JAY – The School Committee is scheduled Thursday to have first readings on two policies: student class assignment and injurious hazing.

It takes two readings before the School Committee can adopt a policy, Superintendent Robert Wall said.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Middle School.

The School Department’s philosophy of the proposed student class assignment policy for kindergarten through eighth grade is that the administration will assign students to classes.

The objective of the placement process is to provide the optimal classroom environment to enable each student to function to his or her fullest ability, according to the policy.

Under the policy, the child’s current teacher or teachers provide input for placement for the next school year. Parental input is encouraged.

The policy states that placements with specific teachers cannot be made simply at the request of the parent. Many factors must be considered, including the range of academic abilities, social mixture, gender balance, individual learning styles and others.

Final decisions regarding class placement are the responsibility of the building principal or designee, the policy states.

The other proposed policy states that injurious hazing will not be tolerated by any school department students or employees. Maine law defines injurious hazing as “any action or situation, including harassing behavior, that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of any school personnel or a student enrolled in a public school.”

Harassing behavior includes acts of intimidation and any other conduct that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of a student or staff member.

Under the policy, no administrator, faculty member or other employee of the school may encourage or permit such activities. No student, including leaders of students’ organizations, may encourage or engage in those activities.

Students who violate the policy may be subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsions, or other measures. School employees who violate it may be subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal, the policy states.