USD 413 accepts state policy updates, with one exception

The USD 413 Board of Education has opted to not adopt a recommended policy update from the Kansas Association of School Boards.

KASB suggested that language pertaining to what’s known as “family nights” be stricken. The nights in question, Sundays and Wednesdays, are typically void of afterschool activities, particularly those that are sports-related. Wednesdays are also nights on which church services are often held. 

“If we adopt the policy the way that KASB has outlined, then that would get rid of that protection of Sunday and Wednesday nights,” said board member Heather Guernsey. 

Guernsey said that she discerned KASB’s primary rationale as the entity wanting to give more control to local school boards. While a limited number of preapproved activities are slated for those days, removal of the language would allow districts to hold activities on the days in question.

“It’s really our decision, and I would like to keep family nights intact,” Guernsey said.

Assistant Superintendent Matt Koester appeared to be on board with KASB’s recommendation. Compared to previous years, there has been a slight uptick in Wednesday evening activities held at Chanute High School and Royster Middle School. By remaining status quo and going against the grain on the state’s recommendation, the district could potentially be exposed to running afoul of its own policy. 

“Our thought process was that we didn’t want to have a policy that we were actually breaking through no control of our own, because things can get scheduled without our control,” Koester said. “The high school has a few events that are scheduled on Wednesday night, so we would just like to make the recommendation that no school activities would take place on Wednesday night that were not already preapproved because we don’t want to be breaking our policy. We do agree that if it’s not already prescheduled that it should continue to go through the process of approval.”

Board member Jeff Caldwell indicated that the potential change could be impactful. 

“It’s a longstanding practice within this school district to function in that regard, so I don’t think it represents any change in the way we’ve been doing business,” he said.

Guernsey asked if events had already been scheduled on Wednesday nights for the 2023-24 school year.

“Likely because schools are going to carry forward their schedules that they already have,” she said.

Koester said that a jam-packed schedule of activities is another prominent issue related to the policy. 

“You just run out of nights. I think that’s the issue with the amount of activities and sporting events that we host and try to fit into schedules,” he said. “I think schools just run out of nights, and it seems to follow certain sports that end up (competing) on Wednesdays.” 

It was noted that volleyball has been slotted into Wednesday nights, and it’s difficult to find officials for varsity, junior varsity and C-team. 

“What I’m concerned about is if we strike this language, it will just become a regular thing,” Guernsey said. “Every single Wednesday night will be just filled with activities.

“Even if kids don’t go to church, it’s really nice  to  have  a  night  that  is  not  busy with things. So I can see why we’d want to do that, but I also don’t want to write that in the policy.”

Guernsey also noted that policy language states that superintendents are allowed to permit exceptions. 

“How can we write that policy so it’s not the norm and it still is an exception?” she said. 

Koester weighed in.

“The policy as written could cover it as a directive from the superintendent, who then has to make the directive to the athletic directors that when you go to scheduling meetings, you need to find every possibility to not schedule on a Wednesday,” he said. “We’re not always going to have control of that. Sometimes there is no control to absolutely say we can’t do that on a Wednesday because of other schools.”

Caldwell quizzed Superintendent Kellen Adams on whether he had any issues with being the gatekeeper.

“No, it’s worked quite well,” Adams said. “This removes the carte blanche that is currently going to exist if you remove the strike-through.”

Adams used postseason basketball as an unknown when it comes to preapproved scheduling.

“We don’t know if we’re going to qualify for sub-state until the last Friday of the season,” he said. 

He also noted inclement weather, as Wednesdays have been used as makeup dates. 

“I think (our policy) allows enough flexibility, while also prioritizing what we believe to be important, which is Wednesday nights and otherwise having a moratorium set on them,” he said. 

Guernsey then moved for approval of all KASB’s updates to district policy with the exception of family nights. The motion was approved by a 4-0 vote, as three board members were absent from the meeting. 

There was also a KASB suggestion related to language about informal complaints, but it was not discussed by the board.