Spotsylvania County Public Schools employees who run afoul of division policies will see disciplinary action escalate before termination.
The school board approved Policy GCPD-R regarding progressive discipline during its work session Monday night. The second reading of the policy was approved 5-0, with Lee Hill District representative Lisa Phelps and April Gillespie of the Berkeley District absent.
Salem District board member Lorita Daniels questioned the policy, emphasizing that some matters require immediate termination, particularly if a student’s well-being is endangered by an employee. Chief Human Resources Officer Amy Williams assured Daniels that state law and other division policies address her concerns. Superintendent Clint Mitchell also pushed back, suggesting that if the policy becomes too specific, it won’t be as effective.
Mitchell said some situations, obviously, will go straight to termination, especially if Child Protective Services or law enforcement is involved. Mitchell brought up one such incident — the alleged molestation of disabled children last September on a school bus by an aide who is facing felony charges.
“We didn’t go through a progressive discipline process,” Mitchell said. “We went directly for termination because the actions of that employee led to termination because it was so egregious … When we start getting very granular, it gets tricky because we start building a list, a list, a list and when do we stop?”
The board decided to include in the policy the language in state code that leads to the revocation of a teacher’s license: “Conduct with direct and detrimental effects on the health, welfare, discipline or morale of a student or minor may be grounds for termination.”
The first step in the progressive discipline process for a minor offense is an oral reprimand documented by an email or memo. That second minor offense or first major offense requires a memo of concern. Repeat minor or major infractions will result in a formal letter of reprimand. After additional violations, the employee will be suspended, demoted or placed on probation before the final step of termination.
Supervisors are responsible for conducting thorough investigations, meeting with the employee, clearly identifying and communicating problems, allowing the employee an opportunity to respond, explaining expectations, outlining consequences for non-compliance, documenting actions in accordance with policy and informing HR of any concerns.
After the first reading of the policy, SCPS staff added an improvement plan, which involves documentation of progress, including a follow-up memo stating that performance expectations have been met and will continue to be monitored. Employee evaluations will include comments reflecting improvement, as well.
“It’s important to acknowledge that people learn from mistakes … we are a learning institution,” Courtland District board member Carol Medawar said.
The board’s other approved policies involved a student representative on the school board and a policy regarding third-party complaints and resolutions.
The latter was approved 5-0 with no discussion. The policy establishes clear procedures for parents, students, employees and members of the public to register and resolve complaints.
The policy states that the school board encourages complaints to be handled at “the most immediate and appropriate level.” For example, complaints regarding students will first be handled by teachers, while notifying assistant principals is the first step in a complaint regarding a teacher.
The policy requires that school officials provide courteous and prompt responses to complainants after an investigation. The superintendent will inform the school board if, in his or her judgment, the complaint indicates a need for a policy change, represents a widespread concern, raises substantial concerns about the educational program or if it will impact the division’s reputation.
The student representative policy passed 4-1 with Medawar casting the lone dissenting vote. The student will serve in a non-voting, advisory capacity. Interested students must be in the 11th or 12th grade, have a 2.5 GPA or higher and submit an application by September of each year. One representative and one alternate will be selected, and will begin their term in January of each year.
Medawar reiterated the same concerns she shared during the vote on the first reading — that the board’s oftentimes-contentious nature doesn’t lend itself to a positive environment for a student representative.
Belen Rodas, who represents the Chancellor District, said it’s not the responsibility of the student to keep the board members in line.
“I am going to be optimistic because I do believe we will behave up here when we have a student representative because I think that’s important that we do,” Daniels added. “We are training the next generation of leaders. If we haven’t gotten that message by now, I’m going to ask, ‘What’s wrong with us?’”
