Disciplinary policies and construction funding were features of the Morongo Unified School District Board of Education meeting last night. Z107.7 Reporter Dan Stork was there and explains…
At a workshop preceding its regular meeting, the Morongo Unified School District Board of Education was briefed by Cynthia Vargas, a lawyer who consults with school districts, on new state laws that are leading the District to revise its policies on Suspensions and Expulsions. The thrust of the changes is to keep students who pose disciplinary problems in school, so that they don’t lose out on instruction. One program that is proposed is a “supervised suspension classroom,” in which students who have been removed from their regular classes will continue schoolwork under the guidance of a certified teacher. One Board concern was that such teaching assignments would reduce resources for students who do not pose disciplinary problems. In response, it was suggested that the increased per-student state funding from keeping kids in school could pay for such teachers. During the regular open session, the Board approved changes in its discipline policy to match new state rules on due process. It also established a new subfund on the new Joshua Tree Elementary School construction project, for accounting purposes, to track recently-awarded state funds. This $1.5 million grant will allow a like amount in Measure O bond funds to be returned to the District for use in other projects. During public comment, relatively stringent eligibility requirements were the subject of remarks by a Yucca Valley parent and by Twentynine Palms High School principal Justin Monical.
