Affton School District Parent Information
Transcription
Affton School District Parent Information
Affton School District Parent Information Affton School District is required by law to provide this information to parents and guardians each year, to keep you informed and ensure that you are aware of your family’s rights and responsibilities as they pertain to our district. If you have any questions about the information in this brochure, please contact us at 314-638-8770. Special Education Notice Non-Discrimination Law Compliance All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate, and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency, regardless of the severity of the disability, including children attending private schools, children who live outside the district but are attending a private school within the district, highly mobile children, such as migrant and homeless children, children who are wards of the state, and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though they are advancing from grade to grade. The Affton School District assures that it will provide a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all eligible children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 under its jurisdiction. Disabilities include autism, deaf/ blindness, emotional disorders, hearing impairment and deafness, mental retardation/intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment/blindness and young child with a developmental In compliance with applicable laws, the Affton School District prohibits unlawful discrimination, including harassment creating a hostile environment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability, age or use of leave protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act in its programs, activities, services and with regard to employment. The Board is an equal opportunity employer. delay. The Affton School District assures that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri First Steps program. The Affton School District in partnership with the Special School District of St. Louis County assure that personally identifiable information collected, used, or maintained by the agency for the purposes of identification, evaluation, placement or provision of FAPE of children with disabilities may be inspected and/or reviewed by their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians may request amendment to the educational record if the parent/ guardian believes the record is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the privacy or other rights of their child. Parents have the right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the district to meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The Affton School District has developed a Local Compliance Plan for the implementation of State Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This plan contains the agency’s policies and procedures regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention and destruction of personally identifiable information and the agency’s assurances that services are provided in compliance with the General Education Provision Act (GEPA). This plan may be reviewed at the Affton Administration Building, by appointment with the Director of Special Education. This notice will be provided in native languages as appropriate. As part of this obligation, the district also prohibits and declares a policy against: Retaliatory actions based on making complaints of prohibited discrimination or participation in an investigation, formal proceeding or informal resolution concerning prohibited discrimination; Aiding, abetting, inciting, compelling or coercing discrimination; and Discrimination against any person because of such person’s association with a person protected from discrimination due to one or more of the above-stated characteristics. To ensure that these obligations are met, the Board designates the following individual to act as the district’s nondiscrimination laws compliance coordinator: Dr. Travis Bracht, Assistant Superintendent, 8701 Mackenzie Road, Affton, MO 63123, (314) 638-8770. Complaints and reports regarding discharge of the duties summarized in this policy should be addressed to the compliance coordinator. In the event the compliance coordinator is the subject of a report that would otherwise be made to the compliance coordinator, reports should be directed to: Dr. Steve Brotherton, Superintendent, 8701 Mackenzie Road, Affton, MO 63123, (314) 638-8770. A copy of this policy will be posted in a public area of each building used for instruction and/or administrative offices. A copy of this policy will also be made available annually to employees, parents or guardians, and students. Accessibility Notice All programs offered in the Affton School District are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The following Affton facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities: Affton Early Childhood, Mesnier Primary School, Gotsch Intermediate School, Rogers Middle School, and Affton High School. FERPA Notice Student Directory Information 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 outlined below: Directory information may be released by school officials. This includes print and electronic publications of the school district that, if disclosed, would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy. This information may be released without prior written consent to parent and student organizations for marketing purposes, such as for “buzz” books produced in the fall and publications for the activities department, and to outside organizations including, but not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks in the spring. Other examples include playbills for drama productions; yearbooks; honor roll or other recognition lists; graduation programs; and sports activity sheets. In addition, two federal laws require the district to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories - names, addresses, and telephone listings unless parents have advised us that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. Such information is also considered a “public record” which must be released upon demand to any person who requests it, under the Missouri Sunshine Law. 1.The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the district receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal (or appropriate school official) a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The principal 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 education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the Affton School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the district decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the district 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 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 district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance 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 educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. The district may also disclose education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. The Affton School District has determined that the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (VICC) and its officers, employees and agents are school officials with legitimate educational interests because they act for and on the behalf of the district with respect to transfer students and the transfer program, and because they seek to advance the interests of both. A transfer student’s attendance records and other educational records relevant to the student’s participation in the program or to the program itself may accordingly be disclosed to VICC without obtaining written consent from the parent/guardian or eligible student. 4.The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the Affton School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The address of the office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605. (314) 638-8770 • The school district designates the following items as Directory Information: student’s name, parent’s name, address, telephone number, electronic mail address, date and place of birth, grade level, major field of study, enrollment status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports including audiovisual or photographic records of the openly visible activities thereof, weight and height of members of the athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees, honors, awards received, most recent previous school attended and photographic material including photographs of regular school activities that do not disclose specific academic information about the child and/or would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy. Parents of a student under 18 and students 18 or older have ten (10) school days after this annual public notice is published to view the student’s Directory Information and to provide notice in writing to the school district that they choose to not have this information released. Unless notified to the contrary in writing within the ten (10) school day period, the school district may disclose any of those items designated as Directory Information without prior written consent. Parents or students who do not want this information released should contact the school that the child will be attending. Surveying, Analyzing or Evaluating Students All instructional materials, including supplementary materials and teachers manuals, used with any survey, analysis or evaluation in a program or project supported by federal funds are available for inspection by parents and guardians. No student will be required as part of any project or program supported by federal funds to submit to survey, analysis or evaluation that reveals information concerning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Political affiliations; Potentially embarrassing mental or psychological problems; Sexual behavior and attitudes; Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior; Critical appraisals of close family members; Privileged or similar relationships; Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student's parent; or 8701 Mackenzie Road, 63123 • www.afftonschools.net 8. Income other than information necessary to establish eligibility for a program; without the prior consent of adult or emancipated students, or written permission of parents. The district shall make arrangements to protect student privacy during the administration of surveys and the collection, disclosure or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution purposes. the parties have attempted in good faith to resolve the complaint at the local level, the Department may require the parties to do so and may provide technical assistance to facilitate such resolution. The Missouri DESE NCLB Complaint Procedures can be found on the Affton School District website at http://afftonschools.net/ about/publications/ or a copy may be requested by contacting the Human Resources Office at (314) 638-8770 ext 10007. Additional Information Under No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Any persons directly affected by the actions of the Department may file a similarly written complaint if they believe state or federal laws or regulations have been violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted by the Department itself. Upon your request, our district would be happy to provide to you in a timely manner the following information about the qualifications of your child’s teacher(s): Anyone wishing more information about this procedure or how complaints are resolved may contact Affton School District or Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Photo Release Policy Whether your child’s teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction. Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived. Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. What baccalaureate degree major the teacher has and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification. In addition to the information that parents may request, districts must provide to each individual parent: Information on the achievement level of the parent’s child in each of the state academic assessments as required under this part; and Timely notice that the parent’s child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified. Standard Complaint Resolution Procedure for No Child Left Behind Programs This complaint resolution procedure applies to all programs administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). A complaint is a formal allegation that a specific federal or state law or regulation has been violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted by school district personnel or by Department of Education personnel. Any parent or guardian, surrogate parent, teacher, administrator, school board member, or other person directly involved with an activity, program, or project operated under the general supervision of the Department may file a complaint. Such a complaint must be in writing and signed; it will provide specific details of the situation and indicate the law or regulation that is allegedly being violated, misapplied or misinterpreted. The written, signed complaint must be filed and the resolution pursued in accordance with the Affton School District complaint and grievance policy found in the Affton School District Parent Handbook. If the issue cannot be resolved at the local level, the complainant may file a complaint with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. If there is not evidence that (314) 638-8770 • Occasionally media may come to Affton School District classrooms and buildings to report on newsworthy programs and events involving our staff and students. In addition, Affton School District’s and/or Special School District’s Community Relations Department may photograph and/or videotape students and share these stories with staff and families through the District’s newsletters, website, or other publications, including social media. The information may include images and identifying information of students, educators and community partners on its website, and in its print and electronic publications. Parents and guardians of students under the age of 18 may elect to opt out of allowing their students’ image and/or identifying information to be used; students 18 years of age or older may opt out individually. No action is needed if you give permission for your child’s image and/or identifying information to be used. Parents or students who wish to opt out should contact the school that the child will be attending. Paper Opt-In Policy Over the past few years, Affton School District has moved toward internet-based information systems. These systems keep parents, guardians and students informed of school-related events and accomplishments, and provide accurate and up-to-date information on individual student progress. These internet-based information systems include: Tyler Student Information System (SIS) Parent Portal SchoolReach parent notification system District website (http://afftonschools.net) and school websites Peachjar electronic flyer delivery system Access Affton, electronic newsletter We believe that implementing a paperless information system will provide timely and accurate information to parents and guardians. Parents and guardians of students under the age of 18 may elect to opt in to receiving flyers and other school communications on paper; students 18 years of age or older may opt in individually. No action is needed if you prefer to receive flyers and other school communications electronically. Parents or students who wish to opt in to paper should contact the school that the child will be attending. 8701 Mackenzie Road, 63123 • www.afftonschools.net Request for Information (Complete one form per family) Please answer the question below by checking the appropriate box. The following information is a request adopted by the General Assembly in 2010 requiring school districts to determine whether or not all children in a family have health insurance. Does each child in your family have healthcare insurance? YES NO MO HealthNet (Medicaid) is considered healthcare insurance. If NO is checked the school district will provide the Does Your Child Need Healthcare Coverage form for the family. Completion of this form is not a condition of determining meal eligibility. The Free and Reduced Price Meals Family Application will be reviewed regardless of your response to this Request for Information. Submit this request with your Free and Reduced Price School Meals Family Application or return to your school/school district. Printed name of parent/guardian: Mailing Address: City: State: Zip Code: July 2014 Dear Affton School District Parents: The beginning of the school year is approaching, and we want to extend a warm welcome and let you know that, as the new food service provider for Affton School District, Chartwells School Dining Services has exciting plans for your school meal program. School meals are nutritious, a great value and more satisfying than ever for students. This year, Chartwells has exciting events and new menu items planned for your child’s school cafeteria. Our job is to make sure that we serve healthy, well-balanced meals that students will enjoy eating. We also strive to make the dining experience a special one, so we have planned activities that will appeal to all of our students. Below are some of the highlights to help begin the new school year. Simply Good Throughout the year, students will have the opportunity to learn about healthier food options with fun and engaging activities that we have planned in the school cafeteria through our Simply Good program. Simply Good has a culinary emphasis that focuses on healthier meal options, especially ones with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. We will begin the year with our “What’s Cooking? It’s Simply Delicious!” theme event . Look for more information on these special events coming soon. “Environments” School Dining Experience is Coming to Affton School District Chartwells, in partnership with Affton School District, is excited to introduce “Environments” to the cafeterias at Mesnier Primary and Gotsch Intermediate. “Environments” is a dining program that enhances the school meal experience and promotes life-long healthy behaviors for students. “Environments” will give the students a feeling of eating in a café through improved preparation and presentation of meals. Elementary Menu Highlights This year we will be offering some of the students'’ favorite foods such as chicken patty sandwiches, chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers, tacos and homemade pizza or Domino’s. We will also be introducing new food items to the menu that are both nutritious and delicious, including Panini Sandwiches. Chef Ralph Garcia, Chartwells Regional Chef, will be bringing added excitement to our schools. He will be preparing student meals, while introducing nutritious entrees and side dishes. Secondary Menu Highlights This year we will be offering some of the students’ favorite foods such as Panini Sandwiches, homemade pizza, Mexican Bar and spicy chicken sandwiches. We will also be introducing new types of Panini sandwiches, such as toasted Turkey and Granny Smith Apple Sandwich, Grilled Cuban, Turkey & Cheddar Bagel Melt, along with Mexican Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Tacos, and Turkey Burgers. Adding to our excitement, we have invited our Chartwells Regional Chef Ralph Garcia to visit our schools, cooking for students and introducing all new nutritious entrees and side dishes. School Breakfast Mornings can be really crazy! The alarm doesn’t go off, the kids don’t want to get up, or there is not enough time to eat breakfast before the bus comes. If this sounds like your house, we have good news for you. Breakfast is available at school! Take advantage of this option to ensure your child eats a nutritious breakfast. Numerous studies show a strong link between nutrition and learning. A nutritious breakfast helps students to be more alert so they can actively participate in class. Daily breakfast offerings include muffins, cereal, bagels with cream cheese, yogurt, fresh fruit and low fat milk. Featured entrees include breakfast pizza, pancakes, waffles, French toast and cinnamon rolls. Breakfast Prices for 2014-2015 $1.05 Regular Breakfast $0.35 Reduced-Price Breakfast Lunch Prices for 2014-2015 $2.00 Primary/Intermediate $2.10 Middle School Lunch $2.10 High School Lunch Lunch $0.45 Reduced-Price Lunch $0.45 Reduced-Price Lunch $0.45 Reduced-Price Lunch $1.65 Lunch Entrée (all schools) Additional Fee for Domino’s Kindergarten Parents All students are asked to key in a PIN for lunch. Often at the beginning of the school year, the kindergarten students have difficulty learning their numbers. The Food Service Staff needs your assistance in helping your child remember his/her number. Please write your son’s or daughter’s PIN on a card and encourage your child to learn his/her number. If your child has the card within the lunch line, our staff can provide assistance during the first few days of school. Thank you in advance for your help. Pre-payment System Please remember to give your child meal money each day. For your convenience, you may pre-pay for any number of meals in advance. You may do so with cash or check, payable to Affton School District. Please consider this option, which is available at all schools. Student Account Balances Balances from the previous school year have been carried forward to the new school year, and from school to school. For balance information, you may call the Food Service office at 314-633-5927 or check the Tyler SIS Parent Portal. Parent will be notified of low or negative balances. Both Chartwells and Affton School District are dedicated to providing quality, nutritious meals to students. We hope you will encourage your child to continue to enjoy their favorite meals and try our new dining offerings. We also hope you will join us for a meal at school to see the changes for yourself. Amanda Bunn Amanda Bunn Assistant Foodservice Director Affton School District 314-633-5927 [email protected] Letter to Parents National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program Dear Parent/Guardian: Children need healthy meals to learn. Affton School District offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.05; lunch costs $2.00 at Mesnier/Gotsch and $2.10 at Rogers/AHS. Your child(ren) may qualify for free or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $0.35 for breakfast and $0.45 for lunch. Household Size Annually Monthly Weekly 1 $21,590 $1,800 $416 1. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD? No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: FOOD SERVICE OFFICE, Affton High School, 8309 Mackenzie Road, Affton, MO 63123. 2 29,101 2,426 560 3 36,612 3,051 705 4 44,123 3,677 849 2. WHO CAN GET FREE MEALS? All children in households getting Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance, or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations can get free meals regardless of income. Also, your child(ren) can get free meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. 5 51,634 4,303 993 6 59,145 4,929 1,138 7 66,656 5,555 1,282 8 74,167 6,181 1,427 For each add’l person add $7,511 3. CAN FOSTER CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS? Yes, foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court, are eligible for free meals. Any foster child in the household is eligible for free meals regardless of income. $626 $145 4. CAN HOMELESS, RUNAWAY AND MIGRANT CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS? Please call the Administration Building at 314-638-8770 to see if your child(ren) qualify, if you have not been informed that they will get free meals. 5. WHO CAN GET REDUCED PRICE MEALS? Your child(ren) can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced price limits. 6. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I GOT A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILD(REN) ARE APPROVED FOR FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS? Do not complete the attached application if you have recently received notification from your school that your child(ren) has been certified to receive free meal benefits for the 2014-2015 school year. 7. MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT ANOTHER ONE? Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child(ren) is eligible for the new school year. 8. I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILD(REN) GET FREE MEALS? Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please fill out an application. 9. WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED? Yes, we may ask you to send written proof. 10. IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER? Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start receiving Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance or other benefits. If you lose your job, your child(ren) may be able to get free or reduced price meals. 11. WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION? You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Steven Fedchak, Director of Business Affairs, 8701 Mackenzie Road, Affton, MO 63123. 12. MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN? Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced price meals. 13. WHO SHOULD I INCLUDE AS MEMBERS OF MY HOUSEHOLD? You must include all people living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends). You must include yourself and all children who live with you. 14. WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME? List the amount that you normally get. For example, if you normally get $1,000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1,000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get it only sometimes. 15. WE ARE IN THE MILITARY; DO WE INCLUDE OUR HOUSING ALLOWANCE AS INCOME? If your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Exclude military combat pay received by service members during a deployment. All other allowances must be included in your gross income. If you have other questions or need help, call 314-633-5927. Sincerely, Amanda Bunn Food Service Director Non-discrimination Statement: The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected]. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845 -6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Public Release July 2014 Affton School District has announced its revised free and reduced price policy for school children unable to pay the full price of meals served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Local education officials have adopted the following family-size income criteria for determining eligibility: Household Maximum Household Income Maximum Household Income Size Eligible for Free Meals Eligible for Reduced Price Meals Annually Monthly Weekly Annually Monthly Weekly 1 $15,171 $1,265 $292 $21,590 $1,800 $416 2 20,449 1,705 394 29,101 2,426 560 3 25,727 2,144 495 36,612 3,051 705 4 31,005 2,584 597 44,123 3,677 849 5 36,283 3,024 698 51,634 4,303 993 6 41,561 3,464 800 59,145 4,929 1,138 7 46,839 3,904 901 66,656 5,555 1,282 8 52,117 4,344 1,003 74,167 6,181 1,427 + 5,278 + 440 + 102 + 7,511 + 626 + 145 Each add’l member Children from families whose current income is at or below those shown are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Applications are available at the school office. To apply, fill out a Free and Reduced Price School Meals Family Application and return it to the school. The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only for the purpose of determining eligibility. Applications may be submitted any time during the school year. A complete application is required as a condition of eligibility. A complete application includes: (1) household income from all sources or Food Stamp/ Temporary Assistance case number, (2) names of all household members, and (3) the signature and last four digits of social security number or indication of no social security number of adult household member signing the application. School officials may verify current income at any time during the school year. Foster children may be eligible regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside. If a family member becomes unemployed or if family size changes, the family should contact the school to file a new application. Such changes may make the children of the family eligible for these benefits. Under the provisions of the policy, the Food Service Director will review the applications and determine eligibility. If a parent is dissatisfied with the ruling of the determining official, they may wish to discuss the decision with the hearing official on an informal basis or he/she may make a request either orally or in writing to the Director of Business Affairs. Hearing procedures are outlined in the policy. A complete copy of the policy is on file in each school and in the central office where any interested party may review it. Non-discrimination Statement: The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/ complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected]. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Instructions for Applying IF YOUR HOUSEHOLD GETS FOOD STAMPS OR TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE, FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS: Part 1: If any child or adult in the household receives Food Stamps or Temporary Assistance benefits, provide the name of the person receiving the benefits and the case number. Food Stamp/Temporary Assistance case numbers are a ten-digit number; the first two digits currently are “00” and are printed on the application. A 16-digit Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card number is NOT acceptable. Currently, an EBT number starts with “5076”. If you do not know your Food Stamp/Temporary Assistance case number, call the local Family Support Division, Social Services office. Part 2: List Student(s) name(s), school building and grade. Part 3: Skip this part. Part 4: Sign the application. The last four digits of a social security number are not required. Part 5: Indicate ethnic and racial identity if you choose to do so. IF ANY STUDENT YOU ARE APPLYING FOR IS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR A RUNAWAY, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL/DISTRICT HOMELESS LIAISON/MIGRANT COORDINATOR AT 314-638-8770. IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A FOSTER CHILD OR A HOUSEHOLD WITH A FOSTER CHILD(REN), FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS: Part 1: Skip this part. Part 2: List student(s) name(s), school building and grade. Check the box if the student is a foster child (legal responsibility of welfare agency or court). Provide the amount of the foster child’s personal use income or earnings. Write “0” if the foster child has no personal use income. List all non-foster children in the household, name of school building, and grade and any income they receive. If there are non-foster children in the household, follow directions in All Other Households, Part 2, columns 1, 5 and 6. Part 3: Skip this part. Part 4: If the form is only for foster children, the last four digits of the social security number of the adult signing the form are not necessary. If non-foster children are in the household, list the last four digits of the social security number of the adult signing the form or check the box if they do not have a social security number. Part 5: Indicate ethnic and racial identity if you choose to do so. ALL OTHER HOUSEHOLDS, INCLUDING WIC HOUSEHOLDS, FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS: Part 1: Skip this part. Part 2: Follow these instructions to report total household income from last month: Column 1–Name: List the first and last name of each person living in your household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends) including yourself. Attach another sheet of paper if you need more room to list all household members. Column 2 – Name of School Building: Indicate the school building each student attends. Column 3 – Grade: Indicate the grade level of each student. Column 4 – Foster Child: If any student is a foster child (legal responsibility of a welfare agency or court), check the box. Column 5 –Gross income last month and how often it was received: Next to each household member’s name list each type of income received last month, and how often it was received. For example, Earnings from work: List the gross income each person earned from work. This is not the same as take-home pay. Gross income is the amount earned before taxes and other deductions. The amount should be listed on your pay stub, or your boss can tell you. Next to the amount, write how often the person received it (weekly, every other week, twice a month, or monthly). List the amount each person got last month from welfare, child support, alimony; pensions, retirement, social security; and all other income in the appropriate categories. In the other income column, include Worker’s Compensation, unemployment, strike benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veteran’s benefits (VA benefits), disability benefits, regular contributions from people who do not live in your household, and ANY OTHER INCOME. Report net income for self-owned business, farm, or rental income. Next to the amount, write how often the person received it. If you are in the Military Housing Privatization Initiative do not include this housing allowance. Exclude military combat pay received by service members during a deployment. Column 6–Check if no income: If the person does not have any income, check the box. Part 3: Skip this part. Part 4: An adult household member must sign the form and list the last four digits of the social security number of the adult signing the form, or mark the box if he or she doesn’t have a social security number. Part 5: Indicate ethnic and racial identity if you choose to do so. For Your Information Website Affton Schools can be found online at: www.afftonschools.net There you will find information about the district and each school, including: Administration Center 8701 Mackenzie Road • 314-638-8770 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Dr. Steve Brotherton, Superintendent Dr. Travis Bracht, Assistant Superintendent Steven Fedchak, Director of Business Affairs Marie Burke, Director of Special Education Erica Chandler, Director of Community Relations Dr. Robert Dillon, Director of Technology and Innovation Stephanie True, Curriculum, Assessment & PD Coordinator Dave Walters, Manager of Facilities and Grounds Alison Muehlhauser, Manager of Personnel/Grants Bus Routes Code of Conduct Parent & Student Handbooks BoardDocs Calendars Menus Board of Education News & Events Douglas Beck, President Thomas Bellavia, Vice-President Susan Casaleggi, Treasurer Christopher Castellanos, Director Larry Knox, Director Michael McNeil, Director Patricia Zahn, Director Carol Loehr, Secretary Schools and Administration Affton High School (Grades 9-12) 8309 Mackenzie Road • 314-638-6330 Attendance Number: 314-638-7730 A & C Schedule (7:40 a.m. - 2:25 p.m.) B Schedule (7:40 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.) Dr. Susan Jackson, Principal Phil Beermann, Assistant Principal Tim Luecke, Assistant Principal Dan Oliver, Athletic Director 314-638-1846 314-353-2068 314-351-3588 314-457-0099 314-638-3222 314-229-8223 314-842-1560 314-633-5905 Board Meeting Dates The Affton Board of Education meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month (except July) at 7pm in the Multipurpose Room at Affton Early Childhood, 9832 Reavis Road. Rogers Middle School (Grades 6-8) Parents As Teachers 7550 Mackenzie Road • 314-351-9679 7:10 a.m. - 1:55 p.m. Jason Buck, Principal Paul Hoggatt, Assistant Principal Children begin learning at birth and learn more during the first five years of life than at any other time. Parents As Teachers is an early learning program which supports parents in their role as the first and most influential teachers of their children. All services are provided free of charge. To enroll, call 314-633-0019 or e-mail [email protected]. Gotsch Intermediate School (Grades 3-5) 8348 Laclede Station Road • 314-842-1238 8:40 a.m. - 3:25 p.m. Dr. Christine Powers, Principal Rose Davis, Assistant Principal Mesnier Primary School (Grades K-2) 6930 Weber Road • 314-849-5566 8:10 a.m. - 2:55 p.m. Christina Been, Principal Tracy Nomensen, Administrative Intern Affton Early Childhood (Ages 3-Pre-K) 9832 Reavis Road • 314-633-5988 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. Karin Fleming, Director Before and After Care Parents of students enrolled at Mesnier Primary, Gotsch Intermediate and Rogers Middle who need care before and/or after school can elect to enroll their child(ren) in Cougar Care. Before and after school care will operate from 6:30 a.m. until school starts, and from the time school is dismissed until 6 p.m. Care will also be provided during days when school is released early, and on selected days when school is not in session. For further details, call 314-6335920 or e-mail [email protected] Visitors We welcome visitors at all Affton Schools. Whenever possible, advance notice should be given to our teachers. All visitors are asked to sign in at the school office in each building. Parent Opportunities Affton Parents’ Club Parent Boosters Membership is open to any adult with an interest in helping the children of Affton School District. Our mission is to work together in cooperation with parents and the community for all the children of the Affton School District through raising funds and distributing resources to the schools. Please like us on Facebook to stay connected with our events, activities and opportunities to STEP UP…! Parent Boosters are a volunteer group of parents representing each grade level at Affton High School. The main purpose of this group is to raise funds for activities and other items for AHS. Facebook: Affton Parents’ Club - APC Denise Dolan, Co-President • 314-570-6194 • [email protected] Class of 2015 Class of 2016 The Mission of the Affton Music Boosters (AMB) is to offer financial and representative assistance to our Music Department. AMB annually offers a one-time scholarship to any vocal or instrumental senior music student graduating from Affton High School that is enrolled to pursue a major or minor degree in music. They also subsidize funds to the district-wide Affton Music Department. Teachers in the music department can request funding for needs not covered under the school budget. www.afftonmusicboosters.com • [email protected] Facebook: Affton Music Boosters Affton Council for the Gifted & Talented This organization promotes opportunities for students enrolled in SAIL or Advanced Math and their families, and provides support for enrichment programs in the district. Facebook: Affton Gifted and Talented Council Michelle Petterchak • 314-583-6500 • [email protected] Facebook: 2015 Parent Boosters Amy Armstrong • 314-971-5329 Sarah Hertel • 314-481-2913 Class of 2017 Facebook: Affton Class of 2016 Sandi LaManna • 314-631-7510 Kathy Vogt • 314-640-0734 Class of 2018 Facebook: Affton Class of 2017 Jennifer Kahle • 314-401-0278 Kathy Brooks Chris Roth, Co-President • 314-456-4004 • [email protected] Affton Music Boosters (AMB) Andrea Mezines • 314-517-4640 • 314-352-8796 Mindy Dohle • 314-707-6820 • 314-353-7712 Facebook: Affton High School Class of 2018 Parent-Community Involvement Various opportunities are available for parents, teachers, administrators and community members to help students. Anyone interested in being a part of these meetings, activities and committees should check the calendar for your child’s school. District opportunities include the following; contact Erica Chandler at 314-633-5908 or [email protected] for more information. Buildings & Grounds Committee Curriculum Advisory Council Technology Committee CSIP Committee Safety Task Force Affton Community Volunteer Organization (ACVO) ACVO is a partnership between Affton Schools and the Affton community. This partnership joins the two through volunteering to build a better future for our students and community. Areas for volunteering include: tutoring or mentoring; horticulture; technology; fundraising; evening/weekend events; sports events; special events; and more. For more information, contact Pam Knox at 314-633-5994 x10501 or [email protected]. 2014-2015 Open House Schedule Affton Early Childhood…………...August 12, 5:30pm-6:30pm—Full Day Students August 13, 10am-11am—AM Part Day Students August 13, 12:30pm-1:30pm—PM Part Day Students Mesnier Primary………………….. August 7, 6pm-7:30pm—Kindergarten August 13, 6pm-7pm—1st & 2nd Grade Gotsch Intermediate …………… August 19, 6pm-7:30pm—Parent Open House Rogers Middle School …………… August 11, 5pm-6pm—6th Grade Orientation 6pm-8pm—6th Grade, 7th Grade & 8th Grade Affton High School……………….. August 4, 5, 6, 7, 8—Chromebook Pick Up August 13, 8am-Noon—Freshman Orientation ELECTRONIC FLYER DELIVERY CONTINUES FOR 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR The paper flyers we have been sending home will now be sent electronically to your inbox. These eflyers can also be viewed by clicking on the Peachjar button that has been placed on each school’s website homepage. This “green” initiative will save our schools tons of paper and reduce copy costs by thousands of dollars. On top of that, paperless delivery of school flyers removes a significant administrative burden from teachers, office staff, and volunteers. If you have already provided an e-mail to your child’s school, NO ACTION is required on your part. To ensure smooth delivery of this communication, we suggest you add “[email protected]” to your email contacts. Note: add “[email protected]” to your contact list just as written; do not change it to the name of your school @peachjar.com. When you receive your first eflyer, be sure to click “always display images.” This system is used exclusively for distribution of school-approved flyers. Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose. Should you have any questions, please contact Erica Chandler, Community Relations Director, at 314.633.5908 or [email protected]. Thank you for helping us save time, money, and lots of trees! Stay Informed and In Touch SchoolReach Social Media Directory The Affton School District utilizes SchoolReach to contact parents throughout the year to keep families informed about emergencies (including snow days and emergency dismissal), student attendance, and school and parent organization events. Connect with Affton Schools via social media. We regularly post stories about students, staff and events, as well as information important to parents. Find us online: Parents will be able to receive messages from their student’s school(s) and the district via phone call, e-mail and/or text. The successful delivery of information is dependent upon accurate contact information obtained from school records. If your household and/or emergency contact information changes, please let your school secretary or registrar know as soon as possible. Message Retrieval Line If you ever feel you may have missed a SchoolReach voice message or just want to check to be sure, you can dial our Message Retrieval Line. From whichever phone(s) you want to check for messages, dial toll-free: 855-955-8500 and follow the prompts to hear any/all messages sent through SchoolReach over the last 30 days. Website www.afftonschools.net Facebook AfftonSchoolDistrict AfftonHighSchool RogersMiddleSchoolAffton GotschIntermediate MesnierPrimary AfftonEarlyChildhood Twitter @AfftonSchools Pinterest www.pinterest.com/AfftonSchools Many teachers, school clubs and organizations are also active on social media. Visit the Social Media Directory on our website to learn more. Inclement Weather and Emergency Dismissal Bully Prevention Hotline Bullying of any kind is wrong – physical, verbal, online or off, before, during or after school – it is never acceptable. To help in our prevention efforts, Affton School District has instituted a Bully Prevention Hotline. The purpose of this program is to create a two-way means for students, parents, guardians and others to report incidents of bullying, harassment, intimidation and information on potential harmful or violent acts by others. The Bully Prevention Hotline number is: (314) 472-3497 Information regarding school closings or schedule changes due to extreme weather or other emergency will be posted on the front page of the district website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter as soon as a decision is made. Typically, a decision to close school is not made until 5 a.m. on the morning in question, although there are times that a decision can be made the evening before. On days that the district is closed, SchoolReach will call all district families to announce a closing. In addition, parents can find accurate information about district school closings on the following radio and television stations: Text Message or Voice Calls Received KMOX 1120 (AM) KSDK Channel 5 Tyler SIS What can parents do to help their students and schools prepare? Affton School District is pleased to provide the Tyler SIS Parent Portal by Tyler Technologies, Inc., for the 2014-2015 school year. 1. Review the information you have listed as emergency The Tyler SIS Parent Portal is a secure Internet-based website that will allow you to easily keep track of nearly everything your student does while at school. This new service will allow you to view your student’s attendance, grades, schedule, food service balance, progress, assignments, emergency information, and it will even allow you to help select your student’s courses. The Parent Portal and all that it offers will not be immediately available at the start of the 2014-2015 school year as we will be collecting all the necessary information. We do expect it to be functional by the end of the first quarter. KMOV Channel 4 KTVI Channel 2 contacts and make sure that the numbers are updated. 2. Make plans ahead of time and communicate them with your child(ren) so they understand what to expect during an early school dismissal due to inclement weather or emergency. 3. Understand that school closings are for the safety of children throughout the district. While the condition of your neighborhood streets may be fine, other areas of the district may be experiencing harsher weather. Affton School District 8701 Mackenzie Road Affton, MO 63123 Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID St. Louis, MO Permit No. 495 Affton School District Parental Notification Newsletter Fall 2014 Important Information Inside: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Pages 11-14 Special Education Notice FERPA Notice NCLB Information District Information Non-Discrimination Law Compliance Student Directory Information Photo Release Policy Parent Opportunities Surveying, Analyzing, or Evaluating Students Paper Opt-In Policy Accessibility Notice Page 15 Pages 5-10 How to Stay Informed Food Service Update Social Media Directory Free/Reduced Lunch Guidelines and Application