Asbestos has been an issue of concern for many years. The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 (AHERA) was designed to determine the extent of asbestos concerns in the schools and to act as a guide to formulating asbestos management policies for the schools. The school district facilities have been inspected by a certified asbestos inspector as required by AHERA. The inspector located, sampled and determined the condition and hazard potential of all material in the school facilities suspected of containing asbestos. The inspection and laboratory analysis records form the basis of the asbestos management plan.

A certified management planner has developed an asbestos management plan for the school district facilities, which includes notification letters, training for employees, and a set of procedures designed to minimize the disturbance of asbestos containing materials and plans for regular surveillance of the materials. A copy of the management plan is available for inspection in the office.

Refer to board policy 804.4.

It is the policy of the Morning Sun Community School District that any employee who believes, or has reason to believe, that a student under the age of 18 years has been abused, as defined by law, shall be held responsible for reporting such abuse to the Department of Social Services.

Refer to board policy 402.2 and 402.2R1.

Section 504 Notice of Nondiscrimination

Students, parents, employees and others doing business with or performing services for the Morning Sun School District are hereby notified that this school district does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, color, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability in admission or access to, or treatment in, its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the school district’s compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 or Iowa Code Section 280.3 is directed to contact the school’s Affirmative Action Coordinator, Sally Wenger, at 311 Division St., Morning Sun, IA 52640, or phone 868-7104. Inquiries may also be directed in to the Director of Region VII Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 319 W. Wisconsin Avenue., Suite 800, Milwaukee, WI, 53203-2292, (414) 291-1111, or to the Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, Des Moines, IA, 50319- 0146, (515) 281-5294.

Section 504 Student and Parental Rights

The Morning Sun Community School District does not discriminate in its educational programs and activities on the basis of a student’s disability. If it has been determined that your child has a qualifying disability for which accommodations may need to be made to meet his or her individual needs as adequately as the needs of other students, as a parent you have the right to the following:

• participation of your child in school district programs and activities, to the maximum extent appropriate, free of discrimination based upon the student’s disability and at the same level as students without disabilities;

• receipt of free educational services to the extent they are provided students without disabilities;

• receipt of information about your child and your child’s educational programs and activities in your native language;

• notice of identification of your child as having a qualifying disability for which accommodations may need to be made and notice prior to evaluation and placement of your child and right to periodically request a reevaluation of your child;

• inspect and review your child’s educational records including a right to copy those records for a reasonable fee; you also have a right to ask the school district to amend your child’s educational records if you feel the information in the records is misleading or inaccurate; should the school district refuse to amend the records, you have the right to a hearing and to place an explanatory letter in your child’s file explaining why you feel the records are misleading or inaccurate;

• hearing before an impartial hearing officer if you disagree with your child’s evaluation or placement; you have a right to counsel at the hearing and have the decision of the impartial hearing officer reviewed.

Inquiries concerning the school district’s compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 or Iowa Code Section 280.3 should be directed to Tracy Shriver at 868-7701, who has been designated to coordinate the school’s efforts to comply with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title IX, the ADA, Section 504 and Iowa Code 280.3.

Refer to board policy 500.

It is the policy of the Morning Sun Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or 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 Steve Hollan, Principal, at 319-868-7701 or steve.hollan@mscsd.org.

Refer to board policy 401.01.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. These rights are:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents should submit to the school superintendent a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school will make arrangements for access and notify the parent of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
• The right to request the amendment of the student’s records that the parent believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. Parents who wish to ask the school to amend a record should write the superintendent, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it should be changed. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent, the school will notify the parent 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 when notified of the right to a hearing.
• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure 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 school 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 school has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using its own employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent 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 education interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the Morning Sun Community School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-5920.

Refer to board policy 506.1E8.

Staff and students will respond to bullying by following the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. It is a school-wide program designed to reduce and prevent bullying. The goals are to: reduce existing bullying problems among students, prevent the development of new bullying problems, and achieve better peer relations at school.

Olweus Rules:

• We will not bully others.
• We will try to help students who are bullied.
• We will include students who are left out.
• If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.

Staff/Adults will:

• Stop the bullying.
• Support the student who has been bullied.
• To the student(s) who bullied: Name the bullying behavior and refer to the four anti-bullying rules.
• Empower the bystanders with appreciation if they were supportive to the student who was bullied or with information about how to act in the future.
• Impose immediate and appropriate consequences for the student(s) who bullied.
• Take steps to make sure the student who was bullied will be protected from future bullying.

Refer to board policy 104 and 104R.1.

Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney- Vento Act.

Does your family live in any of the following situations?

• In a shelter.
• In a motel or campground due to lack of alternative adequate accommodation.
• In a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station.
• Doubled-up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship.

If the answer to any of those options is “yes,” your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

If eligible, your children have the right to:

• Receive a free, appropriate public education.
• Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
• Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.
• Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school the school in which they were last enrolled) if that is your preference and is feasible.
• If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you a written of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.
• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested.
• Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your child’s needs.

If you need further assistance with your children’s educational needs, contact the National Center for Homeless Education at (800) 308-2145 and nche.ed.gov.

Refer to board policy 501.16.

Iowa Non-Discrimination Statement

It is the policy of this CNP provider not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or religion in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code section 216.6, 216.7, and 216.9. If you have questions or grievances related to compliance with this policy by this CNP Provider, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Grimes State Office building, 400 E. 14th St. Des Moines, IA 50319-1004; phone number 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; website: https://icrc.iowa.gov.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

State law forbids school employees from using corporal punishment against any student. Certain actions by school employees are not considered corporal punishment. Additionally, school employees may use “reasonable and necessary force, not designed or intended to cause pain” to do certain things such as prevent harm to persons or property.

State law also places limits on school employees’ abilities to restrain or confine and detain any student. The law limits why, how, where, and for how long a school employee may restrain or confine and detain a child. If a child is restrained or confined and detained, the school must maintain documentation and must provide certain types of notice to the child’s parent.

If you have any questions about this state law, please contact the school. The complete text of the law and additional information is available on the Department of Education’s website link educateiowa.gov and search for Timeout, Seclusion and Restraint.

Refer to board policy 503.5.

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), 20 U.S.C. § 1232h, requires Morning Sun Community School District to notify parents/guardians and obtain consent or allow parents/guardians to opt their child/children out of participating in certain school activities. These activities include a student survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the following eight areas (“protected information surveys”):

• Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent.
• Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family.
• Sex behavior or attitudes.
• Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior.
• Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have family relationships.
• Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers.
• Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents.
• Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

This requirement also applies to the collection, disclosure or use of student information for marketing purposes (“marketing surveys”), and certain physical exams and screenings.

Morning Sun Community School will provide parents/guardians, within a reasonable period of time prior to the administration of the surveys and activities, notification of the surveys and activities and give parents/guardians an opportunity to opt their child/children out, as well as an opportunity to review the surveys.

Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-5920.

Parents/Guardians in the Morning Sun Community School District have the right to learn about the following qualifications of their child’s teacher:

• State licensure requirements for the grade level and content areas taught.
• The current licensing status of your child’s teacher.
• The baccalaureate/graduate certification/degree of your child’s teacher.
• The qualifications of an instructional paraprofessional who serves your student in a Title I program or if your school operates a school-wide Title program.

Parents/Guardians may request this information from the Office of the Superintendent by calling 868- 7701, or by sending a letter of request to: Office of the Superintendent, Morning Sun Community School District, 311 Division Street, Morning Sun, IA 52640.

The Morning Sun Community School District ensures that parents will be notified in writing if their child has been assigned or has been taught by a teacher for four or more consecutive weeks who is not considered highly qualified.

Refer to board policy 405.2.