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Student and employee dress codes, new hires and new parking spaces will be among the top considerations for ISD El Campo guardians at their Tuesday meeting.
The last time the upcoming school year’s dress code was discussed by the council was during a March meeting, when trustees debated how to deal with the issue of enforcing dress codes during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The main problem, district leaders said, was with students hiding dress code violations, such as piercings and facial hair, behind their face masks or the length of their hair under a gator-like bandana covering the wearer’s neck.
The district’s current dress code policy prohibits male students from wearing piercings, and no students are allowed to wear piercings anywhere other than the ear. Students are not allowed to have facial hair, especially mustaches or beards, and male students are not allowed to have hair long enough to touch the collar of their shirts.
Schools are no longer allowed to wear masks, as a mandate from Governor Greg Abbott was issued in May.
Schools could make more dress code requirements for students involved in volunteer extracurricular activities or events,according to ECISD leaders, but Texas schools may eventually be asked to change policies for the general student population. In the August 2020 court case DeAndre Arnold v. Barbers Hill ISD, a US district judge considered the Texas school district dress code to only require male students, but not female students, to keep their hair short in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The judge also ruled that such a policy could be racially discriminatory.
Since the ruling, Texas schools have been waiting to see if they will eventually be asked to change their dress code policies regarding male students’ hair length.
Supervisors do not take an official vote after the discussion, preferring to discuss the policy again after the school year ends. The school board votes on the student handbook, which includes dress code policies, changes and annually approves documents before the start of the school year.
While the Ricebird Weight Room project is still ongoing, and is scheduled for completion in early August, the trustee will consider increasing the district’s contract with Polasek Construction by 25 percent to build a new parking lot nearby.
The project is estimated to cost approximately $2.2 million, prior to the addition of parking spaces, and the project will commence in November 2020.
Supervisors will consider giving more flexibility for teachers to leave. After discussion among administrators during the school year, at a council meeting on May 18, district leaders recommended changing the policy so that personnel can use their leave in the days before or after state-mandated testing.
Under the current policy, teachers are not allowed to use free days, paid leave, on certain blackout days throughout the year. Blackout days at ECISD are the day before or after a holiday or student assessment day.
The coach will hear a presentation on the Elementary and Middle School Emergency Assistance III grant funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. El Campo ISD will receive $8,209,809 in ESSER III funding, which the district can use until September 30, 2024, and is intended for uses related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Amendments will be considered for the previous act that gave Superintendent Bob Callaghan hiring authority until August 31. The changes under consideration will end Callaghans’ hiring powers on July 27.
Callaghan was granted hiring powers in March to prepare for the 2021-2022 school year. This practice has been carried out by ECISD over the past few years to speed up annual recruitment before the new school year.
The presentation will be given at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year budget.
After reviewing candidates in closed session, the board will consider hiring a new Director of Special Education and a new Dean of Teaching at El Campo High School.
As part of the approval agenda, the board will review agreements with Capturing Kids Hearts (Part 2), Leach Literacy Training and more for the coming school year.
The Board will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22 at ECISD in the El Campo ISD Meeting Room, 700 W. Norris.
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