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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Melita Semones
Vol. XXVII No. 13
March 26, 2014
School board considers restraint, seclusion policy By Jodi Deal Parent Angela Cimmino
Richmond Suburban News
The Powhatan County School Board is considering crafting a policy that dictates when and how teachers can seclude or restrain students in extreme circumstances. The topic’s appearance on the School Board’s agenda raised eyebrows among a few parents concerned with language in the draft rules, but board members and division staff were quick to point out that they’re not considering that specific document, saying it’s just an example drawn up by the Virginia School Boards Association for boards to use as an example when considering adopting a policy of their own. “There are certainly concerns with this policy that have been expressed and will be expressed,” Dr. Eric L. Jones, superintendent of Powhatan County Public Schools, said. He added that the discussion has been initiated to gather input from the community and decide if Powhatan County wants to move forward with such regulations. Kristin McLaughlin, assistant superintendent for special education and pupil personnel services, explained that the sample policy was drawn up by VSBA after a 2009 Virginia Department of Education study of all school divisions in Virginia determined that only 38 school systems had such a policy in place, while, at the time, 90 did not. “At this time, there are no state and federal regulations governing the use of restraints and seclusion,” McLaughlin said. Powhatan County is not among the school divisions with some kind of policy on the books.
urged the Powhatan County School Board to look beyond a sample Virginia School Boards Association policy on restraint and seclusion of students, noting that the U.S. Department of Education has released a detailed set of guidelines on the matter.
PHOTO BY JODI DEAL
The sample policy outlines reasons for using physical restraint, seclusion or mechanical restraint — that is, restricting movement with a device or special material — and notes that the extreme methods should only be used by staff members with special training. Reasons cited for restraint or seclusion include pro-
Proposed county budget answers call for Extension agent
tecting an individual from his or her own actions, protecting others from injury, quelling a disturbance, to gain possession of weapons or other dangerous objects, for self-defense or in accordance with students’ individualized education program or behavior intervention plan. Powhatan County Public Schools already has three employees who are certified as trainers for a program called Safety Care Behavioral Safety training, Jones and McLaughlin told the board. That program, McLaughlin noted, is useful with or without a restraint or seclusion policy, as it has a strong focus on preventing the need for such practices. “It talks about alternative methods and de-escalation,” McLaughlin said, adding that the program encourages positive re-enforcement and communication in moments of behavioral crisis. “We don’t want to have to use restraints — we want to be able to prevent them,” McLaughlin said. Information on the policy and the program will be shared with the school division’s Special Education Advisory Committee for feedback, McLaughlin said. Division staff and board members had already received feedback on the policy from the community by that night’s board meeting, McLaughlin reported, particularly in reference to a provision of the sample policy that requires parental notification of seclusion or restraint within 15 school days — three weeks’ time. McLaughlin said that’s too long. Jones and vice chairman James Kunka, who represents District 2, agreed. School Board chairman Rick Cole, District 1, clarified that restraint and seclusion could be used with any student, not just children with special needs. see SCHOOL page 4A
GE N E RAL A S S E M BL Y U P DA T E Staff Report news@powhatantoday.com
Del. Lee Ware, R-65 (Powhatan), will present a General Assembly update to the Powhatan Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, March 27, at The County Seat Restaurant at 3883 Old Buckingham Rd. in Powhatan. Ware is scheduled to provide insight into
this year’s General Assembly session. Networking will be held from 11:30 a.m. to noon. The buffet will get underway at 11:45 a.m. The cost of the luncheon meeting is $10 and members must pay Del. Lee Ware at the door. 598-2636. To register, email The March meeting angie@powhatanchamis being sponsored by ber.org or call the Chamber office at 804- Barnes Insurance Group.
PHOTO BY JODI DEAL
Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District Manager Kevin Burgess, second from right, appeared before the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors to defend a funding increase he requested.
By Jodi Deal Richmond Suburban News
F
or the first time in more than a decade, Powhatan County may soon have its own full-time agricultural and natural resources agent from Virginia Cooperative Extension. The county’s draft budget, if approved, would grant a request to restore full funding for the position. County Administrator Pat Weiler told the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors that expanding the position to full time will cost $8,561. The Extension Office only has one fulltime agent, Weiler noted, unit coordinator and 4-H agent Cathy Howland. The Extension Office
also requested $17,900 to restore funding for a parttime family and consumer sciences agent, which was cut in 2012, but Weiler did not include it in her budget proposal. At the time the position was cut, Weiler noted it was fully funded by the county but up for partial funding from the state. Powhatan lost the opportunity for partial state funding when the agent was cut, she added. About 10 representatives of the agricultural community showed up to support the request for a full-time agriculture agent. Former Extension Agent John Bailey appeared on behalf of the Powhatan Extension Leadership Council, and said the local Extension Office formulated its request
based on the findings of a recently completed Extension community need assessment. Bailey pointed out that agents connect the public with research from land grant universities like Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. More importantly, he added, they help laymen, like farmers and backyard gardeners, understand the research and how it may apply to them. “We can get a lot of data, but sometimes not all of us can understand it or interpret it,” Bailey said. Bailey also pointed out that dividing one’s time between Goochland and Powhatan counties, as agrisee BUDGET page 6A
Supervisors mull tax rate By Jodi Deal Richmond Suburban News
The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors agreed during a Wednesday, March 19, meeting not to change their tax rate by three cents or more, but didn’t reach an agreement on what the tax rate will be. Setting the tax rate for the 20142015 budget isn’t a simple choice of whether to raise it, lower it or keep it the same. That’s because during the 2014 real estate reassessment, the assessed value of Powhatan County property decreased, resulting in what state law views as an “effective tax rate decrease,” county administrator Pat Weiler told the supervisors. Because property values went down, the average tax bill will go down, which means the amount of revenue the county receives for real estate taxes will go down by about $220,000 if the tax rate stays at 90 cents. The state views that as a 2.5-cent effective
tax decrease. To set a comparable tax rate, the county could increase its rate to 92.5 cents, Weiler said. She didn’t include any tax rate changes in her budget proposal. That said, Weiler sought guidance from supervisors on whether they plan to make major tax rate changes that would trigger special public notification requirements that would kick in if the board decided to increase tax rates to more than 93 cents, which is the adjusted tax rate plus one percent. If the special notification requirement isn’t triggered, Weiler noted that the tax rate will still be advertised as it is each year alongside the county’s full budget. A public hearing will still be held on the tax rate, whether or not it changes, during a meeting set for 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28, before supervisors vote on it. Because the March 19 meeting was a workshop session, supervisors didn’t see TAX RATE page 4A
Inside
Sports
Index
A2 WWII Roundtable Vets meet again after many years
B1 PHS alumni Maiolo and Phillips have reunited on the diamond at Randolph-Macon
Calendar Classified Crossword Horoscope Obituaries Opinion TV Listings
A5 B7 A7 A7 A2 A6 B4-5