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Child Find Notice
ANNUAL PUBLIC NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, SERVICES FOR GIFTED STUDENTS, AND SERVICES FOR PROTECTED HANDICAPPED STUDENTS
Notice to Parents
According to state and federal special education regulations, annual public notice to parents of children who reside within a school district is required regarding child find responsibilities. School districts and intermediate units are required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for services via Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For additional information related to Section 504 / Chapter 15 services, the parent may refer to Section 504, Chapter 15, and the Basic Education Circular entitled Implementation of Chapter 15. Also, school districts are required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for gifted services via 22 PA Code Chapter 16. For additional information regarding gifted services, the parent may refer to 22 PA Code Chapter 16. If a student is both gifted and eligible for Special Education, the procedures in IDEA and Chapter 14 shall take precedence.
This notice shall inform parents throughout the school district and intermediate unit of the child identification activities and of the procedures followed to ensure confidentiality of information pertaining to students with disabilities or eligible young children. In addition to this public notice, each school district and intermediate unit shall publish written information in the handbook and on the website. Children ages three through twentyone can be eligible for special education programs and services. If parents believe that the child may be eligible for special education, the parent should contact their district of residence.
Children age three through their school district’ s age of beginners are also eligible if they have developmental delays or one or more of the physical or mental commissions as defined in Chapter 14 and, as a result, need Special Education and related services. Developmental delay is defined as a child who is less than the age of beginners and at least three years of age and is considered to have a developmental delay when one of the following exists:( i) The child’ s score, on a developmental assessment device, on an assessment instrument which yields a score in months, indicates that the child is delayed by 25 % of the child’ s chronological age in one or more developmental areas, or( ii) The child is delayed in one or more of the developmental areas, as documented by test performance of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean on standardized tests. Developmental areas include cognitive, communicative, physical, social / emotional and self-help. For additional information contact the intermediate unit.
Evaluation Process Each school district and intermediate unit has a procedure in place by which parents can request an evaluation. For information about procedures applicable to your child, contact the school which your child attends. Parents of preschool age children, age three through five, may request an evaluation in writing by addressing a letter to the Early Intervention Program Administrator, Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, 102 Equity Drive, Greensburg, PA15601-7190.
Consent
School entities cannot proceed with an evaluation or with the initial provision of special education and related services without the written consent of the parents. For additional information related to consent, please refer to the Procedural Safeguards Notice which can be found at the PaTTAN website, www. pattan. net. Once written parental consent is obtained, the district will proceed with the evaluation process. If the parent disagrees with the evaluation, the parent can request an independent educational evaluation at public expense.
Program Development
Once the evaluation process is completed, a team of qualified professionals and the parents determine whether the child is eligible. If the child is eligible, the individualized education program( IEP) team meets, develops the program, and determines the educational placement. Once the IEP team develops the program and determines the educational placement, school district staff or intermediate unit staff will issue a notice of recommended educational placement / prior written notice. Your written consent is required before initial services can be provided. The parent has the right to revoke consent after initial placement.
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Confidentiality of Information The school districts and to some extent the intermediate unit maintain records concerning children enrolled in the school, including students with disabilities. All records are maintained in the strictest confidentiality. Your consent, or consent of an eligible child who has reached the age of majority under State law, must be obtained before personally identifiable information is released, except as permitted under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act( FERPA). The age of majority in Pennsylvania is 21. Each participating agency must protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information at collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction states. One official at each participating agency must assume responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information. Each participating agency must maintain, for public inspection, a current listing of the names and positions of those employees within the agency who have access to personally identifiable information.
For additional information related to student records, the parent can refer to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act( FERPA).
This notice is only a summary of the Special Education services, evaluation and screening activities, and rights and protections pertaining to children with disabilities, children thought to be disabled, and their parents. For more information or to request evaluation or screening of a public or private school child, contact the responsible entity listed below. For preschool age children, information, screenings and evaluations requested, may be obtained by contacting the intermediate unit.
Westmoreland Intermediate Unit 102 Equity Drive Greensburg, PA 15601-7190 724-836-2460 Norwin School District Stacey Snyder, Ed. D. Director of Special Education and Student Services 724-861-3037
The school district or intermediate unit will not discriminate in employment, educational programs, or activities based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, handicap, creed, marital status or because a person is a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era. No preschool, elementary or secondary school pupil enrolled in a school district or intermediate unit shall be denied equal opportunity to participate in age and program appropriate instruction or activities due to race, color, handicap, creed, national origin, marital status or financial hardship.
Student ID Cards
All Norwin students will be issued / re-issued ID cards this year. Students in grades seven through twelve must carry their ID cards at all times during the school day. Cards will be used to borrow material from the library and to purchase meals from the cafeteria. Replacement cards will cost $ 1.00 for the first card and $ 5.00 for each subsequent replacement. The ID cards must be turned in at the end of the school year to meet District obligations. A student ID card must be presented to any administrator or staff member upon request.
Student Records
Parents / guardians and students have access to the student’ s educational records and have the opportunity to amend them for accuracy. Parents / guardians or eligible students who wish to inspect the student’ s educational records should make an appointment with their child’ s counselor for the review. If, after the review of the records, the parent / guardian or eligible student wishes to amend the records for accuracy, he / she is required to make the request in writing. The request should specify the nature of the amendment desired, the reasons for the change and any verification of the change requested. Within a reasonable time, the District will determine whether to amend the records. Parents / guardians have the right to a hearing on their request to amend educational records. Additionally, parents / guardians have the right to file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office( FPCO) in the U. S. Department of Education.
Students and the Media
During the school year, events and activities occur that are shared with the community through the local news media. Parents / guardians have the right to restrict this access at any time. Your child’ s photograph( group or individual), verbal and written
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comments, and schoolwork may appear in various media outlets. The Norwin School District will permit a student’ s image, verbal and written comments, and a student’ s work to appear in such multimedia outlets unless the parent or guardian of the student objects, in writing. Parents or guardians may object to the use of their child’ s image, comments, or work appearing in any form of media by submitting the Media Opt-Out Form to the principal of the building your child attends within 30 calendar days of the start of school or enrollment in the District.( Extenuating circumstances may warrant a parent making a request during the school year). If you do not timely file a written objection, your silence will serve as implied consent. Your child’ s image, comments, or work may be used for any multimedia purpose unless you choose to affirmatively opt-out. It is District procedure that a school official be present during any media-initiated photograph or interview of a student during the school day or activity. For more information, please see Procedure No. 802.2, Media Opt Out Procedures and Form, on the District’ s Web site at www. norwinsd. org under School Board and Policies and Procedures.
Surveys
The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment( PPRA) [ 20 USC § 1232H( b)], gives parents and students who are 18 or older or emancipated minors rights regarding the District’ s use of or participation in surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes and conduct of certain physical exams. These include the right to:
1. Consent, in writing, to federally funded surveys concerning protected information before the student provides information relating to the following categories: a. political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’ s parents / guardians b. mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’ s family c. sexual behavior or attitudes d. illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior e. critical appraisals of student’ s close family relationships f. privileged or similar relationships recognized by law g. religious practices, affiliations or income other than that required by law to determine program eligibility 2. Opt out of surveys and exams that involve: a. the collection, disclosure or use of personal information obtained from students for purposes of marketing or selling or otherwise distributing information to others b. protected information surveys as set forth above regardless of funding c. any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance administered by the District and scheduled by the District; 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
3. Inspect the following material prior to its use or administration: a. protected information surveys of students b. documents used to collect personal information from students for marketing, sales or distribution purposes c. instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum
Parents and eligible students who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with: Family Policy Compliance Office, USDOE 400 Maryland Avenue, S. W. Washington DC 20202- 4605
Weapons Prohibited
Act 26 requires the expulsion, for not less than one( 1) year, of any student who brings a weapon onto school property, a school transportation vehicle or to any school-sponsored activity. The Act requires parents who register their children for school to file statements concerning previous expulsions for offenses relating to weapons
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Norwin school district News |
Norwin | Fall 2016 | icmags. com 47 |