Annual Notices

The Board shall provide United States Armed Forces recruiters with at least the same access to the high school campus and to student directory information as is provided to other entities offering educational or employment opportunities to those students. “Armed forces of the United States” means the armed forces of the United States and their reserve components and the United States Coast Guard.

If a student or the parent or legal guardian of a student submits a signed, written request to the Board that indicates that the student or the parent or legal guardian does not want the student’s directory information to be accessible to official recruiting representatives, then the officials of the school shall not allow that access to the student’s directory information. The Board shall ensure that students and parents and guardians are notified of the provisions of the opportunity to deny release of directory information.

For more information, please see Board Policy 8330

Each year the Superintendent shall provide public notice to students and their parents of the District’s intent to make available, upon request, certain information known as “directory information.” The Board designates as student “directory information”:

• a student’s name
• participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• height if member of an athletic team
• weight, if member of an athletic team which requires disclosure to participate
• dates of attendance
• date of graduation;
• awards received
• honor rolls
• scholarships
• telephone numbers for inclusion in school or PTO directories

Parents and eligible students may also refuse to allow the District to disclose any or all of such “directory information” upon written notification to the District within 10 days after receipt of the District’s public notice.

Parents and guardians have the right to review their student’s records, as do students 18 years old or older. To do this, contact your building principal. If information in the school record is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student, parents may request a hearing to have the information deleted from the record. 

For more information, please see Board Policy 8330

Section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act is commonly referred to as The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 20 U.S.C. 1232g (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under on applicable program of the U.S. Deportment of Education. FERPA generally does not apply to most private elementary and secondary schools, as they do not typically receive U.S. Department of Education funding.

The educational interests of students require the collection, retention, and use of data about individuals and groups of students while ensuring individual rights of privacy. The school District will maintain educational records of students for legitimate educational purposes. 

School records are confidential and information from them shall not be released except as provided by law. The information contained in school student records shall be kept current, accurate, clear, and relevant. The District may release directory information in accord with low, provided parent{s)/guardian(s) are given the opportunity to object to the release of this information. Directory information for this District includes the following information: the student's name, picture, major field of study, participation in recognized activities and sports and related information, grade placement, honors and awards received, and telephone number (for military recruiters only).

Directory information may be provided to persons or organizations for non-profit making purposes when deemed appropriate by the building principal, unless the parents of the student restrict the information in writing to the building principal.

The District shall inform students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) annually and upon initial enrollment of their rights under FERPA and Board policy with respect to student records, and of the procedures for exercising those rights. The Super­intendent shall provide the appropriate training to all staff that has access to student records. 

Pursuant to federal law, a form will be sent to 
parent(s)/guardian(s) that allow them to opt out of the disclosure of directory information to the military recruiters, and that informs the recipients that failure to complete and return the form will result in the disclosure of the information to military recruiters.

As provided in PA39, 2002 (MCL 380.1139) a school must provide armed forces recruiters and service academies with a student's name, address, and telephone number (if listed.)

The District shall protect the rights of privacy of students and their families in connection with any surveys or data-gathering activities conducted, assisted, or authorized by the Board or Superintendent. 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a pest management system that utilizes all suitable techniques in a total pest management system with the intent of preventing pests from reaching unacceptable levels or to reduce an existing population to an acceptable level. An emphasis is placed on manipulation of the pest environment to the point that it will not support a pest population.

Michigan law requires that certain conditions must be met prior to making a pesticide application (other than sanitizers, germicides, disinfectants, or anti-microbial agents) in schools, public buildings, or health care facilities. Pesticide applications for non-emergency situations shall be conducted by an appropriately licensed applicator who has attended an approved IPM training program and shall be made in accordance with this IPM plan.

Parents and guardians have the right to receive advanced notice of the application of a pesticide, other than bait or gel formulations, at their child’s school. This advance notice of the application will be given 48 hours before the application. The law requires us to do this notification by using two methods. The first method required by the law is the posting at entrances to your child’s school. The second method we are going to use is the posting in a common area located by the main office of the school. Parents are also entitled to receive this notice by first-class United States mail postmarked at least three days before the application. 

If you would like to be notified by mail, please contact the superintendent’s office at 989-587-5100. In the case of an emergency, pesticides may be applied without prior notice, but that those parents who request notification will be notified of the emergency application after it occurs. 

The McKinney-Vento program is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Under this program, State educational agencies (SEAs} must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youth. The program ls authorized under Title Vll-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC 11431 et seq.), (McKinney-Vento Act). The program was originally authorized in 1987 and, most recently, reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

The federal government has made provisions to ensure that no person is discriminated against on the basis of sex, religion, race, color, national origin, age, height, weight, marital status or handicap. in order to protect these rights and assure compliance.

Pewamo Westphalia Community Schools has appointed the following employees as District Compliance Officers: 

Title VI Compliance Officers:

Scott Brown

5101 South Clintonia Road

Westphalia, MI 48894

989-587-5100

scott.brown@pwschools.org

Troy Forton

Asst. Principal/Athletic Director

5101 Clintonia Road

Westphalia, MI 48894

989-587-5100

troy.forton@pwschools.org

Title IX

It is the policy of the Board of Education and the Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools not to unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, height, weight, marital status, handicap or disability.The District reaffirms its long-standing policy of compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination. 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender or handicap.

Title IX Compliance Officers: 

Scott Brown

5101 South Clintonia Road

Westphalia, MI 48894

989-587-5100

scott.brown@pwschools.org

Troy Forton

Asst. Principal/Athletic Director

5101 Clintonia Road

Westphalia, MI 48894

989-587-5100

troy.forton@pwschools.org

Comprehensive Title IX Training Materials 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973A national law that protects individuals from discrimination based on their disability (physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities). Section 504 forbids organizations and employers from excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services.

504 Coordinator 

Larry Farmer 

Counselor 

5101 Clintonia Road

Westphalia, MI 48894

989-587-5100

larry.farmer@pwschools.org

The Board of Education is concerned for the safety of the students and staff members and will attempt to comply with all Federal and State statutes and regulations to protect them from hazards that may result from industrial accidents beyond the control of school officials or from the presence of asbestos material used in previous construction.

The Superintendent has developed and implemented the district’s Asbestos-Management Program which will ensure proper compliance with Federal and State laws and the appropriate instruction of staff and students. This plan is available for inspection at the superintendent’s office without cost or restriction during normal business hours. If you desire to have a personal copy, it will be supplied to you within five working days by contacting the Superintendent’s office.

For more information, please see Board Policy 8431

Department of Education Procedural Safeguards 

Members of the public have the right to inspect instructional materials, including but not limited to, print and non-print materials, teacher’s manuals, films, tapes and any other supplementary materials, used as part of the educational curriculum.

Form 9130 F3 should be completed and submitted to the Superintendent. Upon receipt of Form 9130 F3, the Superintendent will contact the person making the request within five days to schedule an appointment for the person to come to the District to review and inspect the material indicated on Form 9130 F3. 

For more information, please see Board Policy 9130

Form 9130 F 

Pewamo-Westphalia Elementary School is a Title 1, Part A, Targeted Assisted School. Title 1 is a federally funded program through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The federal program's purpose is to support children who are not meeting the grade level standards in reading or math in kindergarten through grade five. 

At Pewamo-Westphalia Elementary School, support in reading and math is provided. Assessment criteria determine eligibility for services. Title 1 literacy and math intervention instruction includes research-based learning strategies. Budget allocations will also be set aside to assist students who qualify with the McKinney-Vento Act. 

For more information, please call the elementary school office at 989 593-3488

Anti-Harassment Board Policy