Parent Handbook - Harford County Public Schools

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inspections. Through a system of inspection, documentation, communication with building occupants and evaluation of any required actions, an effective program of pest control is currently in place. Priority is given to non-chemical pest management techniques. However, there will be occasions when pesticide application is necessary. Application will be done in a manner sufficient to minimize potential exposure to occupants and building environment. In compliance with regulations as set forth by Maryland Department of Agriculture, notification will be made to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of all elementary students and staff, and parent(s)/guardian(s) of secondary student(s) attending a secondary school, or Harford County Public Schools staff and wish to be notified of all pesticide applications on school properties, contact school administration to request written notification. Information about pesticides or bait stations that may be used in school buildings or on school grounds when non-chemical techniques are exhausted or inappropriate can be obtained through the Facilities Management Department, 2209 Conowingo Rd, Bel Air, MD 21015. The Executive Director of Facilities serves as coordinator and maintains product labels and material safety data sheets (MSDS) for each product. Currently, these pesticides and bait stations include (by common name) Amorphous Silica Gel, Borate, Borax, Bromadiolone, Bromethalon, Carbon, Chlorfenapyr, Cyfluthrin, Cypermethrim, D-Trans Allethrin, Deltamethrin, Diphacinone, Dimethylamine salt of 2,4 and Fiprobnil, Glyphosate, Hydramethylon, Hydroprene, Imidacloprid, Methoprene, s-metochlor, Napthalene, Orthoboric Acid, Oxadizon, Permethrin, Potassium Salt of Fatty Acid, Pyrethrins, Resmethrin, Sodium Nitrate, and Sulfer. The public can review this information by contacting the program coordinator at 410-638- 4088. Copies can be obtained for the cost of reproduction. A more detailed description of IPM techniques employed by Harford County Public Schools may be found in the IPM manual located at each school site. For further information regarding Harford County Public Schools Integrated Pest Management Program contact the Executive Director of Facilities Management at 410-638-4088. Notification Of AHERA Inspection & Management Plan Compliance This notification is to inform interested parties such as teachers, school personnel, and parents about Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requirements and the actions taken by Harford County Public Schools to comply with AHERA regulations. On October 30, 1987, the AHERA regulations were published in the Federal Register, pages 41826 to 41898, titled “Asbestos Containing Materials in Schools.” These regulations require a Building Inspection to find asbestos containing material (ACM) within each school building and a Management Plan for each building. Building Inspections have been conducted by an EPA accredited Building Inspector. Management Plans have been written by an EPA accredited Management Planner for each school, cataloging ACM found by the Building Inspection. Building Inspections and Management Plans have been completed for all Harford County Public Schools. These documents have been submitted to the State of Maryland in compliance with AHERA’s May 9, 1989, deadline. The individual building reports include schedules for periodic surveillance of ACM, re-inspection to be conducted by an accredited EPA Building Inspector, and response actions planned, as well as those already completed. The first re-inspection of Harford County Public Schools’ buildings was completed in 1992; and subsequent re-inspections were performed in 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010. Management Plans are available for public review at school administrative offices. To minimize confusion, and in order for a representative of the school system to be available, all who wish to review the reports are requested to make an appointment with school administrators. Public viewing is at no cost to the individual. Copies of the various reports are available for a fee based upon the copying costs of the individual report requested. Most Harford County schools do have asbestos containing materials (ACM), and all schools that do, have it identified and catalogued in their management plans. Those materials are monitored by school and facilities staff, and reinspected every three years by certified inspectors. In the event that deterioration is noted, or maintenance action in the area of the materials requires that the ACM be removed, it is removed only by certified contractors, with monitoring by a separate industrial hygiene contractor. No one other than certified contractors; not school staff, not teachers, not students, nor parents should EVER take it upon themselves to attempt to remove known or suspected asbestos containing materials for any reason. Notification Of Planning For Incidents At The Peach Bottom Power Station In the event of an incident at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (PBAPS), plans have been made to increase the safety of public school students at schools within 10 miles of Peach Bottom. The following home schools are within the 10 mile radius and could possibly be evacuated to a host school. The host schools are: Schools within TenMiles of Peach Bottom Darlington Elementary Dublin Elementary North Harford Elementary North Harford Middle North Harford High Host Schools Meadowvale Elementary Churchville Elementary North Bend Elementary Hickory Elementary C. Milton Wright High In the event of an incident at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station which requires the evacuation of a school, students will be transported by bus directly to the HOST school. If such evacuation is ordered, notification will be publicized by radio and television stations, and through the automated telephone system. Parents or authorized persons are to meet their children at the assigned school. Parents are urged not to telephone schools or attempt to make different arrangements. This will only create confusion. Parents are requested not to pick up their children at the HOME school, but to meet their children at the HOST school. Parents or other persons authorized to pick up a student will be required to provide identification at the pick-up point and sign a register prior to the release of a student to their custody. Notification Of Sampling For Lead In Drinking Water Medical research shows lead to be a toxic metal which can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. As evident by research, young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, at lower exposure limits than adults. The effects are observed in physiological and behavioral symptoms. The degree of harm from lead depends upon the total exposure to lead from all sources, and is cumulative over your lifespan. Children as well as adults continue to be exposed to lead from a number of sources, including dust from lead paint and soil, food, and water. For more information on these sources, please contact the County Health Department at 410-838-1500, or the Maryland Department of the Environment at 410-537-3000. In October 1988, Congress passed the Lead Contamination Control Act in order to prevent lead contamination of drinking water in schools and daycare centers. The Act required the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish a list of water coolers that were known to contain lead. It also required schools and daycare centers to take actions to reduce lead from other sources of drinking water to no more than 20 parts per billion. 14
The Lead and Copper Rule required small water systems to complete initial monitoring of their drinking water supply by December 31, 1993. Harford County Public Schools has completed the initial testing and continue to meet the requirements as issued by the EPA. Those requirements include corrosion control, source water treatment, and public education for systems that exceed the action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb) or 0.015 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Results from testing done by Harford County Public Schools are on file in the administrative offices for the school system, and are available for inspection by the public. Regular monitoring of the drinking water continues. Any questions may be directed to 410-638-4085. Parent/Community Involvement Harford County Public Schools invites and encourages the participation of parents/community in the education of their children. All parents and community members are expected to participate actively in program planning and decision making. Visit www. hcps.org for the full policy. Personal Property Personal property that is brought into the school by students is not covered under the insurance of Harford County Public Schools. Please contact your homeowner’s insurance company regarding any valuable items, such as musical instruments, for off-premise coverage. Students/parents should evaluate the personal items that are brought to school. Also, students should take the time to permanently mark personal items so they are clearly identifiable. Personal computers are not permitted in schools. Policy For Instructional Grouping The school system does not favor any one pattern of instructional grouping for students. In fact, flexible grouping patterns within each school are encouraged in order to meet specifically identified student needs and to encourage the use of the most effective teaching methods and strategies. Each school has in writing a description of the grouping patterns used for its students. Policy For Internet Use Harford County Public Schools provides telecommunications resources to its students for educational purposes: the acquisition of information/resources, communications and collaboration with experts, and career development activities. Telecommunications resources shall be used in accordance with the educational goals of the school system. Student use of the resources provided shall be under the direct supervision of the teacher and shall be instructionally related. Reasonable precautions will be taken to ensure that the Internet is a safe learning environment for students. Students will be expected to demonstrate responsible and ethical behavior in the use of the resources. Access to the Internet through the telecommunications resources will only be granted to users who follow the Harford County Public Schools Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy for Students and the procedures for such use. These policies are published on the HCPS website (www.hcps.org). HCPS utilizes an outside internet filtering company to ensure the safety of our students while they access the Internet. The use of this filter system also allows HCPS to comply with the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Although the web filtering product utilizes the most innovative and cutting edge technology, it is still possible for students to access specific websites should students seek them with intention and purpose. Therefore, the only way a parent can be completely assured his or her child will not be able to access inappropriate material is to opt-out of Internet use at school. Your school can help you with this process. Preparedness Planning Harford County Public Schools, in cooperation with the Harford County Department of Emergency Preparedness, participates in planning for various types of emergency situations such as fires, natural disasters, air pollution, and utility disruption. In the event of any type of emergency that disrupts normal schedules at schools, notification will be provided through commercial radio and television stations. See page 13 for a complete list of notification procedures. Privacy Rights Of Parents And Students Policy And Procedures Federal and State laws give students and their parents the right to inspect and review the student’s educational records and to have school record inaccuracies corrected. Schools have the responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of student records. Records shall be kept for individual students in accordance with rules and regulations of the Maryland State Board of Education. Individual student records maintained by teachers or other school personnel are to be confidential in nature, and access to such records may be granted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Individual student records, with the exception of such records as are designated as permanent, and with such other exceptions as provided by the law, should be destroyed when they are no longer able to serve such legitimate and recognized educational ends. All educational records of a student maintained under the provisions of the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), including confidential records, shall be made available to eligible students, approved caretakers, custodial and non-custodial parents, or legal guardians except as otherwise provided herein. Definitions 1. Directory Information - student’s name and grade, but only when it appears on honor roll or graduation list or as a member of a school-approved team, club, or other student organization or school publication; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; degrees and awards received; student’s name and photograph as they appear in individual school or school system publications. 2. Disclosure - permitting access, transfer, or release of educational records of the student. 3. Eligible Students - a student who has attained 18 years of age or is attending an institution of post-secondary education. 4. Local School Personnel - all officers, employees, and agents of the Board of Education of Harford County. 5. Parents - custodial or non-custodial parents or approved caretakers of the student may inspect the educational records unless the Harford County Public Schools have been provided with a legally binding instrument that provides to the contrary. This includes a legal guardian or approved caretaker in the absence of a parent or guardian. 6. Party - individual, agency, institution, or organization. 7. Personally Identifiable - data or information including (a) the name of the student, his/her parents, and family members; (b) address; (c) social security number or student number; (d) a list of personal characteristics which would make it possible to identify the student with reasonable certainty; or (e) other information which would make it possible to identify the student with reasonable certainty. 8. Post-Secondary Education - beyond grade 12. 15
Page 1 and 2: 2011-2012 Parent-Student Handbook a
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Page 13 and 14: Penalties Suspension and Expulsion
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Parent Handbook - Harford County Public Schools

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