Washougal School District proposes new behavior policy for visitors

The Washougal School District (WSD) is proposing a new policy that would establish “clear expectations for respectful and civil behavior” from family and community members visiting its schools.

The school district’s interim superintendent, Aaron Hansen, presented the policy to Washougal School Board members during their workshop on Nov. 12. The board members will most likely discuss the policy further at their next meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 26, according to Les Brown, the district’s director of communications and technology.

The policy states that “recent interactions have highlighted the need to ensure (the district’s) learning environments remain safe, orderly and conducive to education.”

“We’ve had a few situations this year that really prompted me to look for a policy … that addresses visitors,” Hansen said during the Nov. 12 workshop. “We’ve never had a policy that addresses visitors. We have a civility policy. We have a guideline for resolving staff or program-related complaints. But those are really staff-directed. This is specific to parent access, and a safe and orderly learning environment.”

Brown told The Post-Record that such interactions are “very rare” at school facilities, although he said that a community member was directed by law enforcement to leave Fishback Stadium during a Washougal High School football game earlier this year due to “unsafe behavior which was reported by another community member.”

“Law enforcement directed the individual to leave the campus, and the district worked with law enforcement to issue a trespass notice asking the individual not to come back on campus for the remainder of the year,” Brown said.

“We are proud of the work our schools do, working closely with students and their families to include community and family members in events,” he continued. “This positive relationship means disruptive behavior incidents are very rare occurrences, usually only one or two times a year. We do not track these types of incidents, but we don’t think there is an increase happening.”

This policy outlines procedures for visitors, reinforces staff and student safety, and defines steps to address disruptive or inappropriate behavior.

“The policy establishes clear expectations for visitors, including parents and community members, when they engage with our schools,” Brown said. “It outlines procedures for school visits, ensuring that educational activities remain uninterrupted, and addresses behavior that could disrupt school operations.

“We welcome student families into our schools and want parents and families to be active partners in student learning. This policy helps maintain a secure and conducive atmosphere for learning by setting standards for visitor conduct, thereby enhancing the safety and well-being of students, staff, and other visitors,” he continued. “The addition of this policy reflects our ongoing efforts to ensure all interactions within our schools align with our district’s values of respect, safety, and collaboration.”

The policy states that the superintendent or a staff member will direct a person to leave immediately if they are:

• Under the influence of controlled substances;

• Disrupting, obstructing or threatening to disrupt any school program, activity, or meeting;

• Inciting another person to commit any act that would disturb or interfere with or obstruct any lawful task, function, process or procedure of the school district; and/or

• Engaging in behavior that interferes with the normal functioning of school operations.

If such a person refuses to leave, the superintendent or staff member will immediately call for the assistance of a law enforcement officer, according to the policy.

“The board welcomes and encourages visits to school by parents/guardians, community members, and interested educators,” the policy states. “Parents are assured access to their child’s classroom as well as school sponsored activities for purposes of observing class procedure, teaching material and class conduct.

“However, such observation must not disrupt the classroom or learning activity. The superintendent or designee will establish guidelines governing school visits to ensure orderly operation of the educational process and the safety of students and staff.”

The policy also states that the “learning environment and the staff’s time for students will be free from interruption.”

“Except in emergencies, staff will not be unreasonably interrupted in their work,” the policy states. “Brief messages will be recorded so as to permit the staff member to return the call when free. Certificated staff will be available for consultation with students and community members. Students and community members are urged to make appointments with staff to assure an uninterrupted conference. No one will solicit funds or conduct private business with staff on school time and premises.”

The school’s student-family handbooks already have rules in place that direct families and parents to check in at the school office and pre-arrange visits when possible, according to Brown.

“Each school campus is closed during the student day to help staff ensure student safety and security, and several years ago we posted new signage indicating this,” he said. “State law already requires visitors to follow school rules and directions from school staff when participating in school events. This policy does not change those rules.”

Hansen said that he’s talked to Washougal Police Department leaders about the policy.

“One of the concerns that was brought up regarding this is, have we vetted this with the Washougal police department and law enforcement?” he said during the Nov. 12 workshop. “I’ve had an opportunity to check in with our local law enforcement and say, ‘This is how our policy reads. Are you supportive of this?’ This is common practice that we will contact law enforcement when we feel the need. Sometimes it’s 311, sometimes it’s 911, sometimes it’s something that maybe doesn’t happen instantaneously, but it’s a follow-up conversation with them about a situation.”

Board president Sadie McKenzie voiced her approval of the policy during the Nov. 12 workshop.

“I think this is an important (policy) that we definitely needed to have,” she said.