School Board Meetings Summary, August 2026
Aug 31
8 min read
Zachary Community School Board | District 8
Compiled by Dr. Crystal London, District 8 Board Member
August opened just days before students returned to school, and much of the board’s work centered on transportation access, campus safety, student discipline, policy development, board professional learning, and the beginning of the new school year. The month included a lengthy Committee of the Whole meeting on August 4 and the Regular Board Meeting on August 18.
Finance, Transportation & District Operations
The Committee of the Whole began with the district’s monthly financial presentation from Mr. Musso, providing the board with an update on the district budget and financial position.
Transportation quickly became one of the most urgent discussions of the evening. The board received an update from Mrs. Spence and First Student representatives regarding new bridge restrictions and road-construction impacts affecting school bus routes. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development had reclassified several bridges, resulting in 10 bridges being closed to school buses because of weight restrictions.
With the school year beginning only days later, board members raised concerns about proposed alternatives that would have required some students to walk farther along roads that were not considered safe or practical.
Discussion among board members, district transportation staff, First Student representatives, and community members focused on finding another solution. Particular concerns were raised around the Heck Young Road and Flanacher Road areas. Options discussed included creating turnaround areas and exploring FirstAlt, a First Student service that could allow the district to contract smaller vehicles and drivers capable of reaching students where traditional school buses could no longer travel.
The board’s direction was to continue developing an immediate transportation solution for affected families and address any necessary contract modifications afterward. (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
School Safety
The board also received a comprehensive 2026–2027 District Safety Update.
The presentation reviewed the district’s overall safety structure, including its partnership with the Zachary Police Department for School Resource Officers and additional-duty police officers, school- and district-level emergency plans, camera surveillance, and the Navigate360 emergency planning platform.
The update also highlighted physical and technology-based security measures, including:
controlled-access entrances and upgraded locks;
anti-intrusion safety film;
panic buttons and principal lanyard alert devices;
perimeter fencing and gates;
Evolv weapon-detection systems;
ZeroEyes camera-based weapon detection;
the Raptor visitor-management system;
vape and group detectors in restrooms;
annual safety and SRO assessments;
and anonymous reporting through Safe Schools Louisiana.
The district also reviewed staff and student safety training, including Run, Hide, Fight principles, active-shooter training, required school-level drills, and the districtwide “Know the Drill” initiative. (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
Expulsion Policy & Student Interventions
The board continued its work on File JDE – Expulsions, building on earlier conversations about student discipline and intervention. A major part of the August 4 discussion focused on proposed changes to the district’s expulsion policy following changes in state law related to marijuana and THC offenses. The redlined versions in the packet reflected options under consideration (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
The board discussed whether a student’s first marijuana or THC possession offense should continue to trigger the same level of exclusion as other controlled-substance offenses, or whether the district should use the additional flexibility now available under state law to provide a shorter period of removal and require intervention supports.
The discussion also continued the board’s broader effort to clarify what should happen alongside discipline, including the use of counseling, restorative practices, parent education, mentoring, behavioral supports, and other interventions.
At the August 18 Regular Board Meeting, the board approved an amendment to File JDE. The approved version revised the treatment of marijuana and THC possession and set the policy language the district would use going forward. (Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
Long-Term Suspension & Due Process
The board also returned to File JDD – Suspension, including the district’s definition of long-term suspension as 10 to 89 days. The existing handbook language makes the hearing officer’s decision final and provides no board appeal for long-term suspension, while an expulsion carries a right of appeal to the board. (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
Dr. London again asked the board to reduce the maximum long-term suspension from 89 days to 45 days. The discussion included concerns about how the expanded 10–89 day suspension range had been used during its first year. Dr. London noted that raw student-level data provided to the board following repeated requests showed suspensions being assigned in the 60-, 70-, and 80-day ranges. She also reiterated that she had requested that the actual number of days assigned to students be included in the district’s summarized discipline presentation so the board and public could see the practical effects of the policy.
Community members also raised questions about how administrators determine the number of suspension days assigned for a particular infraction. At the time, the district did not have a formal rubric establishing a common standard for determining whether a student should receive, for example, 21 days, 45 days, 60 days, or more.
That led to discussion about developing a suspension rubric to create clearer and more consistent decision-making.
Dr. London also raised a due-process concern: under state law and district policy, a student receiving an expulsion has an opportunity to appeal that decision to the School Board, while a student receiving a long-term suspension does not have that same appeal process. She argued that suspensions approaching the length of an expulsion can function as an expulsion in practice without providing families the same opportunity for board review.
The superintendent also shared comparative information regarding expulsion appeals in neighboring school systems and the number of Zachary cases that had reached the board. That discussion reinforced the broader question of whether the expanded long-term suspension range was being used in part to avoid cases reaching the board for appellate review.
Dr. London maintained that families seeking an appeal were specifically asking for the opportunity to have the elected board independently review administrative decisions, and that long suspensions in the 60-, 70-, or 80-day range should not effectively remove that opportunity. (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
When the matter returned for action at the Regular Board Meeting, the proposal to reduce the maximum long-term suspension from 89 to 45 days was not approved. (Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
Policy Audit & Suspension Rubric
Two additional governance actions grew directly out of the summer’s policy discussions. The board approved the formation of a Policy Audit Committee, allowing the districtwide policy-review work previously approved by the board to move into a more structured committee process. (Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
The board also approved formation of a committee to develop a suspension rubric. The purpose of the rubric work is to provide greater structure and consistency around how long-term suspension lengths are determined. (Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
Board Travel & Professional Learning
The Committee of the Whole also continued discussion of proposed board travel procedures and policy language.=. The packet included proposed amendments to Policy BBBE – Board Member Compensation and Expenses and related reimbursement procedures. (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
The proposed language would distinguish between required in-state training and optional out-of-state professional learning, with tighter limits on district funding for out-of-state conferences.
During the discussion, some board members expressed concern about using district funds for professional learning beyond what is required for compliance.
Dr. London argued that ongoing professional learning is part of effective governance. She emphasized that board members should not only be expected to grow as leaders but should be motivated to do so because the quality of board governance is connected to the knowledge and development of the people making decisions for students and schools.
She also encouraged the board to consider the full picture when discussing stewardship of district resources, including whether the district is receiving value from conference registrations and other professional-learning expenditures.
The travel discussion moved forward again at the August 18 Regular Board Meeting, where the board considered the proposed revisions to board-member compensation, travel, and reimbursement procedures. (Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
Professional Learning Update
Dr. London also provided the board with a professional-learning update from her summer conference participation. She highlighted two sessions in particular:
Historical and Economic Context of the Southern Region — examining how the history and economic development of states including Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi have contributed to many of the educational and economic challenges facing the region today.
Disagreement and Board Leadership — examining common sources of board conflict and the importance of productive disagreement.
Dr. London emphasized that disagreement itself is not the problem. Board members can hold different perspectives and still work constructively when the common goal remains improving outcomes for students. (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
Recognitions & Celebrations
The August Regular Board Meeting was held at the Zachary High School Visual and Performing Arts Building and included several student and employee recognitions.
The board recognized:
2026 summer graduates;
district Teacher of the Year, New Teacher of the Year, and Support Employee of the Year honorees;
Haley Odom, Louisiana State Teacher of the Year semifinalist;
Jonathan McClinton, Louisiana Boys Basketball Coach of the Year;
Darryl Alello, recipient of the 2026 LEAE Legacy Award in memory of Sally Babin;
FFA student award recipients; and
National Thespy winners.
(Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
Superintendent Update
The superintendent’s August update focused heavily on the beginning of the new school year and upcoming district activities. Updates included implementation preparations for the DARE program, the upcoming Labor Day holiday, future remote-learning activities, and preparations for Homecoming Week, September 22–25, and a remote-learning day on September 21. (Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
Finance & Tax Millages
The board reviewed the district’s annual property-tax millages during the Committee of the Whole and formally adopted the 2026 millage rates at the Regular Board Meeting.
The resolution included the district’s constitutional, maintenance, bond, and special-school millages for the 2026 tax roll. (Committee of the Whole – August 4; Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
Legal & Board Oversight
A planned discussion concerning pending litigation was tabled during the Committee of the Whole and moved to the August 18 Regular Board Meeting. (Committee of the Whole – August 4, 2026)
At the Regular Board Meeting, the board entered executive session to receive the litigation update. (Regular Board Meeting – August 18, 2026)
There were no student expulsion appeals scheduled for the August 18 meeting.
Actions Taken
Adopted the district’s 2026 tax millage rates.
Approved amendments to File JDE – Expulsions, including updated treatment of first-time marijuana/THC possession offenses.
The proposed reduction of the maximum long-term suspension from 89 days to 45 days was not approved.
Approved formation of a Policy Audit Committee.
Approved formation of a Suspension Rubric Committee.
Continued and approved revisions related to board travel procedures and professional-learning expenses.
Entered executive session for a litigation update.
No student expulsion appeals were heard.
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