Board of Education Meeting Recap

The SMSD Board of Education discussed and voted on topics such as district level awards for teachers and SMSD staff, physical and emotional student safety, opioid overdose counters, and ACT statistics on Monday Oct. 22.

During public comments Horizons High School student Claire Tietgen voiced her first hand opinions about the treatment of mental illness in her school.

“You guys are being investigated by the Department of Justice for the follow,” Tietgan said. “Sexual harassment, sexual allegations, and proof of documentation.”

Tietgan claims that the district isn’t doing a good enough job of protecting its students, and that policies need to change. She didn’t specify what policies she wanted altered, but accredits her opinions to her mental state and the mental issues of her peers.

“I’ve tried to commit suicide many times, and thankfully I have not succeeded,” Teitgan said.

Claire’s Father, Charles Tietgan, followed the example set she set and faced the board directly after Claire spoke. He brought to light a more specific act of aggression that worked as his driving force for change.

“My daughter was attacked, beaten unconscious [and] diagnosed with severe concussion down the hall from the Principal’s office on camera,” Charles said.

After the Teagans spoke, superintendent Dr. Mike Fulton said that the board takes state and federal government involvements seriously, and that they would cooperate with any investigation.

“It’s important for all of us to do the very best we can to make sure all children are both physically and emotionally safe,” Fulton said.

After the public comments about mental health, the board evaluated the district’s health services for the 2018-2019 school year. On July 1, K.A.R. 68-7-23 was signed into law. This allows school nurses to possess, store, and administer emergency opioid antagonist known as Naloxone or Narcan.

Naloxone and Narcan are medications used to treat narcotic overdoses in emergency situations. Health services is still seeking board approval for a stock Narcan agreement between Johnson County EMS and SMSD.

The board later received a report on ACT statistics. The national average composite ACT score was a 20.8, the state average was 21.6, and the SMSD average was 23.8, roughly similar to the averages from the past 18 years.

The next board meeting is scheduled to take place Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Center for Academic Achievement board rooms at 8200 W. 71st Street.

You can read the minutes from this meeting or watch the recap at: https://www.smsd.org/about/board-of-education.