In consideration of the New Jersey Association of School Business Administrator’s Annual Conference and numerous County Roundtable Meetings, the Annual School Law and Policy Seminar scheduled for Friday, June 8, 2012 has been rescheduled for Tuesday, June 12, 2012. The location of Brookdale Community College and the registration time of 8:30 a.m. will remain the same. Two staff members from a PASS school district are invited to attend this valuable and informative professional development day. Registration materials were mailed to all PASS clients on May 7, 2012 and are available for download by clicking the Events tab – Download forms.
 

There have been several updates to CIPA regarding children’s online behavior and conduct including interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms, and cyber-bullying awareness and response. Strauss Esmay’s Acceptable Use Policy and Regulation Guides (2361) have been updated to be in compliance with these new requirements. Boards are required to update their acceptable use policies by July 1, 2012. Updated Policy and Regulation Guides will be included in the next Policy Alert, however, to permit time for school districts to adopt an updated Policy and Regulation, the updated Guides and a Summary of the updates are available for download through ELANOnline – Policy Alerts tab under “Other Downloads.” It is recommended districts review the Summary and updated guides for Board adoption prior to July 1, 2012.
 

The New Jersey Department of Education is recommending district administrators and supervisors receive twelve hours of HIB prevention training in addition to the twelve hours of school leader training required by N.J.A.C. 6A:9-16.7. (See
http://www.nj.gov/education/students/safety/behavior/hib/HIBGuidancePD.pdf)

The NJDOE recommended topics to be covered in this HIB prevention training program. Strauss Esmay is finalizing its 2012-2013 HIB Prevention Training Program to address the NJDOE's recommended topics. The twelve-hour program will be divided into four, three-hour sessions offered during the summer of 2012. Because some of these listed topics were thoroughly covered in Strauss Esmay's 2011-2012 HIB Prevention Training Program, those who attended the 2011-2012 Training Program will only need nine additional hours.

The 2012-2013 Program will be similar to the 2011-2012 turn-key training program as the 2012-2013 program will provide participants all the resources to return to their school districts and present these HIB prevention professional development programs to their school district's staff members.

More detailed information on Strauss Esmay's 2012-2013 HIB Prevention Training Program with regional training location and dates will be mailed to school districts in the near future.
 

Policy Guide 1631 – Residency Requirements for Person Holding School District Office, Employment, or Position was included in Policy Alert 196. This new Guide was based on the New Jersey First Act (P.L. 2011, c. 70) and guidance published by the NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA). It appears note 1. on page 1 of the Local Finance Notice - LFN 2011-30 is inconsistent with other notes in the LFN, the FAQ that was attached to the LFN, and the language in the law. The express language of the law, several comments in the LFN, and two answers in the FAQ indicate if a person holds office, employment, or position on the effective date of the law (September 1, 2011), but does not live in state, he is not required to move into New Jersey and is not subject to the residency requirements of the law. However, note 1. on page 1 of the LFN states employees hired on or after September 1, 2011 shall be subject to the residency requirements of the law. This provision of Policy Guide 1631 was based on the specific language of the law (N.J.S.A. 52:14-7.a. (4)) and indicates a person who holds office, employment, or a position in the district on September 1, 2011, but does not have his principal residence in New Jersey on September 1, 2011, shall not be subject to the residency requirements of the law. Strauss Esmay requested and received clarification from the DCA. The DCA has informed our office that upon preliminary review the language in the law would prevail, which means the Policy Guide language in the Policy Guide based on the language in the law is correct. We requested this clarification be published or provided in writing by the DCA upon their final review to avoid any additional confusion. Strauss Esmay is suggesting districts delay adopting this Policy until such clarification is provided. We will keep districts updated on this matter as information becomes available.
 

The Statement of Assurance, District Performance Review, and a Memorandum explaining these documents are available for download under the QSAC Support tab.
 

On January 5, 2011 the Governor signed A-1637 that permits advertising on the exterior of school buses. The law requires the State Board of Education to promulgate rules and regulations to include, but not be limited to, the permissible size of the advertising and the criteria for determining the age-appropriateness of the advertising and the suitability of the message. Although the law takes effect immediately, Strauss Esmay recommended Boards defer adopting an advertising policy until the rules and regulations are developed by the State Board of Education. The NJDOE, in a memorandum dated January 21, 2011, notified school districts not to enter into any contract for school bus advertisements until the State Board has adopted new administrative code. Advertising on school buses and other school property has First Amendment, public contract law, and safety issues that will likely be addressed in the new administrative code. Strauss Esmay has been developing Policy Guide 6163 - Advertising on School Property and will forward the new Guide to PASS school districts upon receipt and consideration of the new administrative code.
 

Policy Alert 196 included Policy Guide 5117 – Interdistrict Public School Choice. The law permits a Board of Education to limit the number of pupils permitted to leave their district to a choice district to ten percent of the number of students per grade per year in the district and/or fifteen percent of the total number of students enrolled in the district provided the Board adopts a limiting resolution. In the event the Board does not adopt a limiting resolution, all pupils in the district are eligible to attend choice schools in another district. Strauss Esmay has developed a Draft resolution limiting the total number of students participating in the school choice program which may be downloaded by clicking on the Policy Alerts tab (it will be under Other Downloads). Upon adoption of administrative code, Strauss Esmay Associates will develop a corresponding Regulation Guide. In the absence of administrative code, it is recommended the school district review this resolution with the Executive County Superintendent before Board adoption. There are three limitation options in the resolution.
 

Strauss Esmay has installed several new password security measures. The only new measure that will affect the authorized user requires a user to “LOGOFF” to end a session on ELANOnline or DISTRICTOnline by clicking the “LOGOFF” button located at the top right hand corner of the screen. Failure to logoff a session in this manner will not permit the authorized user to sign into a subsequent session of ELANOnline or DISTRICTOnline until twenty minutes have expired. Therefore, all authorized users should logoff after signing-in to ELANOnline or DISTRICTOnline using the “LOGOFF” button at the upper right hand corner of the screen to avoid a twenty minute delay to log-in to a second session. Thank you for your cooperation in this new procedure.
 

All PASS school districts should be sure to register one person to Strauss Esmay’s new E-LERT system. This new system will provide important school policy and regulation information via e-mail to one person designated by the school district. If your district has not registered an E-LERT contact person, the E-LERT Registration Form may be downloaded from the Events tab and returned by fax to 732-255-1502.
 

Strauss Esmay Associates formally announces and offers professional development services for school districts looking to provide professional development and in-service programs to Board members, administrators, teachers, and support staff. Strauss Esmay offers in-service programs in school policy areas such as:

• School Ethics Act
• Inappropriate Staff Conduct
• Sexual Harassment
• Pupil Residency
• Family Leave
• School Law Review for Administrative Staff
• School Law and the Teacher
• Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying

Click the Professional Development tab above to access more details on Strauss Esmay's Professional Development Services.
 

Reviews on Strauss Esmay’s DISTRICTOnline are excellent. DISTRICTOnline provides a school district the option to have its Policy and Regulation Manuals on the Internet and provides easy access for district authorized users and the district editor. School districts should contact Strauss Esmay Associates to arrange a DISTRICTOnline demonstration.