Glimpse into Robbinsdale Area Schools' new handbook

Robbinsdale Area Schools, like all institutions, updates its policies from time to time. Recently, they've also been updating their student handbook, which includes a new document is titled a "A Guide to Student Support and Behavior."

Executive Director of Student Services John Groenke presented the new iteration to the school board on Sept. 4.

The book used to be called the "Student Handbook: Rights and Responsibilities."

"The name change is a result of input we received from many, many students, staff and teachers," Groenke explained.

Then-Director of Systems Improvements Shirrie Jackson spent months gathering input from instructional learning groups, student groups, affinity groups, parents groups and other stakeholder groups. Today Jackson serves as principal of Robbinsdale Middle School.

Groenke and other administrators were also part of a non-exclusionary discipline group for two years. This was funded and organized by the Minnesota Department of Education.

In addition to the name change, the layout is different. There are six sections: Creating and maintaining a positive school climate; prevention and support; responses to disciplinary action; expectations for riding the bus; levels of misbehavior and response and finally information and resources.

"We really leaned into defining what is school climate," Groenke said. "...Which I think is important for our students to learn, for us to have them get the great learning around letters and learning how to read, we have to have a school climate which is conducive for kids to feel safe, connected, where they belong."

Support, especially with regard to mental health is explained. The book has an emergency response guide and numerous resources. People can find links for where to submit complaints as well.

"We're gonna continue to listen as we roll this out and gather some input and maybe make refinements for the 25-26 year, but this is the result of almost a year's worth of work that's in front of you," Groenke said.

Director Helen Bassett asked about the section titled "Guide to Addressing Parent and Community Concerns." A chart shows who to talk to if someone has a concern relating to a classroom, a school, the district or the school board. While some arrows point to the assistant superintendent, nowhere does it say to contact the superintendent. Specifically under the school board tab concerns tab, it simply tells people to contact the board members directly.

"People will send us emails, call us and talk to us all the time," Bassett said. "And so one of our first questions is 'have you talked to the superintendent about it?' If it has risen to that level...But I don't see her here."

Superintendent Teri Staloch agreed with Bassett's comment.

"At our school board professional development retreat in July we did talk extensively about flow of communication and how we were gonna operate," Staloch said. "And I would agree that I don't know that all of that made its way into this document."

Groenke said he would work with communications and the superintendent on that section.

Bassett also asked how the guide would be distributed.

Groenke replied that new guide will have a few printed copies for each building, but it is designed to be viewed online at rdale.org/academics/student-handbook. This will allow for easier updates and save on printing costs.

"Our administrators use them with students, with their staff, when families come in," Groenke said.

Bassett suggested having a few paper copies for those who request it.

Director Kim Holmes asked the board to have more input on the document, specifically the safety and security ad hoc committee.

"Before we go to print I would just like the opportunity for the board to weigh in more," Holmes said.

Groenke said they did need to operate with what they had for now, but they could work with the board on future edits.

Directors thanked Groenke for his presentation. They did not need to vote on anything, as this was simply an administrative update.