Friday was an in-service day in the Tyrone Area School district.
The faculty spent the morning learning about HIPPA regulations and other issues. The afternoon was dedicated to a seminar entitled “Who’s in charge,” described in a handout as a quiz to emphasize that teachers have more rights than they think when it comes to student discipline. The quiz also went over how to avoid discipline and dismissal as a professional employee.
Superintendent of the Tyrone Area School District, William N. Miller described the event’s moderator Attorney Donald B Owen as his mentor in his opening remarks to the faculty.
“Don Owen is a very accomplished attorney, former teacher and board member,” Miller told The Daily Herald. “He brings a particularly positive mix to the group.”
Attorney Owen was most recently the Associate Executive Director for Board Development Programs for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. He had been with the association since 1980 before retiring.
“I’m proud to have been a teacher,” said Owen during his opening comments. He added he is first and foremost a teacher and referred to teaching as his gift from God.
His seminar then began with a quiz that teachers had 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Owen joked that faculty could answer the questions on their own or seek assistance from those around them. After the quiz the results were graded and discussed by the moderator and the group.
The quiz included several questions on different topics including the possibility of being sued. The test also included questions about student suspensions, expulsions and discipline. The quiz even delved in matters such as protecting self and property as a faculty member and student searches. The final part of the exam dealt with the discipline and dismissal of professional employees.
In the spirit of fair play after quizzing faculty members, Attorney Owen offered an evaluation form to rate his presentation.
