School committees for Southborough, Northborough and the Regional district will vote to implement new school policy on “Physical Restraint Prevention and Behavior Support Policy”. The policy documents when and how physical restraints and seclusions or “time-outs” can be used.
The proposed policy language for our districts was presented in March at a combined district meeting, readressed at individual committee meetings in April, and is targeted for approval in June. The administration is still in process of incorporating changes being requested by committee members.
Creation of a policy stems from reforms that were implemented at a state level, and made effective January of this year. As WBUR reported last spring:
Public school staff will no longer be able to restrain students in immobilized, face down positions, in most cases, or place a student in a time-out outside of class for more than 30 minutes without a principal’s approval. The new regulations, notably, include the previously absent requirement that schools and programs must report all uses of physical restraints to the state on an annual basis.
The district’s current draft doesn’t limit “inclusionary time-outs” where students are “removed from positive reinforcement or full participation in classroom activities.” If a student is in the classroom they are considered to still be “fully aware of the learning activities”. Examples given were planned ignoring, having students put their heads down, or placed in a different position in the classroom (but not “walled off”.)
One change being made was suggested by Regional School Commitee member Paul Butka of Southborough at their April meeting. He questioned language that would conduct a “Weekly Individual Student Review” for any student “who has been restrained multiple times during the week”.
Butka said that he would expect a review to be done any time a single incident of physical restraint was used.
Superintendent Christine Johnson reassured that it does. She explained that the language came from the base requirements and the school exceeds those in practice. Butka and others agreed that it should be put in writing as the practice.
Northborough’s Patricia Kress asked for a change to ensure communication with parents. She asked the school to notify parents by both email and mail (rather than one “or” the other).
To look at the most recent draft, click here.
