VALTS Agreement Renewed

The Sidney School District approved an agreement with Education Service Unit (ESU) 13 for the Valley Alternative Learning Transitioning School (VALTS).

VALTS is a program designed “to provide alternative ways for students to achieve high school graduation." The program includes methods to ensure students have reached or surpassed the district and/or state performance assessments.

The mission of VALTS is to empower students to meet the challenges of a changing world. The philosophy is based upon the belief that students have a right to a free, appropriate education; and students, who offered the appropriate environment, can experience educational success.

The VALTS program will be held at the Western Nebraska Community College Sidney campus. The Sidney School District is paying for seven slots at $7,000 each, according to District Superintendent Jay Ehler.

“When VALTS started, you had to pay for your own spots,” he said.

The board approved the agreement with a 5-0 vote. Board member Steve Matoon was absent.

The board then considered a policy on drug testing of drivers. The proposed policy states that “drivers for the school district must be free from drug and alcohol abuse, and the use of illegal drugs or improper use of alcohol is prohibited.” The goal of drug and alcohol testing is to ensure a drug-free and and alcohol-free transportation environment, with the goal of also reducing accidents, injuries and fatalities. The policy applies to anyone who operates a commercial vehicle on behalf of the school district.

Board members questioned why in the Prohibited Conduct section, drivers are barred from reporting for duty or remaining at duty with a blood alcohol concentration of .004 or greater, and not o.oo percent.

The new policy also provides a list of drugs that can disqualify a District employee from driving and provides for reasonable cause testing.

“This one's a lot more thorough,” said board member Brenda Smith.

The updated policy was approved 5-0.

The board also approved an updated Student Records policy.

“What we're trying to do with this policy is make people understand that we will be sharing data,” Ehler said.

The policy approved says the District “'maintains' as 'student records' all records, files and documents which are located in any format within any storage unit of the district, whether in hard copy, digital or otherwise.”

The student records policy is a required update, the board said.

The board also discussed the Classified and Certified Handbooks and Student Handbooks for the 2020-2021 school year, as well as approved an agreement with Rauner and Associates for 2019-2020 District Financial Audit at a cost of $20,718.

The school district is also working toward a plan for school this fall. Supt. Jay Ehler stresses the plan, scheduled for release next week, may have to be modified according to directives by the State and Panhandle Public Health Department.

Classes were suspended early this spring as a precaution regarding the COVID-19 virus. The hope is to have students in classes this fall. How that might happen was discussed in a lengthy school board work session July 15. Plans were then taken to building administrators for review before being released to the public.