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Charleroi Area School Board moves forward with new policies

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CHARLEROI – New year, new school policies.

Charleroi School Board on Tuesday approved the first reading of a school hazing policy. Superintendent Edward Zelich said that he sent letters to coaches and school personnel concerning this policy.

Zelich said the district had a hazing policy in place, but the updated policy defines hazing activity. It states that school personnel and students may not force anyone to eat or drink anything or take drugs or alcohol. People may not be forced to do physical activities or calisthenics, and may not be forced to be outside in cold and inclement weather. The policy also states that no hazing activities may be performed on or off school property.

Final readings of new policies addressing social media and maintaining professional adult/student boundaries were also held. Zelich said these policies spell out everything and are needed in this age of technology. Highlights of the policy state an employee cannot call a student on his or her cellphone unless it is an emergency, or email a student from a personal email account. It also states that teachers and students cannot be friends on Facebook. They new policy states that school employees may only contact students via email through the district email account.

The policy on maintaining professional adult/student boundaries draws a definite line of what’s appropriate and what’s not, Zelich said. For instance, personal gifts are not allowed to be exchanged between student and teacher. The policy also spells out the steps to take if a student or employee witnesses inappropriate behavior between a student and school employee and requires it be reported to an administrator, principal or superintendent.

Failure to report a suspected incident may result in disciplinary action and possible job loss. “The policies are in place to create and keep the students safe,” Zelich said. “Our students’ safety is our main concern.”

The board also had the final reading a policy allowing children of district employees living outside Charleroi Area boundaries to attend district schools at a 20 percent discount. The cost for nonresident elementary students to attend is $7,800 per year and the cost for nonresident middle school and high school students is $10,200 per year.

In other news, the board accepted the resignation of high school special education teacher Kayla Clair and approved hiring Heather Marie Macon at a salary of $34,175.

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