Annual Notifications

Independent School District #743 has management plans prepared for all buildings in the district. This plan deals with the procedures used in managing the asbestos-containing materials in the junior and senior high buildings. The elementary school which was constructed in 1994 is made of asbestos-free materials and therefore is not included in the plan.

The management plan is available for viewing by interested parties, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. upon request in the District Office located at 903 State Road.

As required by federal law, the condition of the asbestos in our schools is surveyed every six months as part of an ongoing operations and maintenance program. During the most recent inspection, no damaged asbestos was observed. The asbestos is also re-inspected every three years by a certified state inspector.
 

If you have any questions or concerns, please address them to our designated person, John Messer, Director of Buildings and Grounds.

Independent School District #743 is proud to be taking a leadership role in providing a safe, comfortable, and productive environment for our students and staff so that we achieve our core mission – educating students. Our school will follow the EPA guidelines to improve our indoor air quality (IAQ) by preventing as many IAQ problems as possible, and by quickly responding to any IAQ problems that may arise. Good indoor air quality requires an ongoing commitment by everyone in our school because each of us daily makes decisions and performs activities that affect the quality of the air we breathe. Each room in every building will be evaluated for indoor air quality. Teachers, custodial staff, and administrators will be trained on IAQ factors. Our IAQ Coordinator, John Messer, will follow up on any IAQ problems you may have and may be contacted at 320-352-2258.

It is the policy of the Sauk Centre District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and status with regard to public assistance or in its educational programs or employment policies as required by Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1973, Title IX (1972 Education Amendments), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The District will identify, evaluate, and provide an appropriate public education to learners who are disabled within the definition of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Inquiries regarding compliance with Title IX, Section 504, or the Americans with Disabilities Act should be directed to the respective building principal, or to the Superintendent of Schools at following address:

Sauk Centre Public Schools
903 State Road,
Sauk Centre, MN 56378

Or

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC

A Minnesota state law went into effect in year 2000 that requires schools to inform school employees and parents if they apply certain pesticides on school property.

Specifically, this law requires schools that apply these pesticides to maintain an estimated schedule of pesticide applications and to make the schedule available to employees and parents for review or copying at the district office.

Although not required by law, we are notifying you specifically that our application of pesticides is very limited.  We do not as a matter of practice have scheduled applications.  For safety reasons, prior to hard frost, it can be anticipated that hornets/flies may be sprayed on a sporadic basis in the area of our outside kitchen dumpsters.

When we do spray, Zeposector Insecticide Spray is used.  This spray falls into the lowest level of toxicity as determined by the US Environmental Protection Agency.  The level of toxicity is rated as “relatively nontoxic”.

State law also requires that you be told that the long-term health effects on children from the application of such pesticides or the class of chemicals to which they belong may not be fully understood.

Some of the information contained in this notice is voluntarily provided above and beyond the requirements of the law.

If you would like to be notified prior to an application, (excluding emergency applications) not addressed in the above text, please complete and return the form below and mail it to: 

Patrick Westby, Superintendent
903 State Road
Sauk Centre, MN 56378

If you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact John Messer at 320-352-2258, Ext. 4009.

 

Request for Pesticide Notification
Sauk Centre Public Schools

       I understand that the school has provided information in the text of this notice regarding estimated pesticide applications.  Should a non-emergency pesticide application different than said notice be scheduled, I would like to be notified.  I understand the statute permits and that the school may ask me for reimbursement for costs of notification.

 

            I would prefer to be notified by  (circle one)       US Mail            E-mail

  Date:                                      __________________________

  Name of Parent/Guardian:        __________________________

  Address:                                 __________________________

  Day Phone:                             __________________________

  Evening Phone:                        __________________________

  E-mail:                                    __________________________

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.  These rights are:

(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the School receives a request for access.

Parents or eligible students should submit to the School principal a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect.  The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

(2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate.

Parents or eligible students may ask the School to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate.  They should write the School principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.  If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the School will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.  Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

(3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is a person employed by the School as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the School has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Upon request, the School discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington DC 20202-4605

PPRA affords parents and students who are 18 or emancipated minors (“eligible students”) certain rights regarding our conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams.  These include the right to:

*Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (protected information survey) if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the U.S. Department of Education

1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
2. Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
3. Sex behavior or attitudes;
4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
5. Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
6. Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
7. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or
8. Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

*Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of

1. Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding;
2. Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and
3. Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

*Inspect upon request and before administration or use

1. Protected information surveys of students;
2. Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and
3. Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

ISD #743 has developed and adopted policies, in consultation with parents, regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution purposes.

ISD 743 will directly notify parents of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes.  ISD #743 will directly notify parents and eligible students, such as through U.S. Mail or in a student handbook; or e-mail, at least annually at the start of each school year of the specific or approximate dates of the following activities and provide an opportunity to opt a student out of participating of the specific activity or survey.  ISD 743 will make this notification to parents at the beginning of the school year if the District has identified the specific or approximate dates of the activity or surveys at that time.  For surveys and activity scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below and be provided an opportunity to opt their child out of such activities and surveys.

Parents will also be provided an opportunity to review any pertinent surveys.  Following is a list of the specific activities and surveys covered under this requirement:

• Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution.
• Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by ED.
• Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above.

Parents/eligible students who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

Federal and state laws guarantee parents and students protection from unwarranted access to a student’s educational records.  Federal rules require schools to annually notify parents and students of the rights afforded them.  This announcement serves the 2018-2019 notice.  For more information, contact Superintendent Patrick Westby.

The Sauk Centre Schools collect student data and maintain educational records on all students.  These records may contain identifying data, academic grades, attendance, records, test results, psychological reports, student activity participation, communications to parents and other agencies, and other student information.

PRIVACY RIGHTS:  Educational records which could personally identify a student other than “Directory Information,” may not be released without written permission.  Exceptions are made for access by certain school staff, educational institutions, scholarship and financial aid sponsors, and researchers.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION:  Directory information is defined to include:  name, address, phone number, date and place of birth, major field of study or courses taken, participation in school activities, weight and height of athletic team members, dates of attendance, grade levels completed, diplomas and awards received, and the names of other educational agencies attended.

Directory Information can be released without prior consent unless the parent or student requests in writing that such information not be released. Refusal to permit release of Directory Information must be made within 30 days of publication of this notice.

For public relations reasons, pictures are also considered directory information and may be published unless specifically excluded like other information. This includes pictures for the Memory Book.  Parents must send a note if they do not want their child’s picture in the Memory Book.

PRIVATE DATA:  Private Data will not be released without consent unless excepted by statute.  The following types of data are considered “private”:  achievement records, grades, test scores, evaluations, and any other content of cumulative or permanent records except that which is specifically identified as Directory Information.

INSPECTION OF RECORDS:  Parents of students or eligible students who are 18 years old, may request to inspect any of the student’s educational records except those which are classified as “confidential” by federal or state law.  Interested persons may make an appointment with an administrator, present proper identification, and be permitted to inspect records, receive interpretations or explanation, and obtain copies of records within a reasonable waiting period for a reasonable cost.

CHALLENGE OF RECORDS:  Those who believe that specific information in a student’s record is inaccurate, misleading, incomplete, or violates the privacy rights of the student, may request in writing that the record be amended or corrected.  If the district declines or refuses, the challenge may be addressed to a hearing officer and receive other due process protection.

TRANSFER OF RECORDS:  The educational records of a student may be transferred to another school in which a student seeks to enroll upon the request of that school.

DATA COLLECTION RIGHTS:  When asked to supply private or confidential data, the parent or eligible student will be informed of:  (A) the intended purpose and use of the data; (B) whether or not the student may refuse or is legally required to supply the data; (C) any known consequences arising from supplying or refusing to supply the data; and (D) the identity of persons or agencies authorized to receive the data.

COMPLAINTS FOR NONCOMPLIANCE:  Written complaints of violations of rights afforded them by the Family Education Rights and Practices Act should be sent to: 

Family Education Rights and Practices Office
United States Department of Education
Washington, DC 20201

According to the federal legislation, you may request and review information from the school district regarding the professional qualifications of your child's teachers. The information you may request includes the following:

• Has the teacher met state qualifications and certification requirements for the grade level and subject he/she is teaching?
• Has the teacher received an emergency or conditional certificate through which state qualifications were waived?
• What undergraduate or graduate degrees the teacher holds, including graduate certificates and additional degrees, and major(s) or area(s) of concentration?

You may also ask whether your child receives help from a paraprofessional. If your child receives this assistance, we can provide you with information about the paraprofessional's qualifications.

Our staff is committed to helping your child develop the academic knowledge and critical thinking he/she needs to succeed in school and beyond. That commitment includes making sure that all of our teachers and paraprofessionals are highly skilled.

If you have any questions about your child's assignment to a teacher or paraprofessional, please contact Sharon Haakinson at 320.352.2258 ext. 4000.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in any program receiving federal financial assistance. The Act defines a person with a disability as anyone who:

1. Has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (major life activities include activities such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working):
2. Has a record of such impairment; or
3. Is regarded as having such impairment. [34 CFR 104.3(j)]

In order to fulfill obligations under Section 504, the Sauk Centre School District is responsible for nondiscrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel and learners. No discrimination against any person with a disability shall knowingly be permitted in any of the programs and practices of the school system.

In response to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA 2004), Minnesota School Districts must demonstrate that “all children with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disabilities, and who are in need of special education and related services, are identified, located, and evaluated.”  This responsibility extends to children with disabilities who are educated at home or in non-public schools.

Upon request, our district will provide information to concerned parents on specific disabilities including information about the educational or behavioral characteristics of each disability. Parents who believe their child may indeed have a disability may request information on how to arrange for an evaluation through the district’s special education staff.

Parents of students who are evaluated and are found to be eligible for special education services will become part of a team which will develop, implement, and monitor the effectiveness of a Service Plan to meet the identified needs of their children.

If you have questions or would like to receive information about specific disabilities or evaluation, please contact the principal of the school building your child would be attending if he/she was enrolled in public school. Our school district is committed to success for all learners.