent with public relations and Jenna Whipple-Riley as technology service rep.

New summer contracts included Heidi Devlin, Sarah Spilde, Linzee Steever, Alexa Nelsen and Gina Coley as summer ESY teachers and Amy Petersen as summer ESY speech pathologist.

The board approved the course waivers for health and music appreciation of administrative rules to meet the needs of students. This means eighth-graders can earn high school credit for these courses.

In the business manager report, they approved the budget supplements and the copier lease.

They adjourned at 7:29 p.m.