WAYNE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT

ANNUAL NOTICE TO PARENTS

I.          NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

To comply with Federal Laws(including Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Amendments of 1974, State Laws, the State Department of Education Regulations concerning Equal Rights and Opportunities,and to assure their implementation, the Wayne Highlands School District declares itself to be an Equal Opportunity Education Institution, and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap orl imited English proficiency in its activities, programs or employment practices.

For information regarding Civil Rights or Grievances Procedures, please contact Samuel R. Tallo, Title IX Coordinator, at 474 Grove Street, Honesdale, PA  18431. Telephone: (570)-253-4661.  It is the coordinator's responsibility to make certain that all education programs and activities and all employment procedures are free from discrimination on the basis of these conditions stated in the Policy.

TITLE IX POLICY STATEMENT

The Wayne Highlands School District has created policies which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in both education and employment. Board Policy and Administrative Practices and Procedures prohibits sex bias in such educational areas as treatment of students, instruction,counseling practices, financial assistance, awards, physical education,interscholastic and intramural athletics, and disciplinary procedures.  Board Policy and Administrative Practices and Procedures prohibits sex bias in such employment areas as applications, recruitment, hiring, upgrading and promotion, rates of pay,fringe benefits, job assignment and classification, leaves of absence, training and all other terms, conditions or privileges of employment.

For information regarding civil rights or grievance procedures, contact Samuel R. Tallo, Title IX Coordinator,474 Grove Street, Honesdale, PA 18431.  Telephone: (570)-253-4661.  It is the coordinator's responsibility to make certain that all education programs and activities and all employment procedures are free from discrimination on the basis of these conditions in the policy.

II.                 NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER FERPA

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 45days 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 academic education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate,misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

Parents or eligible students who wish to ask the school to amend a record should write the School principal,clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed.  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; a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the School has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using its own employees or 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.

(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 ERPA.  The name and address of the Office that administrates FERPA:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC  20202-5920

NOTICE FOR DIRECTORY INFORMATION

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Wayne Highlands School District, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child's education records. However, Wayne Highlands School Districtmay disclose appropriately designated "directory information" withoutwritten consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary inaccordance with District procedures. The primary purpose of directoryinformation is to allow the Wayne Highlands School District to include thistype of information from your child's education records in certain schoolpublications. Examples include:

. A playbill, showing your student's rolein a drama production;

. The annual yearbook;

. Honor roll or other recognition lists;

. Graduation programs; and

. Sports activity sheets, such as forwrestling, showing weight and height of team       

 members

Directory information, which isinformation that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacyif released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent'sprior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to,companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, twofederal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistanceunder the Elementary and SecondaryEducation Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request,with three directory information categories - names, addresses and telephonelistings - unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want theirstudent's information disclosed without their prior written consent.

If you do not want the Wayne Highlands School District to disclosedirectory information from your child's education records without your priorwritten consent, you must notify the District in writing.

PPRA affords parents certain rights regarding our conduct ofsurveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certainphysical exams. These include the right to:

Consent beforestudents are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of thefollowing protected areas ("protected information survey") if thesurvey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the U. S. Department ofEducation (ED)-

           1. Political affiliations orbeliefs 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 noticeand an opportunity to opt a student out of-

1. Any other protected information surveyregardless of funding;             

2. Any non-emergency, invasive physical examor screening required as a             

                        conditionof attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not      

                        necessaryto protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for   

                        hearing,vision or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening

                        permittedor required under State law; and

3. Activities involving collection,disclosure, or use of personal information

           obtainedfrom students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the  

           informationto others.

Inspect, upon requestand before administration or use-

            l.  Protected information surveys ofstudents; 

2. Instruments used to collect personalinformation from students for any of the

                        abovemarketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and

           3.Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

These rights transfer from the parents to a student who is 18years old or an emancipated minor under State law.

The Wayne Highlands School District hasdeveloped and adopted Policy (#235) in consultation with parents, regardingthese rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administrationof protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use ofpersonal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes. TheWayne Highlands School District will directly notify parents of these policiesat least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantivechanges. The Wayne Highlands School District will also directly notify, such asthrough  U. S. Mail or email,parents of students who are scheduled to participate in the specific activitiesor surveys noted below and will provide an opportunity for the parent to opthis or her child out of participation of the specific activity or survey. TheWayne Highlands School District will make this notification to parents at thebeginning of the school year if the District has identified the specific orapproximate dates of the activities or surveys at that time. For surveys andactivities scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be providedreasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below andbe provided an opportunity to review any pertinent surveys. Following is a listof the specific activities and surveys covered under this requirement:

. Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information formarketing, sales or other distribution.

. Administration of any protected information survey not funded inwhole or in part by Department of Education.

. Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening asdescribed above.

 Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file acomplaint with:

Family PolicyCompliance Office

U. S.Department of Education

400 MarylandAvenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

WAYNEHIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT PPRA NOTICE AND CONSENT/OPT-OUT FOR SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment(PPRA), 20 U. S. C. section 1232h, requires Wayne Highlands School District tonotify you and obtain consent or allow you to opt your child out ofparticipating in certain school activities. These activities include a studentsurvey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the followingeight areas ("protected information surveys"):

1. Politicalaffiliations or beliefs of the student or student's parent;

2. Mental orpsychological problems of the student or student's family;

3. Sexbehavior or attitudes; 

4. Illegal,anti-social, self - incriminating, or demeaning behavior;

5. Criticalappraisals of others with whom respondents have close family

             relationships; 

6. Legallyrecognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or

            ministers;

7. Religiouspractices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or

8. Income,other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

This requirement also applies to thecollection, disclosure or use of student information for marketing purposes("marketing surveys"), and certain physical exams and screenings.

If you wish to review any surveyinstrument or instructional material used in connection with any protectedinformation or marketing survey, please submit a request to the schoolprincipal. The principal will notify you of the time and place where you mayreview these materials. You have the right to review a survey and/orinstructional materials before the survey is administered to a student.

Parents’ Rightto Know  Regulations 200.61

  The Wayne Highlands School Districtreceives Title I funding and is included under the regulations of the  “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB) thatwas signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2002.

NCLB requires:

            •  Increased accountability for states andschool districts.     

            •  Greater choice for parents, especiallythose in low performing schools.

•  Greater flexibility for state and localeducation agencies in the use of  

   federal  funding.

          Under NCLB,parents have a right to request professional qualifications of their children’steacher(s) or paraprofessional(s). This letter is to inform you of your right to ask for the followinginformation about your children’s classroom teachers or paraprofessionals: 

•  Whether Pennsylvania has licensed theteacher for the grades and          

    subjects he or  she teaches. 

• Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or otherprovisional  

   status through which Pennsylvania licensing criteria have been waived. 

• The teacher’s baccalaureate degree major and whether the teacher has

   any advance degrees, and if so, the subject of the degrees. 

• Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so,

   their qualifications.   

          If you wouldlike to receive specific information about your child’s teacher or  paraprofessional, please contact yourschool principal    Ourdistrict is fully committed to the success of your child.   We appreciate your partnership inour efforts to provide the best education for your child.   

WAYNEHIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNOUNCES TESTING PROGRAMS FOR THE 2010-2011 SCHOOLYEAR

Duringthe 2010-11 school year, the Wayne Highlands School District will administer avariety of tests in order to evaluate student achievement; educationalprogramming; and career selection.

In theelementary grades and middle grades, the 4Sight Assessment in Math and Readingwill be given.  The Pa. StateAssessment Test will be given in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 & 12.

 Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth gradestudents will also be eligible to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Testand the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Finally, students in grades eleven and twelve will be able to volunteerto take the Armed Services Vocational Battery.

Formore information on the District's testing program, contact any of the DistrictPrincipals, or the Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Samuel R. Tallo.

WAYNE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICTRECEIVES DRUG FREE GRANT

Aspart of the Federally-Funded Drug Free Schools and Community Act, the WayneHighlands School District has been awarded a $11,358 grant for the 2008-09school year.  Mr. Samuel R. Tallo,Assistant Superintendent, has announced that the funds will be used throughoutthe district in a comprehensive approach to alcohol and other drug educationand intervention.

Portionsof the funding will be used to further train those faculty members whovolunteer to serve on the Student Assistance Program.  This program, designed to identify and help students withproblems, is in its 18^th year of operation and teams are in place inall schools.  Additionally, fundingwill help the district purchase state-of-the-art curriculum materials to beused in classrooms for the teaching on a variety of topics designed to teachstudents about alcohol and drug use. Special counseling services are also funded as part of the grant.  These services include the employmentof a Crisis Intervention Counselor, services provided by the Wayne County Drugand Alcohol Commission which is the single county authority on alcohol andother drug prevention and intervention. Taken in total, the district believes that its comprehensive approachbest serves in the challenges to discourage alcohol and other drug use and tointervene with those students who are experiencing special problems.

DIRECTORYINFORMATION POLICY OF WAYNE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT

Parentsof students or eligible students will be given the opportunity to notify theschool in writing on a yearly basis of their wish to not be included in therelease of directory information. This notification must be renewed in writing tothe individual building principal wherein the student is enrolled on a yearlybasis.  Directory informationincludes information relating to the student as follows:  the student's name, date and place ofbirth, major field of study, participation of officially recognized activitiesand sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates ofattendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous schoolattended by the student, homeroom lists released to local newspapers, e-mailaddress, photograph and other similar information.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

II.        SPECIAL EDUCATION

Wayne Highlands School Districtoffers a continuum of services for children who are identified as havingspecial needs.  Eligibility forservices is based upon a multidisciplinary team evaluation, in accordance withthe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  If a student is determined to beeligible for special education services, services are planned and providedthrough an Individualized Education Program (IEP).  Services are provided through the District or through theWayne County Consortium of Special Education.   For further information, please contact the guidancecounselor at your child’s school or the Special Education Supervisor who may bereached at (570) 253-3402.

Potential Indicators that a child may have adisability that warrants an evaluation under IDEA include, but are not limitedto, difficulty with the following:

·      Academic performance in school (Reading, Math, Writing)

·      Understanding and following directions

·      Paying attention and remaining focused on a task or topic

·      Controlling impulsive behaviors

·      Communicating with others (Speaking, Carrying on Conversations)

·      Solving problems

·      Understanding social rules and body language

·      Remembering things

·      Expressing need and/or wants

·      Maintaining positive relationships with peers and adults

·      Physical movement

·      Independent living and/or self-help skills

Source:            Departmentof Health and Human Services

                        Centersfor Disease Control Prevention

                        NationalCenter on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

EARLY INTERVENTION

Early Intervention Classes, forchildren ages 3-5, is operated through the Wayne County Consortium.   These classes run for 2 ½ hours per day, four days per week.  The purpose of the class is to assiststudents with a developmental delay. It provides them with developmentally appropriate activities tostrengthen their skills. Eligibility for this program is based upon a multi-disciplinaryevaluation.  For furtherinformation on this program, please contact the Early Intervention Coordinatorat (570) 937-3710.

DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS

Skills such as taking a firststep, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” area calleddevelopmental milestones.  Childrenreach milestones in playing, learning, speaking, behaving, and moving(crawling, walking, etc).  Adevelopmental delay is when your child does not reach these milestones at thesame time as other children the same age. 

Source:            Departmentof Health and Human Services

                        Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention

                        NationalCenter on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

STUDENT RECORDS ACCESSPOLICY

 The Wayne Highlands School District, upon request of aparent, shall permit the parent to inspect, review or copy education recordsrelating to an exceptional child of that parent when the record is collected,maintained or used by the agency. The agency shall comply with the request without unnecessary delay, butnot exceeding 30 days after the request is received.  When the request is made to a school district or anintermediate unit, it shall be compiled prior to a conference regarding an IEPand prior to a hearing relating to identification, evaluation and placement ofthe child.

1.         Theright to inspect, review or copy education records includes:

i.          Theright of a parent to request of and receive from the educational agency areasonable explanation of information contained in the education records of thechild.

ii.         Theright of a parent to be provided, on request, with a copy of all or part of theeducation records of the child.

iii.        Theright of a parent to designate a representative who will inspect, review orcopy the records.

2.         Ifa parent requests copies of education records from the Wayne Highlands SchoolDistrict, the Wayne Highlands School District may charge the parent areasonable cost which may not exceed the actual expense of the duplication,reproduction or photocopying.  Costmay not be charged to a parent for the search for or retrieval of records.

3.         Aparent has the right to request a list of the types and the location of thechild's education records collected, maintained or utilized by the WayneHighlands School District.

4.         Atthe discretion of the Wayne Highlands School District and for verification andrecords keeping purposes only, an agency may require the parents to put intowriting the following:

Special. Ed. - Student RecordsAccess Policy-(Continued)

i.          Theiroral requests to inspect, review, copy or receive copies of education records

ii.         Theiroral designations of a representative

iii.        Theiroral requests for a list.

5.         Ifan education record includes information on more than one child, the parents ofthose children have the right to inspect and review only the informationrelating to their child or to be informed of that specific information.

i.          Aparent has the right to copy from or receive a copy of an education recordoriginally containing information on more than one child.

ii.         Priorto the parent copying or receiving a copy of a record on more than one child,the agency shall delete, remove or obscure from the record or its copypersonally identifiable information concerning any child who is not the childof the parent.

Student access rights.  Whenever a student has attained 18 years of age or isattending an institution or postsecondary education, the rights accorded to andthe consent required of the parent of the student shall thereafter be accordedto and required of only the student.

Programsfor Eligible or Protected                                                             HandicappedStudents

In compliance with state andfederal law, notice is hereby given by the Wayne Highlands School District thatongoing identification activities are conducted as a part of school programsfor the purpose of identifying students who may be in need of special educationand related services (eligible students).  If your child is identified by the Wayne Highlands SchoolDistrict as possibly in need of such services, you will be notified ofapplicable procedures.  Individualizedservices and programs are available for children who are determined to needspecially designed instruction due to the following conditions:

1.         Autism

2.         Blindnessor visual impairment

3.         Deafnessor hearing impairment

4.         Developmentaldelay

5.         Mentallygifted

6.         Mentalretardation

7.         MultipleDisabilities

8.         TraumaticBrain Injury

9.         Otherhealth impairments

10.       OrthopedicImpairment

11.       Seriousemotional disturbance

12.       Specificlearning disability

13.       Speech andlanguage impairment

If you believe that yourschool-age child may be in need of special education services and relatedprograms, or your young child (age 3 to school age) may be in need ofearly intervention, screening and evaluation processes designed to assess theneeds of the child and his/her eligibility is available to you at no cost, uponwritten request.  You may requestscreening and evaluation at any time, whether or not your child is enrolled inthe District’s public school program. Requests for evaluation and screening are to be made in writing to Mrs.Amanda Kerna-Wayne Highlands School District - 474 Grove Street - Honesdale, PA18431, or by calling 253-3402.

Programs for Eligible orProtected Handicapped Students

In compliance with state andfederal law, the school district will provide to each protected handicapped studentwithout discrimination or cost to the student or family, those related aids,services or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity toparticipate in and obtain the benefits of the school program andextracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’sabilities.  In order to qualify asa protected handicapped student, the child must be school age with a physicalor mental disability, which substantially limits or prohibits participation inor access to an aspect of the school program.  These services and protections for protected handicappedstudents are distinct from those applicable to all eligible or exceptionalstudents enrolled (or seeking enrollment) in special education programs.

For further information on therights of parents and children, provision of services, evaluation and screening(including purpose, time and location), and rights to due process  procedures, you may contact, inwriting, the person listed above or any building principal.

Confidentiality: All information gathered about your child is subject tothe confidentiality provisions contained in federal and state law.  The District has policies andprocedures in effect governing the collection, maintenance, destruction anddisclosure to third parties of this information.  For information about these policies and procedures, as wellas rights of confidentiality and access to educational records, you maycontact, in writing, the person named above or any building principal.

WAYNE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT VOCATIONAL PROGRAMOFFERINGS