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DCS Board establishes student bullying policy

February 21, 2019February 21, 2019 Jan McDonald Alabama, anger management, Board of Education, community, contract, DCS, Demopolis, Demopolis City Schools, hospital, meeting, news, policy, program

After concerns arose following the tragic suicide of a fourth-grader, the Demopolis City Board of Education Tuesday voted to establish a student bullying policy.

The decision came after two public hearings on the issue. The board adopted the Jamari Terrell Williams Student Bullying Policy provided by the Alabama State Department of Education.

The board entered into an agreement with Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital to provide athletic trainers on site for all home athletic events. In return, the BOE will provide marketing opportunities for the hospital.

An 18-month contract with Classworks approved by the board will help teachers identify areas of instruction for students who need special help. The system-wide initiative, paid for with federal funding, will provide interim assessments for K-8 reading, language and math; 3-5 science, and high school algebra I, geometry and English I.

In other action, the board approved:

Data governance and use policy
Inventory dispositions
The 2019-2020 calendar to have 180 days of instruction
The district textbook committee focusing on technology education
Out-of-state/overnight field trips for the DHS DECA club Feb. 20-21 to Birmingham and the DHS JROTC March 8-9 to Anniston
Procedural change for the alternative school students at DMS.
DMS American with Disabiities Act renovation project schedule. This segment will include bathrooms and signage and should be completed by the start of the new school term in August.
Addition of a system-wide Professional Development Day on April 19.

The board approved the following personnel report:

Conditional employment for Katie Kolar, U.S Jones Elementary, pending graduation and certification, effective August 2019.
Substitutes: Juanita Jackson for lunchrooms only and Kolar as long-term sub at USJ effect Feb. 20.
Part-time contract for Dale Foster, WES music instructor, pending background check and certification.
Discontinue DHS assistant baseball supplement for Cody Sanders.

In his comments, Supt. Kyle Kallhoff said the school system was hit by the flu outbreak but not as severely as last year. Attendance percentage was down to 89 percent one week but has risen to the normal 95 percent or more.

Kallhoff said the school system is working with West Alabama Mental Health to work on a mandatory family anger management program to help students who have anger problems and their families.

He thanked the Demopolis City Schools Foundation for sponsoring Gratitude Grams during February to honor teachers and administrators.

Kallhoff attended the Winter Formal for students with special needs sponsored by DHS students. He said there were many positive comments from all those who went.

The fourth annual Young Writers Symposium is being planned for early spring.

Students, staff and teachers of the month from WES and USJ were honored at the meeting. From WES were Andrea Dunn, first grade teacher; Patricia Harris, special education aide, and first grader Aiden Burns.

Honored from USJ were Jami Webb, teacher; child nutrition worker Cindy Murphy, and Monea Glover, 8^th grade student.