May 12, the Community School District (CSD) school committee did a first read for three new or updated policies. As this was an introductory action, no votes were taken.  

The first was the standard procedures for physical restraint and seclusion of a student. Per the document, physical restraint is only permitted when a student’s behavior presents an imminent risk of serious physical injury to themselves or others, and only after other less intrusive interventions have failed or been deemed inappropriate.

If possible, the physical restraint should be carried out by a staff member trained in a Maine Department of Education-approved program. If a non-trained staff member intervenes, the certified person should be summoned if the situation continues. The procedure for seclusion follows the same guidelines, with the addition that a dedicated seclusion space should be 60 square feet minimum, and seclusion cannot take place in a locked room.

Director of Special Services Julie Hansbury explained the update expands the definition of medical professional to include the school nurse, if there is an injury that needs to be elevated. In the section outlining what actions do not fall under physical restraint, such as physical escort that includes the temporary touching or holding of the hand, wrist, shoulder or back to induce a student to walk to a safe location, the word “voluntary” was removed.

“Brief contact with the students ... is allowed to occur without it being voluntary, because sometimes they just need a nudge in the direction to get them to a safer space,” she said.  

The second policy related to the recent state ruling that all Maine public schools are required to implement a "bell-to-bell" cell phone ban during the school day by Aug. 1. The CSD implemented a similar ban this past year, which requires students to lock away all phones, smartwatches and Bluetooth headphones in a Yondr pouch, which is magnetically unlocked at the end of the day. Technology Integrator Abby Manahan suggested adding language that also banned personal devices such as laptops, because students have been using those to get around the ban.

The last policy would approve the use of a “multifunction school activity bus,” a vehicle designed to carry 15 or fewer passengers for field trips, off-campus extracurricular activities, or other school-sponsored travel that involves small numbers of students.

In other business, the board discussed creating a PowerPoint for future budget votes to offer the community clearer and more in-depth information than what a line-by-line budget provides.  

“I think the more clear that we can be about what are all of these costs, truthfully, it does the thing where people can prepare themselves, and it also does the other thing (where) it cuts down on the misinformation that spreads,” said Tory Paxson.

The board welcomed new member Mike Bartles of Boothbay Harbor. Jennifer Whitney was reelected chair, and Paxon as vice chair.