Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
The Craig County School Board on Oct. 14 discussed a proposed policy designed to support students who volunteer as firefighters or emergency medical technicians, ensuring their community service does not negatively impact their school attendance or participation in extracurricular activities.
The proposal, submitted by Darren Gilreath, vice chairman of the Simmonsville School District Board, would allow registered student volunteers to be excused for absences if they are called for emergency duty before the start of the school day. Additionally, students who must leave after-school activities, including athletics, to respond to emergencies would not have these departures counted against their participation records. All absences or early departures would require documentation from the relevant emergency service department.
“This policy is intended to recognize and support the valuable service these students provide to our community,” Gilreath wrote in his Aug. 12 submission. “They should not be penalized for fulfilling their volunteer emergency service commitments.”
During the meeting, Craig City District Chair Trace Bellassai said the policy would give students “some leeway” if their service with the fire department or rescue squad causes them to be late to school or miss part of extracurricular activities.
Superintendent Dr. Jason Wheeler said he will draft an official policy for the board to review. Board members discussed whether to set a limit on how many absences or early departures could be excused. Several suggested a cap of five instances per semester, while noting that most students would likely not reach this number.
“I don’t foresee it being an issue, but it makes sense to have a clear number in place so there’s no confusion or potential abuse,” Bellassai said. “This policy could be in place for years, and we want to ensure it functions smoothly if the need arises.”
Wheeler said he would incorporate the suggested limit into the draft policy and present it at a future meeting for first reading. If approved, the policy would allow students to continue contributing to emergency services without risking their academic standing or participation in school activities.
