Messages From the Superintendent
I suspect last week’s tragedy in Georgia’s schools hit most of you as hard as it hit not only me but the entire District.
Rest assured; we continue to:
- Take every threat seriously
- Work closely with law enforcement whenever we have threats
- Work closely with law enforcement as we seek out best practices
- Make capital and technology investments, where appropriate, to increase safety and security
- Keep the safety of students and staff our top priority
I recommit to giving you more timely information on situations that occur in the schools. We have not started the school year off as well in this area as we need to. We have refocused our efforts and you should get more frequent communications on events that occur in the schools.
Now for my request.
Please encourage your student to talk to you, a teacher, a bus driver, a guidance counselor, an administrator, a School Resource Officer or some trusted adult if they see or hear something. We can’t address issues if we don’t know about them.
Please talk to your students about your expectations.
Please get involved in your school so you are aware and can ask questions.
To keep our most valuable resources, our students and staff, safe, we must work together.
Thanks
ArnieParents/Guardians, the start of a new school year is an exciting time. We are ready and anxious to welcome back your students and start the school year.
As we start the new year, I want to go over a few items.
I must start with a sincere “Thank You”. I encouraged you to enroll your students early so we do not have as many to register at the start of the year, and you responded. We have more students enrolled now than in past years. I appreciate your support and assistance.
Personal Communication Devices
Last April, the Hamblen County School Board approved, and we implemented, a revised Personal Communication Device Policy for student Personal Communication Devices. The policy remains unchanged and will be enforced on Day 1. Please remind your students of the policy so we get off to a smooth start.
Drugs
Last year, I brought a concern about student drug use to your attention. https://www.hcboe.net/messagefromsuperintendent02/26/2024 . The drug threat is not a school issue but a community issue. Unfortunately, this threat has not departed our community over the summer break. We will continue our efforts to eradicate drugs from the schools and continue our efforts to educate students on the dangers of drug use. I see this as both a safety issue and a hindrance to ensuring the presence of the right learning environment issue. Please discuss this topic with your students so they know your thoughts on drugs and drug use. If you have a suggestion or a particular concern, please reach out to your school’s administrator.
Code of Conduct
One of the new state laws requires the Hamblen County Department of Education to develop a “Code of Conduct” that applies to school and sporting event visitors. The Code of Conduct will be sent home in the coming weeks for you to sign https://www.hcboe.net/codeofconduct . A subset of the Code of Conduct will be posted at every entrance to our schools and sport sites. We expect all parties to adhere to the Code of Conduct.
Dress Code
Please refresh yourself and your student with our Student Dress Code https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=C425CC264269ABEF!31755&ithint=file%2cdocx&authkey=!AAfEr-Hbv1euXPU . I am already getting questions and comments on this topic. The policy has not changed from last year.
Safety
Safety of our students and staff remains our #1 priority. We have made additional adjustments over the summer in partnership with our threat assessment teams and local law enforcement. We take every threat seriously. We will work diligently with local law enforcement until the threat is neutralized or proven to not be credible. Please encourage your student that if they see something, say something. We need their help to address any perceived threat expeditiously.
Attendance
Our goal is to educate every student so they are prepared to achieve their long-term goals. We can’t educate them if they are not at school. I realize illnesses and emergencies will pop up during the school year, but I ask that you prioritize attendance whenever possible. Being present and on-time will make a significant difference in their education.
Engaged
Please get involved and engaged in the activities of your student’s school. It will demonstrate the importance of education to your students. Do not hesitate to contact the School Administrator or School’s Teachers with any issues. We want you engaged. We want to work together to get all students the best education possible.
If you reach out to me, the first question you should expect is “have you talked to the school”. If the answer is no, you should expect me to steer you back to the school. The Administrators and Teachers are closer to any concern or issues and will have the best insight to handle things at the lowest possible level and as quickly as possible.
Welcome back! We are excited to get the new school year started and look forward to working for and with you as we “Shape Hamblen County’s Future One Student at a Time”.
Very Respectfully
Arnie
Parents/Guardians, previously I provided you a note to make you aware of a video we would be showing
your students on the Dangers of Fentanyl. That has been accomplished.
PARENT/GUARDIAN NIGHT (This is intended for parents and guardians only)
The next step is hosting a Parent/Guardian Night at East and West High Schools. These are scheduled
for 19 March 2024. We will start at East High at 5 PM and shift to West High at 7 PM. The East High
event is intended for parents/guardians of East Ridge and Meadowview Middle Schools and East High
School; and the West High event is intended for parents/guardians of West View and Lincoln Heights
Middle Schools and West High School. These are also open to parents/guardians of 5 th grade students,
and if attending, please go to the appropriate high school for your school zone.
At the event, we will show the videos we showed your students plus a little more, discuss other
observations, actions and requests from the School District perspective, and Sheriff Mullins or his
representative will discuss the situation in our community. We will be joined by Ms Stephanie Hardy of
the Hamblen County Substance Abuse Coalition, and others to provide educational materials and
answer questions.
I encourage you to attend and learn. I need your help and support. Please let your school know if you
plan to attend so we can ensure we have adequate copies of the educational materials available.
REVISED POLICY ON PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES
One of the next steps we intend to take in an effort to ensure our schools are and remain a safe learning
environment involves a change to the Hamblen County School Board Policy for Personal Communication
Devices. The revised proposed policy removes the ability of high school students to use personal
communication devices while at school with some exceptions. The intent is to have all personal
communication devices off and put away as students enter school and students will only be allowed to
turn them back on only after leaving the school.
Why am I proposing this policy revision? The use of these devices is degrading safety and impeding our
ability to create an education environment conducive to learning.
These devices are utilized in a myriad of nefarious acts. They are being used to arrange drug
transactions. They are being used to alert other students as we conduct locker and backpack searches
for drugs. They are being used to make false threats of mass violence, framing of other students for
expulsion, cheating, bullying, sharing of inappropriate photos, filming and sharing videos of fights, and
overall creating distractions in the classrooms.
In the last two weeks we have had a threat of mass violence by a student and sharing of that threat over
social media, we have had a fight triggered by a student taking a picture of someone between classes
and the ensuing fight being filmed by students and broadly shared, and we had underage students
filming a student in the shower and then sharing the video. I could share more from the last 2 weeks
but I think you get the point.
To give us the best chance to create a safe learning environment, I want the devices off during the
school day.
Some will say “they can do some of those things on their personal communication devices outside
school”. I agree. I can only impact what happens while the students are with us – the other times the
responsibility falls to you.
The proposed revised board policy went through first reading at the 12 March Board meeting and it
passed unanimously. It is scheduled for second reading at the 9 April School Board meeting. If
approved at that School Board meeting, we will immediately implement the new policy.
The link to the proposed revised policy is https://www.hcboe.net/6_312
If you have a comment or question, you can submit it to info@hcboe.net
Our mission is to educate all students so they can achieve their postsecondary and career goals. To do
that we need a safe learning environment.
I am asking for your help and support.
Very Respectfully
Arnie
Hamblen County Board of Education
Monitoring:
Review: Annually, in April
Descriptor Code: 6.312
Term: Use of Personal Communication Devices and Electronic Devices
Issued Date: 03/12/19
Rescinds: 6.312 Issued: 07/24/14
1 DEFINITION
2 Personal communication devices include, but are not limited to, wearable technology such as 3 eyeglasses, rings, or watches that have the capability to record, live stream, or interact with wireless 4 technology; cell phones; laptops; tablets; earbuds; and MP3 players.
5
6 MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS
7
8 Students who have a medical device that necessitates cellphone access during the school day, may
9 receive an exemption from this policy upon the development of an individual Healthcare Plan 10 consistent with a physician’s orders. Such exceptions apply to medical needs only and does not allow 11 cell phone use for other purposes. Applications for medical exemptions shall be made to the school 12 administration, and individual Healthcare Plans and any exceptions from this policy must be approved 13 by school administration.
14 RECORDING DEVICES
15 Whether on school buses or on school property, students are not permitted to use recording devices 16 (photograph, audio, or video) without administrative approval. A student in violation of this policy is 17 subject to the appropriate grade-level disciplinary action as outlined below.
18 SCHOOL BUSES
19 K-5 students may not possess personal communication devices during school bus transportation to and 20 from school. A student in violation of this policy is subject to the appropriate grade-level disciplinary 21 action as outlined below.
22 Grades 6-12 students in transit may use personal communication devices if the device is in silent mode 23 or if earbuds are utilized. A student in violation of this policy is subject to the appropriate grade-level 24 disciplinary action as outlined below.
25 ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL
26 Alternative school students in Grades 6-12 may not possess personal communication devices. A
27 student in violation of this policy is subject to the appropriate grade-level disciplinary action as outlined
28 below
Version Date: March 13, 2024
Use of Personal Communication Devices and Electronic Devices 6.312
1 GRADES K-8
2 Students in Grades K-5 may not possess personal communication devices. A student in violation of 3 this policy is subject to disciplinary action as outlined below.
4 With the exception of alternative school, students in Grades 6-8 may possess personal communication 5 devices while on school property; however, the device must be in the off mode and must be kept in a 6 backpack, purse, or similar personal carry-all and may not be used during school hours. Students are 7 not permitted to use communication devices during class time unless the teacher has received
8 administrative approval. A student in violation of this policy is subject to disciplinary action as outlined
9 below.
10 First Offense: Warning.
11 Student may pick up the device at the end of the day.
12 Second Offense: One (1) day of ALP (commonly termed in-school suspension).
13 Student may pick up the device at the end of the day.
14 Third Offense: A level on the assertive discipline plan, orientation to alternative school,
15 and three (3) day ALP placement.
16 Device shall be released to a parent.
17 Fourth Offense: Placement in alternative school for forty-five (45) days.
18 Parent may pick up the device at the home-base school.
19 GRADES 9-12
20 With the exception of alternative school, students in Grades 9-12 may possess personal communication 21 devices while on school property; however, the device must be in the off mode and must be kept in a
22 backpack, purse, or similar personal carry-all and may not be used during school hours. (Remove, class
23 instruction or in hallways during class instruction time. Students will be permitted to use personal
24 communication devices before class, during class changes, and during lunch). Students are not 25 permitted to use the devices during class time unless the teacher has received administrative approval.
26 A student in violation of this policy is subject to disciplinary action as outlined below.
27 First Offense: Warning.
28 Parent may pick up the device at any time.
29 Student may pick up the device at 3:00 p.m. on the seventh (7th) school day.
30 The seven (7) days will begin the day following the date of the offense.
31 Second Offense: A level on the assertive discipline plan.
32 Parent may pick up the device by paying fifty dollars ($50) or by waiting 33 until 3:00 p.m. on the seventh (7th) school day. The seven (7) days will begin
1 the day following the date of the offense.
2 Third Offense: A level on the assertive discipline plan and orientation to alternative school. 3 Parent may pick up the device by paying one hundred dollars ($100) or by
4 waiting until 3:00 p.m. on the fourteenth (14th) school day. The fourteen 5 (14) days will begin the day following the date of the offense.
6 Fourth Offense: Placement in alternative school for forty-five (45) days.
7 Parent may pick up the device at the home-base school.
Parents/Guardians, this post is a follow-up to some public comments I made last week and I want to ask for your help and support.
Our goal is to create a safe learning environment for all students. This is why we implemented the SRO program with the County, installed window tinting, installed bollards, installed Raptor check in and out systems at the middle schools and high schools, placed NARCAN at each school, and more. Each of our students are extremely important to us and we know how important your student is to you.
During last week’s School Board meeting, I made the Board and the Community aware we had 18 zero tolerance drug events in a 12-day period ending 9 Feb. I would like to say that was a small perturbance but the numbers continued to increase last week. These drugs put at risk the safe learning environment we are constantly striving to provide.
As a result of these events, we are embarking on a 90-day comprehensive push with some immediate steps all with an education and safety focus. I want to inform you of a few of the many steps we will be taking.
We will show a video on the dangers of Fentanyl to all middle and high school students. After reviewing the situations we have encountered, I don’t believe our students understand the dangers they face, and I want to educate them.
I requested law enforcement increase the number of searches conducted and asked principals to be ever vigilant of suspicious activities. We must catch those who wish to bring drugs into the schools so we eradicate this cancer from our schools and ensure we have a safe learning environment.
If you have questions, please reach out to your Principals.
Thanks
Arnie