High school changes suspension policy

Whitefish High School is changing its discipline policy to keep suspended students on campus.

New language in the school handbook says suspensions will generally be in-school-suspension (ISS), but that the administration reserves the right to hold a student on out-of-school suspension (OSS).

Previously, suspended students were generally given OSS.

“The goal is to keep students in school,” said high school principal Kerry Drown.

The change was OK’d, along with approval of the school handbook, at the July 14 school board meeting on a 5-1 vote. Trustee Marguerite Kaminski was the dissenting vote.

One discussion point on the suspension policy revolved around how to deal with students who come on campus under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Assistant principal Jackie Fuller explained that those students are sent home.

“We don’t feel it’s the responsibility of the school to keep whoever is under the influence in the school,” she said. “It’s best to have the parents come and get them.”

School policy mandates 10 days of OSS for a first offense of the drug and alcohol policy.

While Kaminski agreed that students under the influence should be sent home, she questioned the 10 days off campus.

“Students don’t need to be at home, they need to be at school,” she said.

Fuller noted that three students were given OSS last year, with each serving three days.

The board plans to have a longer discussion about the drug and alcohol discipline policy at a later meeting.

“This presents a great opportunity to have a community conversation around what this means to us,” said superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt. “This will be something that takes time and discussion.”