Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

New group focuses on school district

A group of parents have gotten together to try and help improve Prescotts schools.

The group Concerned About Prescott Schools (CAPS), met Tuesday, June 21, at the Prescott-Nevada County Library to discuss the results of a meeting of its handbook committee.

Eric Barbaree, chairman, said he had met with Prescott Superintendent Hyacinth Deon, telling her of the groups plans and what the parents are concerned about.

Barbaree told the group he told her of the concern parents have about the school district and that they want to see the school improve. He also got information about parental involvement from Deon.

Penny Plunkett said overall the handbook is good, but the rules need to be enforced. There does need to be some changes. If the handbook were enforced we would see big changes.

The group agreed no head wear of any kind should be allowed on campus, and girlss tops should not reveal any cleavage.

Barbaree said he would like to see community service done as a form of discipline. Students who get in trouble could clean up around the campus.

Willie Wilson, dean of students at Prescott High School, lauded the group saying it was a great thing and what the district has been looking for. Prescott High School is your school and we want to please our patrons.

He said the PHS handbook committee would be meeting again before the Prescott School Board meets in July and invited members of CAPS to be on the committee. Handbooks, he added, are set up for two years, and its time for Prescotts to be addressed. Wilson called the groups suggestions reasonable.

There was discussion about students being tardy for class. Wilson handed out information concerning discipline problems addressed this past school year. Students being tardy, he said, is the reason for most being sent to In School Suspension (ISS).

The districts handbook committee addressed the tardy issue as well. It suggests corporal punishment or detention for the third tardy, with a letter being sent to the students parent/guardian explaining the next series of steps. The schools committee proposes three days in ISS for six tardies, and Saturday schools for nine tardies.

One of the problems at PHS, he said, is how teachers define what tardy is. Some say a student is in class if they have broken the plane of the doorway as the tardy bell rings. Others consider students tardy if they arent in their desks when the bell rings. We need uniformity.

Students have seven minutes between classes, while most schools in the surrounding areas have about five. This proposed change will also be put before the Board, Wilson said.

In addition, he said there will no longer be first period athletics for boys, though it will remain for girls because of usage of the gym.

Saturday schools, he said, have proven to be a deterrent to discipline problems at other schools. The proposal put before the Board was Saturday school would be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. during the school year.

Students being sent to Saturday school must do their homework assignments, and if they are late getting there, they wont be let in. This will result in the addition of a Saturday to their sentence. Being late or absent from Saturday school twice, Wilson said, will result in a Families In Need of Services (FINS) petition being filed with the courts.

Barbaree said CAPS wants more enforcement of the rules in the handbook and see the school tighten its belt when handling students.

Wilson told the group the district is bidding out for cameras, which would be in operation day and night. Photos from the cameras would be downloaded onto a hard drive. The cameras, though, would not be in classrooms, but spread throughout the school.

CAPS members said their children have said the bathrooms are filled with smoke, and they are afraid to go in there. While the cameras couldnt be placed near stalls or urinals, they could be located near sinks to film who is smoking, or possibly gambling  another problem CAPS wants addressed.

The topic of bullying came up, with some saying bullying is going on at McRae Middle School. Wilson said the bullying policy is being strictly enforced when a student is caught bullying someone. Therein lies the problem, as he said its difficult to catch someone in the act of being a bully.

In cases where it cant be determined if bullying is occurring, the district has a no contact contract where the two students in question are not allowed to even speak to one another for a specific period of time. He said there will be a meeting with parents on bullying before school starts.

Barbaree said CAPSs handbook committee needs to write up its proposed changes to be given to Wilson. He told Wilson to feel free to call on CAPS members for any committees the schools have.

I like your attitude, Wilson said. Its your school, its your children. I encourage more parent visits to the school.

Barbaree said CAPS would like to address the Personnel Policy Committee (PPC) about adults using profanity in front of and toward students.

When you hear of these things happening, report it to the principal, Wilson said. If theyre not responsive, go to the superintendent.