At its Jan. 26 meeting, the Medical Lake School Board passed two policies that focus on graduation requirements.
The board passed the first and second readings of Policy 2410, which requires students graduating in 2017 and 2018 to pass the Biology EOC (End-of-Course) exam. The policy also allows the district to award students a seal of biliteracy on their high school diploma, if they have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading and writing in two or more languages.
The board also approved Policy 418, which Superintendent Tim Ames said allows the high school principal to waiver two elective credits for students who are unable to attain all 24 graduation requirements because of unusual circumstances. Students who enter ninth-grade at the beginning of the school year are now required to complete 24 credits to graduate high school.
Some of the conditions that would fall under “unusual circumstances” include homelessness, a health condition that prevents a student from attending class, limited English proficiency, or a disability under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Denying a student an opportunity to retake classes or enroll in remedial classes free of charge during the first four years of high school, and transferring during the last two years of high school from a school with different graduation requirements are also listed as “unusual circumstances” in the policy.
Other circumstances, according to the policy, include an emergency, natural disaster, trauma, personal or family crisis that directly compromised a student’s ability to learn.
“Twenty-four credits doesn’t give students much room to fail for something that happens suddenly in their lives,” Ames said.
Kim Headrick, director of teaching and learning, added that students still must meet the 17 required credits and have to request the waiver 30 days before they graduate.
Board member Felicia Jensen asked if a sophomore could ask for the waiver after they failed a class. Headrick said the district looks at many opportunities for students to make up the course throughout their high school career and it wouldn’t look at issuing a waiver for a student in their sophomore year.
“The district would more than likely issue a waiver to a student who is late in their junior year or starting their senior year,” Headrick said.
During reports, deputy Travis Pendell, who became the district’s school resource officer at the beginning of the year, gave an update about his work at Hallett Elementary School, the middle and high schools. He said he accomplished the goal of introducing himself to students at all three buildings and added that he placed a 20 mile per hour enforcement sign in front of the high school.
“Kids have been slowing down,” Pendell said. “I’m stopping cars and asking (non-student) drivers ‘why are you going 35 (miles per hour) in my 20. Their eyes get wide and they’ll say ‘I didn’t know that sign was there.’”
Pendell added that there haven’t been many problems at the high school, though he has investigated two cases. He is also offering boating instruction classes that students can take on their time.
“I’m having a ball so far, it’s been going great,” Pendell said.
In other business:
● Jensen, who was reelected to the school board after winning the election in November, took the oath of office.
● Ames announced that high school principal John McSmith is retiring after 43 years with the district.
Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.
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