The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students over 18 years of age and parents certain rights with respect to students’ educational records. The FERPA Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) affords parents certain rights regarding district surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes and certain physical exams.

As required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the South Glens Falls Central School District maintains asbestos management plans for district buildings. The plans are available to the public for review in person during the following times: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Administrative Offices, 42 Merritt Road, Suite 1, South Glens Falls, NY 12803. For more information, or to view a copy of the reports, contact Assistant Superintendent of Business Kevin Fottrell at 518-793-9619.

All parents/guardians will have the right to obtain the APPR quality ratings and composite effectiveness scores for their child’s current teacher(s) and principal(s) once the scores are officially available in accordance with state law. All requests must be submitted in writing on a school-provided form. For additional details, contact the district office.

An attendance policy for each South Glens Falls CSD school can be found in the applicable school’s student handbook. Student handbooks are distributed at the start of each school year.

New York State requires schools to track each student’s Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight status category as part of school health examinations. If South Glens Falls is asked to provide this data to the state, it will be summary data only and children’s names will not be reported. Parents who wish to exclude their child’s data must contact the child’s school nurse.

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

The South Glens Falls Code of Conduct applies to all students, school personnel, parents and visitors when on school property, including school buses and other school-owned vehicles, or when attending a school-sponsored event or function. Information on the Code of Conduct is shared with students at the beginning of every school year. For a complete copy, contact your child’s school principal.

The goal of the Dignity for All Students Act is to provide students with a safe, supportive educational environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and bullying. Some of the law requirements include: establishing anti-harassment and discrimination policies, creating school training programs and including a course in civility, citizenship and character education in the curriculum for every grade level.

Parents of all students have a right to information about the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers. These parents are entitled to know whether their child’s teacher has State certification for the classes being taught; the teacher’s bachelor’s degree major and any other certifications or degrees by field or discipline; and whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. To obtain this information for your student, contact the Office of the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction by calling 518-793-9617.

Although payment for school meals is typically due at the time of the sale (through a prepaid balance, cash or some other means), the South Glens Falls Central School District recognizes that at times, students are unable to make this payment for a variety of reasons. The South Glens Falls Central School District has established a school meal charge policy to provide clear information about how these situations will be handled, including steps designed to avoid any embarrassment of children.  View the complete policy (policy 8505) in the Board of Education Online Policy Manual.

Education programs, including but not limited to vocational programs, are offered without regard to actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sex; sexual orientation, or gender (including gender identity and expression). This includes access by students to educational programs, counseling services, course offerings and student activities, as well as recruitment and appointment of employees and employment pay, benefits, advancement and/or terminations. For more information, contact the district officials responsible for this policy, Kevin Fottrell or Tim Dawkins at 518-793-9619.

The South Glens Falls CSD Board of Education believes that positive parental involvement is essential to student achievement, and thus encourages such involvement in school educational planning and operations. The district’s Parental Involvement Policy is consistent with the parent involvement goals of Title I, Part A of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). View the complete policy in the Board of Education Online Policy Manual.

The South Glens Falls Central School District is committed to ensuring student privacy in accordance with local, state and federal regulations and district policies. To this end and pursuant to U.S. Department of Education regulations, the district is providing the following Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security, which is applicable to all students and their parents and legal guardians. View the Bill of Rights here.

Under state law, the South Glens Falls CSD must notify the public that pesticide products may be used in school buildings throughout the year. Parents, guardians and staff may request 48-hour-prior written notification of certain pesticide applications. To request to be on this list, contact Assistant Superintendent of Business Kevin Fottrell at 518-793-9619.

It is essential that each child experience both challenge and success from school activities. To this end, the district will make every effort to place each student in the most appropriate learning level for a successful educational experience.

District curriculum guides indicate goals for achievement by the “average” student at each grade level. However, academic growth, like physical growth, does not take place at the same pace or time for all individuals. Certain students may achieve mastery in a shorter period, while others need additional time. Early identification and intervention, promotion and retention are methods of meeting the needs of such children. View the complete policy (policy 4750) in the Board of Education Online Policy Manual.

From time to time, student directory information, including photo or video, is published on the South Glens Falls website or social media, in school publications or released to the media to recognize student achievement or depict activities within the South Glens Falls CSD. Parents who object to the disclosure of their child’s directory information should notify BOTH the superintendent of schools and their child’s building principal in writing on or before Sept. 30 of each school year.

Pursuant to the federal education legislation No Child Left Behind, South Glens Falls CSD must disclose to military recruiters, upon request, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of high school students. The district must also notify parents of their right, and the right of the child, to request that the district not release such information without prior written parental consent. Parents (or students 18 or older) wishing to exercise their option to withhold their consent to the release of the above information to military recruiters are asked to sign and return a form, which is available from the high school guidance office.

As per New York State regulations, the district is required to post its safety plan on the district website.
District-Wide School Safety Plan
District-Wide School Safety Plan (PDF)
2020-21 SRO Contract

State education law requires that all school districts ensure that school bus or vehicle drivers turn off their vehicle’s engine while waiting for passengers to load or unload. The law provides for certain exceptions when necessary for heating, mechanical or emergency circumstances.
Anti-Idling Annual Notice – Education Law Section 3637
Anti-Idling Notice – Commissioners Reg 1563h

New York State Education Law requires the South Glens Falls Central School District to develop district-wide and building-level comprehensive developmental school counseling guidance plans and to post these plan on district websites. These plans are presented below.
K-12 Comprehensive School Counseling Plan
School Counseling Action Plan

Required Notifications

Data Privacy and Security

District-Wide School Safety Plan

Pesticide Notice