The Arkansas City school board adopted a new bullying plan on Thursday, according to Alisha Call, a spokesperson for the district.
District and school administrators, teachers, counselors and members of the community worked together for a couple years to develop the plan for USD 470.
“This is an extensive plan,” J.K. Campbell, assistant superintendent, said. “I expect we will review the plan often to ensure its relevancy.”
The new plan includes many practices that have been in place for years but it also covers relatively new scenarios such as cyber bullying.
ADDING COURSES
During the November 26 meeting, school board members reviewed a proposal regarding the possible adding and deleting of courses and the high school and middle school levels.
The proposed additions included middle school art classes and a foreign language class as well as new AP and pre-AP classes at the high school including Social Studies/AP Government, Pre-AP Earth and Space Science, Advanced Mathematics for Science and Engineering, and Health/Introduction to Athletic Training among others.
With the additions, it was proposed three high school classes be deleted: Fundamental Geometry, Fundamental Algebra and Ecology.
Thursday, the board approved the lineup with the exception of the foreign language class at the middle school. It was recommended, by district administration, the Spanish for Heritage Speakers class be looked into further.
It is the district’s intent to do more research into the concept and to form a committee to help aide in the process.
A proposal will be re-visited by the board in the next few months.
