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By Jeff Moore

Contributing writer

 

Crisp County Board of Education approved updates to four of the five student handbooks for the 2025-26 school year during its Monday, May 12 meeting.

Superintended Cindy Hughes spoke to one of the biggest changes at the board’s June workshop meeting.

The Crisp school district’s technology department recommendation to move to an opt-out system for use of Google Workspace for students was approved. Hughes explained that previously forms went out to the parents of the more than 3,000 students who need a Gmail account to operate their Chromebook to receive permission to use it.

“That’s just a lot of paper for the technology department to try to collect over 3,000 forms,” Hughes told the board at its workshop, noting this policy was adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another change the handbooks for pre-kindergarten, primary, elementary and middle school deals with head lice.

Notes on changes to these handbooks all include the change, but it is spelled out in more detail in the primary school’s list of updates.

Under the change, students diagnosed with live head lice do not need to be sent home early from school, the updated policy states. They can go home at the ned of the day, be treated and return to class after appropriate treatment has begun. It says nits may persist after treatment, but successful treatment should kill crawling lice.

“Head lice can be a nuisance but they have not been show to spread disease,” the policy states. “Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice. Both the American Association of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses advocate that ‘no nit’ policies should be discontinued.”

The updated policy explained that no-nit policies for a child should be discontinued for several reasons. These include the fact that many nits are more than a quarter inch from the scalp, making then not viable and unlikely to hatch and become crawling lice; nits are cemented to hair shafts and are very unlikely to be transferred to other people; the unnecessary burden of absenteeism on students, families and communities far outweighs the risks associated with head lice; and misdiagnosis of nits is very common when not checked by medical personnel.

The previous policy had stated that students could return the next day after diagnosis once treatment had started and required a note from the child’s pediatrician, the health department, school nurse or school clinic to clear the way to return to school.

Each of the handbooks also contained changes specific to certain schools.

Here are changes noted on what is changing for the 2025-26 school year:

 

Pre-K

– More detail has been added on tardies and unexcused absences. This

information is based on Bright From the Start guidelines.

 

Primary school

– Updated bus departure time to 2:45 p.m. under dismissal.

• changed to state that if a child is late, the parent must walk the student in and sign the student in with the front office. It previously said they had to call and wait for an escort to bring them inside.
• Changed birthday parties to say they are permitted and can take place at the end of the day. Visitors cannot attend the parties. All materials must be dropped off the morning of the celebration. No homemade food or baked goods can be included.
• Updated the conference section to remove Google Meet conferences, leaving phone or face-to-face options.
• Added a statement on field trips. All students have the privilege of attending field trips throughout the year. Permission slips are sent home prior to each trip. Parents are not allowed to attend field trips but are encouraged to attend all school related events on campus.
• Removed the COVID-19 statement under the illness section.
• Updated the promotions standards section. It now states that all students are expected to meet specific criteria based on school system policy to be eligible to be promoted to the next grade.
• Changed policy on report cards stating that paper copies will be sent home each nine weeks.
• Added a statement saying ice cream will be available for purchase on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for $1. Student who wish to purchase ice cream must turn in their money to the teacher by 8:10 a.m.
• Changed testing information section to combine the kindergarten screening and assessment. Under second and third grades, changed Acadience Math to Star Math.
• Added a statement about positive behavioral interventions and support celebrations.
• Changed “Time Out Room” to “Opportunity Room.”

 

Elementary and middle schools

The updates for each of these contain the same items:

– Changes the student grading system to state that honor roll is all As with a 4.0 average on content classes only. Merit roll is all As and Bs in content classes only.

– Removes that statement that tardies are noted in a student’s agenda

each time they are late to class. Parents are notified upon the third and fifth tardy.

• Updated in school intervention
• Added new cell phone guidelines/infractions.

Hughes said the updated handbook for high school students will be on the June regular meeting agenda as work on it continues.

 

In other business

The school board also approved a field trip and fundraisers as part of adopting its consent agenda Monday.

Items approved include:

• A field trip request for two Crisp County Middle School students to attend the National Beta Convention in Kissimmee, Florida, June 26-29.
• A Crisp County High School football program fundraiser using online applications.
• Three fundraisers for the Crisp County Middle School cheer team. They include a calendar fundraiser, a spaghetti plate event and a mini cheer camp.