BY SUSAN WARE

The Hooksett School Board policy subcommittee will meet with state Rep. David Hess and Hooksett police on Thursday, July 12, to discuss registered sex offenders in the school community.

The policy subcommittee was in the initial stages in early June of drafting a broad policy that would impose strict controls on registered sex offenders who have business on school property.

The issue was brought to the School Board by parents, said School Board member Jim Sullivan, because there is currently a registered sex offender who picks up his children at the Fred C. Underhill School each afternoon. This individual qualifies for the state sex offender registry as he was convicted of a 632-A:3, III Felonious Sexual Assault, victim under 13 years of age.

“We had gotten a lot of input from parents who are very concerned about this individual’s presence at the school,” said Sullivan.

The policy subcommittee consists of Sullivan and a volunteer from each school. They are currently consulting with legal counsel to see exactly what rights the School Board has and what rights this individual has.

The policy subcommittee is looking to the New Hampshire state guidelines regarding sex offenders as a template, but Sullivan said they need to adopt guidelines because it is unusual to have a parent that is a registered sex offender.

While the district cannot prevent this individual from picking up his children after school, they can impose some stricter guidelines.

“This concern has led us to take a long look at all of our safety procedures. Any new policy is not aimed just at this one individual or one situation,” said Sullivan.

The school district currently has numerous safety procedures in place, and the policy subcommittee is working to make sure that these procedures are adequate, in writing and actual policies.

“Any policy we write has to address the known offender, and the unknown. It is a huge task,” said Sullivan.

Once the policy subcommittee drafts a registered sex offender policy, it will be given three public readings, during School Board meetings, before it is adopted. When students return to school in the fall, a letter will go home updating parents on any changes, said Sullivan.