GCHS Student Handbook Revised
After the GCISD school board decided to allow administrative revisions to the student handbook with only board review rather than a board vote, several changes for the new secondary school student handbook were enacted.
Language is now in place which indicates that Student Code of Conduct violations are handled by the school and statute law does not necessarily apply. Penal code violations are separate and handled by law enforcement.
There are new guidelines for advanced placement and dual credit courses. There are also changes to the exam exemption policy, grade points for class ranking (for graduates after 2001), physical education attire, and how twirlers are chosen. Dress and grooming rules now prohibit beach-type footwear, and the ban on athletic shorts and nylon wind shorts remains in place.
Some of the handbook changes tightened disciplinary rules. Students who violate attendance rules will now be assigned to Saturday school to make up the absences and will pay a fee of $25. Next-day after-school detention will also be used, with a possibility of before-school suspension as needed. No school transportation will be provided for those in detention.
Second and third gum chewing offenses will now be punishable by after-school detention, and a fourth offense warrants a day of in-school suspension.
Note: handbook changes are too lengthy to be dealt with in full here. Parents and students should read the new handbook carefully.
Secondary Principal Faith Scott reported the high school is adding concurrent physics and government classes. (Concurrent classes allow the student to get both high school and college credit for the same course.) The physics course will be taught on campus, and the concurrent government will be taught by Howard College via television in a “distance learning” arrangement.
Superintendent Steve Long presented a tentative high school class schedule which would be a dramatic change from the way classes have been offered in the past. Long and Scott said it would offer greater flexibility and more time, not only for classes, but for various extracurricular activities such as class meetings, UIL tutorials, faculty conferences, etc. Long commented that he is not concerned with what other area schools are doing, but rather with what best meets the needs of GCHS kids. While the board reacted favorably, Long said details of the schedule still need to be worked out, and it will be presented again at the July board meeting.
Golden Bearkat Pass
Long suggested, and the board approved, a Golden Bearkat Pass that will allow senior citizens to attend home athletic games free of charge. He said, “That group deserves something; they are great fans.” The passes will be available at the school administration offices before the first fall games.
The board authorized Duane Cox to apply for a Texas Infrastructure Fund grant of $75,000 for technology equipment and pledged $7,500 in district money to be spent in that area if the grant is approved. Cox said he has professional help in writing the grant and feels confident it will be approved. If so, Cox said 20 new units would be placed in the high school computer lab, each high school teacher would get a new computer in his/her classroom, and other technology equipment would be upgraded. A TIF grant for $82,000 was obtained in 1998.
Board members reported on the recent Texas Association of School Boards Convention in San Antonio, where they won a drawing for $1,000, which will probably be used for scholarships.
The board postponed action on a possible policy change that would allow the school to employ spouses of the superintendent, the two principals and the counselor after the practice was banned several years ago.
A uniform employee pay period was enacted, with checks to be issued the 20th of each month. The board also set up a district travel policy, approved Duncan Disposal for garbage service for $7,800 annually, and moved the time for regular board meetings to 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, beginning with the August meeting.
In other action, the board accepted the resignations of Jason Crenshaw, Rob Robinson and Lindy Robinson.