School board approves new suspension program

The Havre School Board gave final approval to a new program that will allow Havre High School students who receive out-of-school suspension to get credit for missed work if they do community service while suspended.

The board gave preliminary approval to the program at its Sept. 9 board meeting. On Tuesday the board voted 5-0 to give final approval.

HHS students who get out-of-school suspension - which is given for violations like drug and alcohol use, fights and repeated defiance or insubordination - have to leave school for anywhere from one to 10 days. In the past they were encouraged to do the work they missed to avoid falling behind, but did not get credit for it.

Under the new program, which will be run in conjunction with the local juvenile probation program, students will get full credit for the work they make up for each day they work four hours of community service.

Students who opt for the program will report to school each day they are suspended, and will be taken to work at either the North Havre Community Services Food Bank, the District IV Human Resources Development Council, or the North Central Senior Citizens Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

HHS assistant principal Jerry Vandersloot has said that about 20 students were given out-of-school suspension last year in the high school, and that most students were suspended for between one and five days.

School board member Kathie Newell said the program is "another good example of how our staff isn't afraid to think outside the box."