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Youngstown school board revises suicide prevention, service animals policies
By SARAH LEHR
YOUNGSTOWN
The Youngstown school board approved revisions to policies regarding student suicide prevention and animals on district property at its meeting Tuesday evening.
The student suicide-prevention policy, first adopted in 2004, establishes guidelines for how school personnel should respond to signs of depression and suicidal tendencies in students.
The revisions stipulate that all staff members must receive professional development training regarding youth suicide awareness and prevention, and that school nurses, counselors, psychologists and other mental-health employees must receive additional training.
The animal policy, first adopted in 2013, delineates the rights of students with service animals in accordance with federal policy. Students with disabilities have the right to bring service animals, which include dogs and miniature horses, on school transportation or anywhere on campus where students are permitted to be, unless the animal demonstrates that it is not housebroken or otherwise not adequately controlled by its handler.
Nonservice animals may be used on school property for educational purposes with the principal’s approval, provided the animals do not present a health hazard.
In other business, the board approved the appointments, pay, leaves of absence and resignations of various district employees for the 2015-16 school year, effective today.
Among other decisions, the board authorized the appointment of Joanne Carey-Smith as supervisor of special education with a prorated salary of $62,685 a year and the appointment of various elementary school tutors at a $25-an-hour rate.
Additionally, the board approved a 50 cents-an-hour pay increase from $8.17 to $8.67 for substitute crossing guards.