(Radio Iowa) — The State Board of Education took the first step today (Wednesday) in approving changes to the rules governing the use of seclusion rooms in Iowa schools. There were concerns about three main issues when changes were first proposed and the board voted down the first version in August to allow time for more public input. Board of Education lawyer, Nicole Proesch, says one key point changes the language that tells teachers when they should act to put a student in a seclusion room. “People said you have to get rid of the term serious physical injury. When you look at criminal code and when you look at I-D-E-A, the definition for serious physical injury was loss of use of body part, dismemberment, disfigurement or possible death,” Proesch says.

Administrators told Proesch they were worried the language would keep teachers and staff from taking action. “Even when they should, because they’re going to say ‘I’m not sure if what that student is going to do is going to cause serious injury. I am going to bow out and I’m not going to step in,” Proesch says. She says they looked at several definitions and settled on using bodily injury. Proesch says they talked with administrators and education groups about the change. “And they felt more comfortable with that because they felt that it would give teachers more room to use their judgment,” Proesch says, “And not have to second-guess whether it was going to result in some serious injury causing death.”

The rule for notifying parents is changed from the current requirement that parents are notified within ten minutes to let them know within an hour after the incident is over. Ed Department deputy director, David Tilley says teachers felt that ten minute rule created some issues. “Now the time clock starts once the issue is resolved and under control,” Tilley says. “That eliminated a lot of the educators worry that you’re going to put me in a position between maintaining and helping this kid — versus going and notifying a parent.” Proesch says parents said they could not always be reached at work during the day and that created issues. They rule also says parents must be notified no later than the end of the school day

“The original rules as they currently sit are end of school day. So, if we don’t change anything it is the end of the day. Some administrators came to us and said to leave it as it is. We’ve actually up the ante by saying an hour after it has ended,” Proesch says. The last big change that was a point of concern in the public hearings and input was the size and type of rooms. Proesch says administrators felt two years currently given to make changes is not enough. “That’s why we extended that out, and then we also changed the room size a little bit, modified it down just so that A, it would make it a little bit easier for some schools that have rooms already. And we were also taking into consideration about some of the comments we received about how big it really needs to be and what works,” according to Proesch.

The changes on room size were included to prevent the seclusion rooms from simply being a broom closet. “We’ve had incidents where that has occurred — and those ere the incidents that we are trying to prevent,” Proesch says. “When we look at the rules and we look at things in here that says it has to comply with heating, ventilation, lighting, accessibility, dimensions, it has to be habitable. It shouldn’t be a utility closet that has chemicals sitting on the floor.” Tilley says the hope is that they rooms never have to be used. “The goal of crisis intervention is de-escalation and the opportunity for kids to get themselves back together,” according to Tilley. “These should if they’re used therapeutically — should be used as little as possible, as short a time as possible.”

Tilley says the total package of rules is intended to help ensure that happens in a safe manner. “Even those these were the three sticking points — it’s our perspective that there is a significant set of other changes that were made in these rules — about definitions, about training, about when seclusion and restraints should not be used,”Tilley says. The rules now go out for more comment with the first public hearing set for January 7th.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests. Tuesday evening, Lucas Christopher Wooten, of Treynor, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense. His bond was set at $2,000. Monday night, 51-year old Shane Allen Patent, of Henderson, was arrested for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. His bond was set at $300, and, 28-year old Angel Marie Shlee, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Monday at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear. Bond was set at $5,000.

And, on Sunday, 19-year old Gabriela Lynn Kermoade, of Omaha, was arrested following a traffic stop, for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Her bond was set at $1,000.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The former office manager of the Iowa City Area Development Group is facing federal charges for a 13-year theft scheme in which she misspent more than a half-million dollars. Court documents filed Wednesday show that Sheri Jelinek is charged with seven counts of wire fraud. A plea agreement signed earlier this month calls for Jelinek to plead guilty to those charges, which each carry up to 20 years in prison.

It comes about five months after a state audit documented her embezzlement from the nonprofit, which promotes workforce and economic development and is funded by local businesses.
A charging document alleges that Jelinek used the group’s money from 2004 to 2017 for more than 10,000 unauthorized purchases on its credit card that totaled $502,000. The charges were personal in nature and included a wide array of online shopping, groceries, insurance and more.

In the plea agreement, Jelinek admits only that her theft was more than $150,000 and the full amount will be determined by the court.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer today (Wednesday), issued a report on recent arrests and citations. Starmer said on Tuesday, 62-year old Donna Sue Smith, of Audubon, was arrested for Domestic Abuse 1st Offense.  Smith was transported to the Audubon County Jail to appear before a magistrate. On Monday, 35-year old Brandon Michael Barringer, of Audubon, was arrested for Intimidation With a Dangerous Weapon and on three counts of Child Endangerment.  Barringer was transported to the Audubon County Jail where he remains on $20,000 bond.

On Nov. 9th, Audubon Police arrested 25 year old Kaz Ryan Cozad, of Audubon, for Domestic Abuse 3rd Offense.  Cozad was transported to the Audubon County Jail to appear before a magistrate. Nov. 5th, Police in Audubon cited 23-year old Zeth Lee Petersen, of Audubon, for Allowing Dog at Large.  Petersen was issued the citation and released on promise to appear in court.

And, on Nov. 5th, 28-year old Cornelius Unger Peters, of Audubon, was also cited for Allowing Dog at Large.  Peters was subsequently released on promise to appear.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports one person complained of minor/possible injuries following a collision Tuesday morning north of Afton. Authorities say 44-year old Bobby Jo Haley, of Creston, was driving a 2016 RAM pickup eastbound on Highway 34 at around 8:15-a.m., and due to the glare on the road and the sun, did not see a 2010 Toyota Prius that was sitting in the intersection, waiting to turn left onto Creamery Road. Once Haley realized the car was in front of him, he tried to stop, but his pickup struck the rear of the car. Haley complained of pain, and was transported by ambulance to the hospital, in Creston. The driver of the Prius, 29-year old Kayliann Marie Crittenden, of Creston, was not injured.

The Prius was totaled in the collision, while the pickup sustained disabling damage. The damages amounted to about $13,000 altogether. No citations were issued.