KC Board Learns Title IX Flow Chart, Special Education Plan Update
By Christopher Miller
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – Keystone Central School Board held their April Work Session Thursday evening.
Board members heard a brief overview of the Title IX process from Christina Manning, Director of Pupil Services and Title IX Coordinator.
“Anytime a student has a report that they want to make about something that happened to them, if a parent wants to make a report, or a teacher, it comes to an administrator. If it is sexual in nature, they alert the Title IX Coordinator to collect as much information as possible. We meet with the person making the report to get as much information as we can.”
“We are always responding with supportive measures,” Manning said. These are always non punitive, non disciplinary, and trying to equal the playing field for that student, and what we can put in place to help ease their mind. Both receive supportive measures, the complainant and respondent. Some of these measures include deadline extensions, modifications of work or class schedules, campus escort services, mutual restrictions on contact between parties, changes in work or housing locations, leaves of absence, increased security and monitoring of certain areas of the campus, for example.”
According to the flow chart, after an allegation of sexual harassment is reported to a school district employee, supportive measures are put in place. If no formal complaint is filed, then the Title IX Coordinator agrees to supportive measures only. If a formal complaint is filed, supportive measures are still in place, but then notification of the formal complaint process begins. It then moves into the investigation, resolution, and then the opportunity to appeal. If nobody appeals, the respondent receives the consequence listed under the code of conduct.
Dr. Elizabeth Barnhart, Director of Special Education, then spoke about the Special Education Plan Update.
Total school district enrollment is 3,378 with 19.1% receiving special education services.
“The goal of special education is to educate all students in the general education classroom with accommodations, if needed, in their least restrictive environment,” Barnhart said.
“For positive behavior support, we have a Functional Behavioral Assessment and Positive Behavior Support Plans in place. We also have professional development to help us learn de-escalation strategies which is offered for all school staff and bus drivers/aids as well, and safe physical management if a student begins to get physical.”
