School board works to update policies

The Baldwin Board of Education last week embarked on an ambitious, if arduous, effort to bring district policies -- both in language and in content -- in line with those of the New York State School Boards Association. 

The Baldwin board has tried over the last few years to update its policies but because of turnover among board members and superintendents, it has been unable to complete the administrative task, said Cristina Schmohl, district spokeswoman. But now, with Dr. Shari Camhi in her third year as superintendent, the board is making a new effort to tackle the job. 

At a special work session last week, board president Karyn Reid said she has consulted with a representative of the school boards association who cautioned her to go slowly with the huge job. 

The school boards association provides information, education and advice to nearly 660 local school boards and boards of cooperative educational services statewide with an eye toward promoting excellence in public education, according to its website. 

The Baldwin board plans to look at policies, some of which haven’t been updated for years, to bring them into alignment with school boards association codes, and ultimately, with those of other local school districts. The board’s examination of the policies will focus both on the content of each code as well as the language used. 

At the work session last week, for instance, one policy under discussion dealt with the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act, known as “Megan’s Law.” Under debate was the question of whether staff  should be notified about a sex offender in the area. While the board chose not to alter the existing policy significantly, members agreed to add in wording that would include notifications to private schools within the boundaries of Baldwin.  

The board was to meet again on the policies on Wednesday evening, before the first work session on the budget.