Sexuality Content and Parental Notification

The Board will ensure that any sexuality content is age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate for the age of the student receiving the instruction, regardless of the age or grade level of the student.

Prior to providing instruction that includes sexuality content or permitting a third party to provide such instruction on behalf of the District, the Board will provide parents the opportunity to review any instructional material that includes sexuality content. Upon request of the student's parent, a student shall be excused from instruction that includes sexuality content and shall be permitted to participate in an alternative assignment.

Parental Notification Regarding Student Services/Mental, Emotional, Physical Health or Well-Being/Safe and Supportive Learning Environment

The Wayne County Schools Career Center believes physical and mental health serve as the foundation for learning. The district employs a school nurse, a school nurse assistant, multiple counselors, and leverages outside agencies and services to ensure students’ needs are met. These individuals are aware of the requirements of House Bill 8 and will notify you directly if they observe a substantial change to your child’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being.

The Board will promptly notify a student's parent of any substantial change in the student's services, including counseling services or monitoring related to the student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being or the school's ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student. Such notification will be provided by the student’s building administration through email and/or telephone conference. The Board will not inhibit parental access to the student's education and health records maintained by the school.

School District personnel will not directly or indirectly encourage a student to withhold from a parent information concerning the student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being, or a change in related services or monitoring.

School District personnel will not discourage or prohibit parental notification of and involvement in decisions affecting a student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being.

If you have any concerns, please reach out via phone:

• Nursing Office: 330.669.7000 extension 1110
• Counseling Office: 330.669.7000 extension 1040

Procedure for Authorization From Parents for Health Care Services

Authorization of parents must be obtained by the Board prior to providing any type of health care service to students, including physical, mental, and behavioral health care services. Parents may choose whether to authorize the Board to provide a health care service to the parent's child.

To facilitate parental involvement and decision-making on such authorization, at the beginning of each school year, the Board will notify parents of each health care service offered at, or facilitated in cooperation with, their student's school of attendance and of the parent’s option to withhold consent or decline any specified service. If granted, parental consent to health care services does not waive the parent's right to access their child/children’s educational or health records or to be notified about a change in the student's services or monitoring as set forth herein.

Prior to providing a health care service to a student, the building administration of the student’s school of attendance will notify a parent whether the service is required to be provided by the School District under State law and if other options for a student to access the service exist.

These notification requirements do not apply to emergency situations, first aid, other unanticipated minor health care services, or health care services provided pursuant to a student's IEP or the District’s obligation under section 504 of the "Rehabilitation Act of 1973," 29 U.S.C. 794.

Process for Resolving Parental Concerns

Parents may file written concerns with the Director or other building administrator of the student’s school of attendance regarding any topics addressed in the above Parental Rights and Parental Involvement section of this policy. Parents will be notified at the beginning of each school year of their right to file a written concern. The Director or other building administrator will take steps with parent(s) to resolve the concern within thirty (30) days of receipt of the written concern. If not satisfied with the outcome of the resolution by the Director or building administrator, the parent(s) may appeal a decision at that level to the Superintendent.

If a parent appeals the Director's or building administrator’s decision, the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee will conduct a hearing on the decision. Based on the findings of that hearing, the Superintendent shall decide whether to affirm the Director's or building administrator’s decision. If the Superintendent determines not to affirm the decision, the Superintendent shall determine a resolution to the parent's concern and communicate the decision to the parent. A parent may appeal the Superintendent’s decision to the Board of Education.

If the Superintendent’s decision is appealed, the Board shall review the Superintendent's decision and, if the Board determines it necessary, hold a hearing on the decision and, based on that hearing, either affirm the Superintendent's decision or determine a new resolution to the parent's concern.

Our district strives to meet the needs of every student, and therefore takes parental concerns seriously. If you have a concern you would like to discuss with an administrator, please complete this form. One of our administrators will reach out to you to schedule an appointment within two school days.

Nothing in this policy shall be read to prevent a parent from contacting a member of the Board regarding a concern with the operation of a school under the supervision of the Board of Education.

Parent Right to Inspect Instructional Materials

In addition, parents have the right to inspect any instructional materials used as part of the educational curriculum for their student. Instructional materials means instructional content, regardless of format, that is provided to the student, including printed or representational materials, audio-visual materials, and materials available in electronic or digital formats (such as materials accessible through the Internet). Instructional material does not include academic tests or academic assessments.

If a parent believes content is objectionable, they may request their child is excluded from instruction. In order to schedule the review of curriculum, please contact the Principal’s office at 330.669.7000 extension 1024.

Right to Inspect Technology Provider Contract

The District shall provide parents and students with an opportunity to inspect a complete copy of each technology provider contract. This list can be accessed by visiting the Student Data Privacy Clearinghouse.

This policy shall not supersede any rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

Religious Expression Days

A non-exhaustive list of major religious holidays is provided below. Please contact the Superintendent at 330.669.7000 extension 6160 with requests for an excused absence for sincerely held religious beliefs. No academic penalty shall be imposed for excused religious absences. The district’s board policy is provided for review.

Abrahamic Religions:

• Christianity:
  • Christmas (December 25)
  • Good Friday (Friday before Easter)
  • Easter (Date varies)
  • Ash Wednesday (Beginning of Lent, Date varies)
  • Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter, Date varies)
  • Feast of the Assumption of Mary (August 15 - Catholic)
  • All Saints' Day (November 1 - Catholic, some Protestant)
  • Epiphany (January 6)
  • Orthodox Christmas (January 7)
  • Orthodox Easter (Date varies)
• Judaism:
  • Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year, Fall - Date varies)
  • Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, Fall - Date varies)
  • Sukkot (Festival of Booths, Fall - Date varies)
  • Passover (Pesach, Spring - Date varies)
  • Hanukkah (Festival of Lights, Winter - Date varies)
  • Purim (Spring - Date varies)
  • Shavuot (Feast of Weeks, Spring - Date varies)
  • Tisha B'Av (Summer - Date varies)
• Islam:
  • Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan - Date varies annually)
  • Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice - Date varies annually)
  • Ramadan (Month of fasting - Date varies annually, typically not a single-day holiday but involves significant observance)
  • Mawlid al-Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad - Date varies annually)
  • Ashura (Date varies annually)

Dharmic/Indian Religions:

• Hinduism:
  • Diwali (Festival of Lights, Fall - Date varies)
  • Holi (Festival of Colors, Spring - Date varies)
  • Maha Shivaratri (Winter - Date varies)
  • Navaratri (Fall - Date varies)
  • Krishna Janmashtami (Summer - Date varies)
• Buddhism:
  • Vesak (Buddha Day, Spring - Date varies)
  • Bodhi Day (December 8)
  • Lunar New Year (Date varies)
• Sikhism:
  • Vaisakhi (Sikh New Year, April 13 or 14)
  • Birthdays of Gurus (e.g., Guru Nanak Dev Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib - Dates vary)
• Jainism:
  • Paryushana (Late Summer/Early Fall - Date varies, an 8-day period)
  • Mahavir Jayanti (Spring - Date varies)

Other Religions:

• Baháʼí Faith:
  • Naw-Rúz (Baháʼí New Year, March 21)
  • Ridván (Festival of 12 days, April-May)
  • Declaration of the Báb (May 23)
  • Ascension of Baháʼuʼlláh (May 29)
• Pagan/Wiccan:
  • Samhain (October 31 / November 1)
  • Yule (Winter Solstice, around December 21)
  • Ostara (Spring Equinox, around March 20)

Other Relevant Board Policy Links

Title IX

Cell Phone Policy