Dist. 211 wants meeting to address security
As the new school year approaches, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 is re-examining its security procedures and policies.
Thursday, at the school board's last meeting before classes start Aug. 20, Superintendent Roger Thornton presented plans to meet with local police and other security experts in August or September so the board can update the district's security plan. The issue came up last spring as the district dealt with a rash of anonymous bomb scares.
"We're just trying to be proactive before something serious would ever happen," said board President Robert LeFevre.
One of last year's threats led to the arrest of a 16-year-old Hoffman Estates High School student in May. Police said the unnamed student wrote a threat on the stall of a girls' bathroom at school and was cited for disorderly conduct.
The security meeting will take place in closed session. LeFevre said board members want to know if officials can take any steps to improve security for staff and students, and are seeking opinions from experts not directly affiliated with District 211.
Thursday, the board also approved new guidelines addressing students with gang affiliations. Those were discussed in June and will be added to the student handbook.
The changes more clearly spell out criteria for placing students on social probation or suspension. They include restricting students with known gang affiliations from participating in student-sponsored activities like dances and athletic contests. Officials in June said no specific gang-related instance prompted the policy changes.
Social probation allows student participation in school activities and gives the student a warning, meaning further disruptive behavior would lead to suspension. Social suspension prohibits all participation in school events. The changes also allow school officials to punish students for longer periods of time. The old policy allows five to 10 days for suspension.
A parent conference would follow after the first violation. Further violations, including gang recruitment, could force expulsion.