District Procedures and Policies

District Procedures and Policies

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION AND SCREENING
Kindergarten registration and screening takes place each spring in the Warwick Valley Central School District.  To be eligible for Kindergarten the following fall, children must be 5 years old on or before December 1st in the same year they enter Kindergarten.  The parents of all children who are on the school’s census will receive letters regarding the screening and the requirements for registration in the mail.

Screening involves an experienced district team made up of teachers, speech therapists, psychologists, nurses and instructional aides.

The children visit six different stations where they are evaluated for their gross motor coordination, fine motor coordination, speech and language, vision and hearing, understanding of concepts, and the ability to express themselves.  Parents provide information as to their child’s health history, socialization skills, behavior, level of independence and attention span.

The purpose of this screening is to evaluate and identify children who may have special needs and require follow-up evaluations or who have any health or medical problems that will require special attention.

STUDENT TRANSFER
If a student transfers to another school, parents should notify the teacher and/or Principal at least two weeks in advance.  Library books and textbooks must be returned before leaving.

REVIEW OF STUDENT’S RECORD
“In accordance with district Policy #8540, parents of students or eligible students may inspect and review the student’s education record.  A written request which identifies as precisely as possible the record or records he or she wishes to inspect should be submitted to the student’s school Principal (or other appropriate school official).”

DISCIPLINE POLICY
As we all know, disruptive behavior can occur from time to time in spite of our best efforts to prevent it.  For a variety of reasons a few students will create problems that are dangerous or that disturb the learning environment.

The faculty and staff of Sanfordville School will make a strong attempt to correct disruptive behavior rather than administer punishment.  Teachers are encouraged and supported in their efforts to deal with most behavior problems within the classroom by using a combination of rewards for good behavior and a withdrawal of privileges for disruptive actions.  Repeated serious misbehaviors are referred to the office of the Principal. This year we will be implementing a Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) that will further address positive student outcomes.

If a student is sent to the office, the Principal will listen to the student’s side of the issue and explain the school rules to the student.  If the offense is serious, parents will be notified as soon as possible.

The rules of the behavior code deal with:

  • Safety-actions that can cause injury to others or oneself will not be permitted. Preservation of property-actions that can cause damage to the school’s property or an individual’s property will not be permitted.
  • Avoidance of disruption-actions that interfere with the learning activities of others will not be permitted.

Parents and school personnel should be aware that discipline is the adjustment of unacceptable behavior to acceptable behavior.  There should be consistency when dealing with discipline. Children should know that certain behaviors are unacceptable, and why these behaviors are unacceptable.

We ask that if you are contacted for a problem of unacceptable behavior by your child, that you:

Listen to the explanation of what has occurred.

Share with us any unusual circumstances (illness, death, etc.) which might have caused the unacceptable behavior.

Work with us in trying to adjust the behavior from unacceptable to acceptable.

Be consistent in dealing with the problem.

The Code of Conduct is available here.

BUS CONDUCT

Parents are asked to reinforce these rules by periodically discussing them with their children.  The rules are:

  1. Children cannot change buses except in an emergency situation. Any emergency change must have prior approval from the Transportation Supervisor.  The office of the Principal should be notified as well.
  2. Bus pick-up points and departure points must be consistent.  A child may be picked up at one point and dropped off at another as long as this takes place every day.
  3. While waiting for the bus, children should stay out of the road and wait without pushing and shoving.
  4. Children must remain seated while the bus is moving.
  5. Heads, arms, and hands are to be kept inside the bus.
  6. Nothing is to be thrown from the bus.
  7. Eating is not allowed on the bus.
  8. Pushing, throwing things, and improper or loud, boisterous talking is prohibited.
  9. Drivers are in charge of all pupils on the bus.  Students should respect their directions, take the seat assigned and assist the driver to do the job of bringing the children to and from school safely.
  10. Video-taping is used on all buses.

A child who persistently misbehaves on the bus will be reported to the Principal by the use of a Bus Discipline report filled out by the driver.  Upon receipt of the first such report, the Principal will speak to the student and notify the parent.

If a second Discipline Report is received, the Principal will again speak to the child and will notify the parents in writing.

Should a third report be received, the student’s bus privileges will be suspended for a period of up to five days, after the parents are notified.

STUDENT COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCES REGULATION

DEFINITIONS

  • GRIEVANT shall mean a student who alleges that there has been a violation of Title IX or Section 504 regulations which affect him/her.
  • GRIEVANCE shall mean any alleged violation of Title IX or Section 504 regulations.
  • COMPLIANCE OFFICER shall mean the employee designated by the Board of Education to coordinate efforts to comply with and carry out responsibilities under Title IX and/or Section 504.
  • REPRESENTATIVE shall mean any person designated by the grievant as his/her counsel or to act in his/her behalf.

Individual complaints and grievance shall be handled in accordance with the following guidelines:

  1. Within thirty (30) days after the events giving rise to the grievance, the grievant shall file a grievance in writing with the Compliance Officer. The Compliance Officer may informally discuss the grievance with the grievant. He/She shall promptly investigate the complaint. All employees of the school district shall cooperate with the Compliance Officer in such investigations.
  2. Within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of the grievance, the Compliance Officer shall    make a finding in writing that there has or has not been a violation of Title IX or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. In the event the Compliance Officer finds that there has been a violation, he/she shall propose a resolution of the complaint.
  3. If the grievant is not satisfied with the finding of the Compliance Officer, or with the proposed resolution of the grievance, the grievant may, within fifteen (15) days after he/she received the report of the Compliance Officer, file a written request for review by the Superintendent.

Stage II – Superintendent of Schools
The Superintendent may request that the grievant, the Compliance Officer, or any member of the school district staff present a written statement to him/her setting forth any information that such person has relative to the grievance and the facts surrounding it.

  1. The Superintendent shall notify all parties concerned as to the time and place when an informal hearing will be held where such parties may appear and present oral and written statement supplementing their position in the case.  Such hearing shall be held within fifteen (15) school days of the receipt of the appeal by the Superintendent.
  2. Within fifteen (15) days of the hearing, the Superintendent shall render his/her determination in writing.  Such determination shall include a finding that there has or has not been a violation of Title IX and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, a proposal for equitably resolving the complaint.
  3. If the grievant is not satisfied with the determination of the Superintendent, the grievant may, within fifteen (15) days after its receipt, file with the Clerk of the Board of Education, a written request for review by the Board.

Stage III – Board of Education

  1. When a request for review by the Board has been made, the Superintendent shall submit all written statements and other materials concerning the case to the President of the Board.
  2. The Board shall notify all parties concerned of the time and place when a hearing will be held. Such hearing will be held within fifteen (15) school days of the receipt of the request of the grievant. All parties concerned shall have the right to present further statements and testimony at such hearing.
  1. The Board shall render a decision in writing within fifteen (15) days after the hearing has been concluded.

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION
It is the policy of the Warwick Valley Central School District not to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, or disability in its education programs, activities, or employment.  Any student or employee who believes he or she has been discriminated against has the right to make claim that his or her rights have been denied.

Sexual harassment of students or employees is also a violation of Title IX of the 1972 Education amendments in that it constitutes differential treatment on the basis of sex.  The Office for Civil rights of the U.S. Department of Education maintains jurisdiction over sexual harassment complaints under Title IX and has adopted the following working definition:

Sexual harassment consists of verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, imposed on the basis of sex, by an employee or agent of a recipient that denies limits, provides different, or conditions the provisions of aid, benefits, services, or treatment protected under Title IX.

Inquiries regarding this nondiscrimination policy and related grievance procedure may be directed to:

Cindy Leandro
Asst. Superintendent for Human Resources

Meghan McGourty
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction

Warwick Valley Central School District
P.O. Box 595
Warwick, New York 10990