Annual Required Notifications - Fort Plain Central School District

The school district is required to adopt policies related to many aspects of school operations and state and federal law. It is also required to provide notifications related to a variety of topics and policies. Please use this page as a resource for the areas listed below.

Index

Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR)

New York State Education Law requires each classroom teacher and school principal to receive an annual professional performance review (APPR) that results in a composite effectiveness score and rating. All parents/guardians have the right to obtain the APPR quality ratings and composite effectiveness scores for their child’s current teacher(s) and principal(s) once they are available. To request this information, please contact the superintendent at (518) 993-4000, ext. 1000.

View the Fort Plain Central School District APPR plan on New York State Education Department website.

Asbestos Management Plan Notification

In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1987 (40 CFR Part 763), Fort Plain Central School District conducts periodic asbestos review and required inspection. Asbestos projects shall be conducted according to all applicable local, state and federal regulations.

The Asbestos Management Plan for each building is available for review during normal business hours at the Business Office. For more information, please contact LEA asbestos designee Paul VanAvery, 518-993-4000, ext. 2003.

Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child is being abused or maltreated (neglected), report it by calling 1-800-342-3720, a toll-free 24-hour hotline operated by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department. Information about reporting child abuse and maltreatment (neglect) is available online.

Closing and delay information

In the event of a school closing or delay, parents/guardians will be notified in the following ways:

ParentSquare: Receive text messages on your phone by subscribing to ParentSquare.

Web: Announcements will be posted on the district homepage.

Television: WTEN Channel 10, WNYT Channel 13, WXXA Channel 23, Spectrum News, WKTV Channel 2 – Utica , and WRGB Channel 6.

Dignity for All Students Act

The goal of the Dignity for All Students Act is to provide students with a safe, supportive education environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and bullying. Some of the law requirements include: establishing anti-harassment and discrimination policies, creating school training programs and including a course in civility, citizenship and character education in the curriculum for every grade level. To view the policies and process for reporting harassment, bullying and discrimination, go to https://www.fortplain.org/about-us/anti-bullying-initiative/.

DASA COORDINATORS

Harry Hoag DASA Coordinator – Jodi Coppolo, Principal
993-4000 ext. 3013

Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School DASA Coordinator – Deborah Larrabee, Principal
993-4000 ext. 2124

Dignity for All Students Act Reporting Form

Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities

Eligibility is based on the five-week interim report or 10-week report card. On the Wednesday after report cards or interim reports are issued, the building principal will publish a list of students who have failing grades in one or more subjects for the period. The students on this list are not eligible to participate in any culminating extracurricular activities for 14 consecutive calendar days.

Students who continue to be ineligible to participate after 14 consecutive days shall not be eligible to participate in any extracurricular activity until they meet the minimum standards of eligibility. Examples of activities are as follows: the performance of a play, club meetings, club trips, etc. Students are eligible to continue to take part in practices, rehearsals, etc.

How a student can regain eligibility

To become eligible to participate again, the student will have to take the initiative – and follow the procedure below. Any time after two weeks, a student may once again become eligible by obtaining passing averages in at least all but one of his or her courses. The average must be for the immediate prior seven week period. The student must then obtain verification of a passing average by having each of his or her teachers sign the eligibility form. The necessary form may be obtained in the building principal’s office. It is up to the building principal to formally remove the student’s name from the ineligibility list.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination in Education and Employment Policy

The Fort Plain CSD does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, disability, or age in employment or in providing student access to educational program, courses and activities. The District provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups.

This policy in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.

Any alleged grievances should be reported to the appropriate compliance officer:

Superintendent of Schools
25 High Street
Fort Plain, NY 13339
518-993-4000 ext. #1000
Title IX coordinator – Katrina Canallatos
Katrina.canallatos@fortplain.org
25 High Street
Fort Plain, NY 13339
518-993-4000 ext. #1000

Inquiries may be referred to the Office for Civil Rights, 32 Old Slip, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005, 646-428-3800, ocr.newyork@ed.gov.

Fire Inspection Notification

Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection for the current school year of all the schools and buildings of the Fort Plain Central School District for fire hazards which might endanger the lives of students, teachers, and employees therein, has been completed and the report thereof is available at the District Office during normal business hours. For additional information, please contact Director of Facilities, Operations & Transportation, Paul VanAvery, 518-993-4000, ext. 2003.

Grade Promotion and Placement Policy

Decisions about student promotion and placement guided by recommendations of teachers and staff members, past academic performance, and parent/guardian input. Past academic performance refers to a variety of indicators of student achievement and growth. Promotion and placement decisions are not based solely on student performance on New York state assessments in grades 3-8 English language arts or mathematics. The district’s promotion and placement policy was adopted by the board of education following a review by the district administration.

Idling School Buses on School Grounds

State law requires school districts to take steps to minimize the idling of the engines of school buses and other school vehicles on school grounds. While students are boarding and departing school buses, the engine should be turned off. Students should be instructed about the importance of getting on and off buses in an orderly and efficient fashion to minimize loading and offloading time. Bus engines should also be off while parked at sporting events and other school activities. Exceptions to this “no idling” policy can be made in cases of emergency, mechanical issues or for necessary heating.

Integrated Pest Management

New York State education law requires schools to notify the school community that pesticide products may be used during the school year. Parents/guardians and staff members may request 48-hour advance written notification of certain pesticide applications.

If an emergency application is necessary to protect against an imminent threat to human health, a good faith effort will be made to supply written notification to those on the notification list.

To be included in a 24-hour notification, please contact the Director of Facilities, Operations & Transportation Paul VanAvery, 518-993-4000, ext. 2003. A new request must be submitted each year.

Student Directory Information

Parents and 18-year-old students have the right to opt out of the disclosure of directory information by contacting their school principal.

Parents should also inform the principal if they do not wish their child’s likeness to be included on the district website, Facebook page, or in occasional photos or videos taken by district staff for school-related purposes.

Parents not wishing information about their child to be used in either district publications, release to the media or on the district website should write a letter to the principal of their child’s school. The signed and dated letter should state that directory information about (name of student) should not be released under FERPA. You do not have to give a reason. This letter must be sent annually by Sept. 30.

In accordance with The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002, the school district routinely discloses names, addresses and telephone numbers of juniors and seniors to military recruiters upon request, unless a parent requests such information not be disclosed without their written consent. Typically, disclosed information includes names, addresses and telephone numbers. If parents do not wish this information be released, they should send a letter to the school principal.

Student Privacy

Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment [PPRA], districts must notify parents and students:

That parents have the right to inspect student surveys concerning one or more of the eight protected areas of student information. Access must be granted within a reasonable amount of time after the request and before administration of the survey.

That parents can opt out their child out of the administration of any such survey, activities that involve the collection/disclosure of a student’s personal information for marketing purposes and any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening except for hearing, vision and scoliosis screenings or as permitted or required by state law.

Of the specific or approximate dates during the school year when survey activities are scheduled.

Parents must be notified “directly, such as through US mail or email,” at least annually (at the beginning of the school year) and “after any substantive change in privacy policies.” For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, parents must be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys.

Schools must get prior written parental consent before students are required to submit to surveys that are funded by Department of Education funds and that contains questions about one or more of the eight protected areas.

Teacher Qualifications

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, parents/guardians have the right to know the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers, including:

Whether a teacher has state certification for the grade levels and subjects he or she is teaching;
The teacher’s baccalaureate degree major and any other certifications or degrees; and
Whether their child receives services from paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

Parents/guardians may request their child’s classroom teacher’s professional qualifications by contacting the district office.