New graduation requirements for MACS outlined
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The Mount Ayr board of education approved new graduation requirements along with a revised good conduct policy and handbooks at their regular meeting on Monday, July 8.
Graduation requirements
Community service hours are now expected of all students, and will be tracked as part of new graduation requirements beginning with the 2024-2025 year.
All MACHS students will serve 40 hours of community service while in high school. Students will need to complete 10 hours of community service in their freshman year, sophomore, junior and senior year. This will be prorated for students beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
Students will complete a community service form and have the form signed by the person supervising the community service. The form cannot be signed by a family member of the student unless previously arranged with the Principal. All forms must be turned in to the high school office to be recorded. Students may not complete community service hours for a family member or be paid for the hours they work. Students who record 100 hours of community service or more will earn recognition at graduation and will receive a service cord to wear at graduation.
Good conduct changes
The school board, administration, and staff of Mount Ayr Community Schools is making good student conduct a priority by increasing the penalties for violations.
- A student will be declared ineligible for extracurricular activities and/or school honors for a period of four (4) calendar weeks and ineligible to participate in a minimum of two (2) specific events in the activity(s) and will be required to serve 10 hours of community service for their first offense.
- In the event of a second offense, a student will be declared ineligible for extracurricular activities and/or school honors for a period of nine (9) calendar weeks, ineligible to participate in a minimum of four (4) specific events in the activity(s) and will be required to serve 20 hours of community service.
- If a third violation occurs, a student will be declared ineligible for extracurricular activities and/or school honors for a calendar year and will be required to serve 30 hours of community service.
- A student will be declared ineligible for the remainder of his/her school years (permanent bar) if they receive a fourth violation.
Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, any first or second violation of the Good Conduct Eligibility Policy committed while on school grounds, at a school event, or on a school sponsored trip or activity will result in the student’s consequence being doubled.
(Ex: First offense 8 weeks/20 hours community service, Second offense 18 weeks/40 hours community service)
The Good Conduct Rule Policy was changed to note that “Any referral to the Juvenille Court system will result in a Good Conduct Violation, regardless of the final action by the Juvenille Court.”
Revised handbooks
The Elementary Handbook, Little Raider Preschool Handbook, Secondary Handbook, Flexible Education Handbooks were all revised and approved. Students wishing to open enroll in another school district must apply for open enrollment by March 1.
Other changes include no gum in the elementary.
Cell phone and electronic watch use is not allowed during class time.
- Middle school students must keep their cell phones in their lockers during the day. They may have them from 8:00-8:25 a.m. but must put them in their lockers prior to first period, and they must remain there all day.
- High school students may carry their cellphones with them all day, but must put them away when the bell rings to begin class.
Teachers reserve the right to enforce a stricter policy within their own classrooms. Administration reserves the right to enforce a no cell phone policy at any time.
“I’m just going to tell the students, if you want to keep having the privilege to have it on you as a high schooler, we can’t see them in classes,” stated Secondary Principal Josh Vanderflught, “And if we do, I’m just going to say, they go back to lockers and we’re done with it.”
Open campus for senior students must be earned starting with the 2024-2025 school year.
If an incoming senior fails a class 2nd semester of their junior year, open campus privileges will be denied for the first 5 weeks of 1st semester of their senior year. At this time if they are passing all classes they will earn open campus.
Regular business
During regular monthly business, the board approved:
- 2024-2025 Fees, Gate Admission, Charges, Meal prices, Driver Education
- Appointment of Stephanie Newton as Board Secretary/Treasurer and reappointed the current board attorney, Ahlers & Cooney
- Depository for Banking
- Legislative Priorities for the 2024-2025 year
- Elementary Professional Development Plan
- Secondary Professional Development Plan
- Used Van Purchase
- MOU with Infinity Health
- IASB Policy Primer which included a total of 31 policies listed on the agenda. They rescinded three policies related to remote learning and truancy. Seven new policies related to Discrimination and Harassment Based on Sex, use of pronouns, and pregnancy were adopted.
All employees will receive training on the district’s obligation to address sex discrimination under Title IX. The district’s Title IX coordinator was named as Chris Elwood, Elementary Principal.
The open enrollment policy was also revised to request open enrollment out of the school district by March 1.
The board waived the second reading of all policies.
