PHOTO PROVIDED Keystone Central School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Randy Zangara speaks to the board about recent updates the administration proposed to student handbooks prior to the 2025-2026 school year.

MILL HALL — Following a lengthy discussion, the Keystone Central School District Board of Directors voted down updates to the student handbook for 2025-2026.

The board reviewed multiple handbooks during its work session last week and again during its voting session on Thursday night for elementary, middle and high school students among others.

During its work session, a few board members expressed their concerns over certain aspects of the handbooks, particularly the language it used.

On Thursday, Board Member Chris Scaff reiterated those points. In particular, Scaff said he didn’t like the change in language from “rules” to “expectations” in the handbooks.

At its work session, district staff said the change was due to aligning with Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) which has been implemented across all schools.

“You have to have rules and there has to be consequences. That’s how kids learn. To live under expectations just doesn’t cut it.”

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Randy Zangara told the board that, though the word “rules” is replaced with “expectations” in places, there are still consequences to not meeting those expectations.

He specifically referenced the elementary school handbook on page 21 where it lists such things.

“There is a part in that handbook that talks about all those things specifically. It’s just the nomenclature that’s up top that’s a little bit different to match the PBIS stuff,” he said.

He used the example of an expectation of students to keep their hands to themselves.

“The expectation is to keep your hands to yourself. But if you break those expectations for fighting, then there is a consequence to that action. Which would be a level of detention or suspension,” he said.

Board Member Jeff Johnston said he felt the discussion was getting into semantics with terminology. He noted the use of PBIS language is something that’s used in districts across the state.

“An expectation — whether you call it an expectation, call it a rule — the kids are used to this kind of terminology,” he said. “You’re still going to get a consequence whether you call it a rule or an expectation. I think we’re reading a whole lot more into this than we have to.”

Board Member Tom Cannon asked why the handbooks were brought to the board for approval right before the start of the school year when they need to be distributed.

He further asked what terminology is used for the district’s staff.

“Because if we have rules for staff but expectations for students what kind of example does that set,” he asked.

“If it’s rules for adults, it should be rules for students. If it’s expectations for adults, then I guess it’s expectations for students.”

Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon said he’d have to review the policies for staff members to know which terminology is used.

Board Member Dr. Bill Baldino was for utilizing “rules” instead of “expectations” in the handbook.

“I think words mean things. I think a rule is a specific word, with a specific meaning and I think there’s a place for it,” Baldino said. “I think expectations implies leeway.”

Elling suggested the board pass the handbooks as presented so the district could distribute them to parents in advance of the school year, which begins Aug. 26.

“I feel like we should be going back in and, like I said previously, trying to correct them and then we can do an update to this handbook,” he said. “That way we’re all on the same page.”

Discussions surrounding cellphone policies along with the permission to wear hats and hoods was also brought forward by Board Vice President Butch Knauff. Multiple members of the board said it was interested in reviewing its cellphone policy in the future.

The handbook updates were struck down in a 3-6 vote, with Baldino, Cannon, Donahay, Scaff and Elisabeth Lynch voting no and Elling, Johnston and Tracy Smith voting yes.

Knauff noted the handbooks would be reviewed once again and brought back to the board at its September meeting.

In the meantime, Redmon said pertinent information in the handbook — such as school start times — will be distributed by other means until the handbook is completed.