The Newton school board had a first reading of an Internet Safety Education Policy at its meeting Monday.
The policy states students will be provided with instruction on Internet safety, which will include discussion of proper use of social networking sites, chat rooms and awareness of and response to cyberbullying.
In addition, the policy requires all students and staff to sign and comply with the district’s acceptable-use policy for technology.
The policy also states it will have Internet filtering in place.
The district is required to have a policy in place to receive funds through the federal E-rate program, said Gary Jantz, assistant superintendent of business.
E-rate is a program that collects fees from phone and Internet users.
Jantz said the program was implemented to ensure all schools, including rural schools, have access to phone and Internet service.
Newton receives about $50,000 per year through the program it uses to pay for Internet and phone service.
The policy will be up for a vote on the April 5 agenda.
Extra-curricular activities
The board also had a first reading of a policy that would allow students enrolled in a minimum of five hours to participate in co-curricular activities, such as music or drama, sponsored by the Kansas High School Activities Association. This mirrors the KSHSAA policy, Superintendent John Morton said.
The policy still will stipulate students must be enrolled full time (in seven classes) to qualify to participate in athletics.
Morton said the policy change will not affect many students. It primarily will affect those students who are homeschooled and are enrolled part time at Newton schools.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a bid from Wray Roofing Inc. for $361,955 for labor to replace and restore various roofs throughout the district.
• Approved the sale and/or disposal of surplus equipment.
• Approved a bid for carpet replacement from Carpet Emporium for $35,095.
• Approved changes to the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school calendars.
• Approved the building-level administrative or comparable contracts through the 2010-2011 school year for Victoria Adamé, Don Cameron, Greg Dietz, Shelli Elliott, Brian Engelken, Roger Erickson, George Leary, Joanelle Lucas, Lisa Moore, Chelie Nelson, Kevin Neuenswander, Jan Plummer, Ken Rickard, Vicki Rivero, Natise Vogt, Janet Weaver, Arthur Whillock and Janis Whitfield.
• Approved the requests for early retirement from Brad Cooper, Paul Buller, Connie Rickard and Galen Anderson.
• Accepted the letters of resignation from Torri Myers, Kalli Fitzgerald and Nancy Wissink.
• Accepted the .5 full-time equivalent increase of Erik Billings, special education at Chisholm, to one full-time equivalent for the remainder of the 2009-10 school year.
• Approved the resolution to add gifted services to Harvey County Special Education Cooperative.
• Accepted the gift request to Walton Rural Life Center of $1,000 from Walton Lion’s Club.
