REQUIRED ANNUAL NOTIFICATIONS (Rev. 6/18)
***DOWNLOAD ENTIRE NOTIFICATION DOCUMENT HERE***
It is the policy of the Nashua-Plainfield Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment) marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy please contact the district’s Equity Coordinator, Scott Striegel, Jr.-Sr. High School Principal, 612 Greeley St., Nashua, IA, 50658. 641-435-4835, sstriegel@nashua-plainfield.k12.ia.us
NOTIFICATION OF STUDENT RECORDS- Our district collects and maintains records of each student in order to facilitate instruction, guidance, and the educational progress of the student. Parents of students under 18 and students over 18 may exercise the opportunity to review educational records of the student, to obtain copies, and to write a response to material in the record, to challenge the content of the record on grounds of inappropriateness or inaccuracy, or an invasion of privacy, and to have records explained. Parents and students who have complaints regarding the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act should address correspondence to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act Office at the Department of Education in Washington, 20201.
STUDENT DIRECTORY INFORMATION- Our district may release the following directory information for each student unless a parent makes a specific request to the building principal that the information designated should not be released: the student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major fields of student, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees, and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. This request needs to be renewed annually.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY- It is the policy of the district to provide equal employment opportunity and not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or disability in its employment and personnel practices. The district will affirmatively recruit women and men, members of diverse racial/ethnic groups or persons with disabilities for job categories where they are under-represented. It is also the districts’ policy to provide a fair and supportive work environment for employees regardless of their race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or disability. Harassment of a sexual nature or with demeaning intent related to race, national origin, gender, disability, age or religion, made by one employee to another is a violation of this policy.
Inquiries or grievances related to this policy may be directed to the superintendent who is the districts Affirmative Action Coordinator (641-435-4835); or by writing to the Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Des Moines, or by writing to the Director of the Region VII Office of the United States Equal employment Opportunity Commission in Kansas City, or by writing to the Director of the Region VII Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education, Kansas City, MO.
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY POLICY STATEMENT- It is the policy of the Nashua-Plainfield Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, socioeconomic status, or disability in its’ educational programs, activities, or employment policies as required by Title VI and VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
It is also the policy of this district that the curriculum content and instructional materials utilized reflects the cultural and racial diversity present in the United States and the variety of careers and lifestyles open to women as well as men in our society. One of the objectives of the total curriculum and teaching strategies is to reduce stereotyping and to eliminate bias on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnic origin, religion, marital status, socioeconomic status, or disability. The curriculum should foster respect and appreciation for the cultural diversity found in our country and an awareness of the rights, duties, and responsibilities of each individual as a member of the pluralistic society.
Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to the Nashua-Plainfield Jr.-Sr. High School principal at 641-435-4166, or the Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Des Moines, IA, or the Director of the Region VII of Civil Rights, Dept of Education, Kansas City, Mo.
BULLYING AND HARASSMENT-Our district has a policy prohibiting harassment and bullying of or by students, staff, and volunteers which is based on actual or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status and which creates an objectively hostile environment.
A copy of our bullying/harassment policy is available in each office and the student handbook. To report bullying or harassment call the building principal.
OPEN ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES- Parents/Guardians must file Open Enrollment forms prescribed by the Iowa Department of Education with BOTH the receiving public school district AND the resident public school district. The RECEIVING district approves/denies the application. There is one exception to this rule. IF the RESIDENT district has a desegregation plan in place, they (the resident district) must approve/deny the application. The forms must be filed between July 1 and March 1 of the preceding school year. Parents wishing to transfer students for the 2018-2019 school year must make notification by March 1, 2018. Three other “exceptions” to the basic procedure are:
An application may be made after the filing date of March 1 and until the third Friday of the school year preceding the school year for which the request is made based upon establishment by the parent or guardian of “good cause” for such late application. Good cause is defined as a change in a child’s residence due to a change in family residence, a change in the state in which the family residence is located, a change in a child’s parents’ marital status, a guardianship or custody proceeding, placement in foster care, adoption, participation in a foreign exchange program, or participation in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program, a change in the status of a child’s resident district such as removal of accreditation by the state board, surrender of accreditation, or permanent closure of a nonpublic school, the failure of negotiations for a whole-grade sharing reorganization, dissolution agreement or the rejection of a current whole-grade sharing agreement, or reorganization plan.
An application may be made at anytime a parent or guardian moves out of the district of residence and desires to have their pupil remain in that district under open enrollment with no interruption in the education program.
An application for a pupil to enter school at the kindergarten level under open enrollment may be made anytime from July 1 through June 30 of the school year preceding the school year for which the enrollment is to start.
CHILD CUSTODY AND LEGAL STATUS- From time to time custody issues arise regarding students enrolled in school. If specific custody restrictions apply to your child, it is important to file those official restrictions in the office. When no restrictions regarding custodial rights are on file, the school assumes equal rights of both parents regarding access to student information, visitation, and picking the student up from school. If a student’s legal status, such as the student’s name or the student’s custodial arrangements should change during the school year, the parent or guardian must notify the school district, and provide in writing a copy of the legal ruling. School district staff needs to know when these changes occur to ensure that a current record of your child is maintained. A student’s name cannot be changed on school records without a copy of the legal name change.
CHEMICAL RIGHT TO KNOW LAW- The Chemical Right to Know Law requires all schools in the nation prepare a list of chemicals that are known to be present in their buildings and to maintain material safety data sheets on them. The law further states that chemicals are to be appropriately labeled, storage areas are to be posted for hazardous chemicals, and employees that work with the chemicals are to be trained in the safe handling of these chemicals.
The school is also to acquaint the local fire department with the location of hazardous chemicals in the school. If you want to know what chemicals are used in the school and where they are stored, please contact us at 641-435-4835.
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001- As a parent of a student in the Nashua-Plainfield Community School District, under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, you have a right to know the professional qualifications of the teachers who instruct your child. The No Child Left Behind Act gives you the right to ask for the following information about each of your child’s classroom teachers:
GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTION – The General Education Intervention (GEI) process is available to all students. This process is interactive and ongoing. It involves teams of individuals collaborating with one another to create academic/behavioral intervention designed to meet the diverse needs of students. Administrators, AEA 267 support staff, and others who are knowledgeable about the educational needs of a student may be involved in the GEI process.
The purpose of our GEI process is to identify and implement academic/behavioral intervention strategies that address individual student needs in general education classroom settings. The GEI process involves direct and frequent monitoring of student progress in the area of concern. It is also part of the assessment process that is used to determine whether or not a student needs to be considered for special education services
NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHTS-When your son or daughter has been referred to special education classes, you have the following rights:
ASBESTOS NOTIFICATION AND UPDATE –The Nashua-Plainfield Community Schools have had all of their facilities inspected by a certified asbestos inspector as required by AHERA. The inspector as required by AHERA. The inspector located, sampled, and determined the condition and hazard potential of all materials in the buildings suspected of containing asbestos. The inspection and laboratory analysis records formed the basis of an asbestos-management plan.
A certified Management Planner developed the asbestos management plan for the district which includes: notification letter, training for our employees, a set of procedures designed to minimize the disturbance of asbestos containing materials, and plans for regular surveillance of the materials. Every three years, a certified asbestos inspector completes an inspection of the facilities.
A copy of the asbestos management plan for the district is available in each of the building custodian’s offices. If interested in reviewing any of
these plans, please make an appointment. Copies of the plans can be made for $.10 per page.
CHILD ABUSE REPORTS – Iowa Code Section 280.17 requires that all schools must notify parents and guardians of the procedures to be followed when there is reason to suspect abuse of their child by a school employee. Parents and guardians wishing to request an investigation of suspected child abuse by a school district employee should call the following individuals.
Level 1 Investigators:
If the child attends Nashua-Plainfield Elementary, please call Scott Striegel at 641-435-4166.
If the child attends Nashua-Plainfield Jr.-Sr. High School, please call Michelle Arneson Havenstrite at 641-435-4114
This newsletter contains several public notices designed to inform you of school procedures and your legal rights. If you have any questions concerning any items in this newsletter, please get in contact with any of the principals.