Hampton School Board updates portions of district's handbooks

Members of the Hampton School Board met Aug. 11 to vote on several new initiatives before school begins Aug. 21.

The board voted unanimously to adopt a revised policy to No. 227 controlled substance and paraphernalia in the school’s handbook. The new policy will include restrictions on vaping and newer drugs such as Kratom. Additionally, it has some minor changes to verbiage under the reasonable testing and suspicion section.

This phrasing was removed: “The testing may include but is not limited to the analysis of blood, urine, saliva or the administration of a Breathalyzer test.”

And this paragrah was added: “If a student refuses to give consent to drug or alcohol testing, or if the test is otherwise obstructed, compromised or adulterated, a violation of this drug policy shall be presumed, and the student shall be subject to any and all of the appropriate disciplinary and nondisciplinary sanctions and procedures which accompany a positive test or other finding of drug or alcohol us.”

Changes also were made to the schools bullying and cyberbullying section No. 249 in the handbook.

The word “harassment” has been added in conjunction with the word “discrimination” where it previously had not been included.

The school will review this specific policy annually with all of the students in the district’s schools.

Hampton has made some major changes to its “response to instruction and intervention,” or RtII, section in the elementary school handbook.

“This process is part of our commitment to ensuring all students receive high-quality, research-based instruction that meets their individual needs. RtII involves regular screening and benchmark assessments for all students to identify those who may benefit from extra support or enrichment in reading or math. When a need is identified, a school-based support team, including the classroom teacher and the RtII support teacher, works together to plan and monitor targeted interventions,” as stated in the new guidelines.

The RtII section of the handbook goes on to explain the role of the teacher as well: “The RtII support teacher is trained to help design and implement these strategies and to assist classroom teachers in addressing learning or behavioral challenges.”