COMMUNITY
RELATIONS GOALS
The Board of Education strives to conduct district affairs
by way of a continuing, open dialogue between the community and the
schools. Given district residents' high
level of interest in the education of children, the Board wishes to maintain
its high level of sensitivity to the needs and desires of the community and to
act expeditiously to meet changing needs and conditions.
To this end, the Board establishes the following goals for
community involvement:
1. to provide every possible means whereby all residents of the
school district may have the opportunity to contribute their best thinking to
the orderly planning of public education for children in the district,
including:
a. opportunities
for the public to be heard at Board meetings; and
b. a commitment
to the use of ad hoc citizens' and/or standing committees on a regular basis;
2. to take appropriate measures to ensure that the community is
accurately informed about its schools and district affairs. Abbreviated agendas and approved minutes of
Board meetings will be on file in each school and the District Office to be
made available to taxpayers upon request;
3. to understand community attitudes and aspirations for the
schools;
4. to encourage contributions from the parent-teacher
associations of the district so that school personnel and parents cooperate to
advance the educational welfare of the children;
5. to handle all complaints from the public by the
administrative officer in charge of the unit of the school district
organization closest to the complainant.
However, such complaints may be carried to the Superintendent of Schools
and/or the Board if the problem cannot be solved at that level;
6. to promote a spirit of cooperation, general respect and
honest participation from and among the Board, the schools, various school
staffs, professional and non-professional, students, standing committees,
Parent-Teacher Associations, various civic organizations, service
organizations, from all who are in any way affected by or are part of the
school community and the community-at-large;
7. to encourage a spirit of openness at all district
installations, including Board meetings and all public school buildings and
offices, within the limitations of safety and control and with the necessary
restrictions to prevent the disruption of the orderly process of
education. This effort will include,
but not be limited to such items as:
a. courteous and
responsive telephone manners;
b. scheduling
events to maximize the opportunities for interested parents to attend and to
avoid conflicts throughout the district;
c. frequent and
full information to parents through Parent-Teacher Association meetings or
bulletins to the home;
d. invitations to
visit our schools; and
e. parent-teacher-Building
Principal conferences.
1000
8. to develop a custom of acknowledging, thanking and commending
appropriate persons and groups for activities and/or performances that merit
recognition.
9. to develop and maintain the confidence of the community in
the Board and the school district staff;
10. to expand the public understanding of every aspect of the
school system, and stimulate public interest in the school;
11. to facilitate dissemination of information to the community
concerning issues and activities in the school;
12. to ascertain the community's opinions and desires with respect
to the operations of the school system, and to incorporate that knowledge into
its actions;
13. to develop arrangements among civic and community organizations
for sharing of resources, especially in the creation of programs designed to
benefit students; and
14. to develop and maintain the most effective means of
communication possible with the people of the district.
Notwithstanding the above, the final decisions in these
areas will rest with the Board.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
ANNUAL
DISTRICT MEETING AND ELECTION
The district shall hold an annual meeting and election at
which the district’s authorized voters will elect members of the Board of
Education and vote on the district budget for the coming school year. The annual district meeting and election
will be held on the third Tuesday in May, unless this date conflicts with
religious observances on that day, in which case the annual meeting and
election will be held on the second Tuesday in May.
The District Clerk shall publish a notice of the time and
place of the annual meeting and election at least four times within the seven
weeks prior to the meeting, in two newspapers having general circulation within
the district. The first publication of the notice shall be at least 45 days
prior to the meeting. The notice shall
also contain notice of any other matter required by law.
A budget hearing will be held not less than seven nor more
than 14 days prior to the annual district meeting, at which the district’s
voters will vote on the budget.
Copies of the budget will be available in each district
school building for taxpayers upon request at the time of the annual meeting
and 14 days (other than Saturday, Sunday and holidays) prior to the
meeting. Notice of the availability of
copies of the budget must be included in the notice of the annual meeting. Additionally, the announcement and
introduction of candidates for the Board will be made as well as the
presentation and explanation of any special propositions contained in the
notice of the annual meeting.
The District Clerk shall serve as clerk of the Annual
District Meeting. Written records shall
be filed with the District Clerk within 24 hours after a meeting or
election. At a Board meeting held
before the annual meeting, the Board shall appoint assistant clerks and
election inspectors necessary for the annual meeting and election. Assistant clerks and election inspectors
appointed may be compensated.
Propositions
The Education Law provides that school boards have the
authority to adopt reasonable rules and regulations concerning the submission
of petitions to the Board to place propositions on the ballot which may amend
the budget. Pursuant to those
provisions, the Board establishes the following guidelines:
1. Unless otherwise provided by the Education Law, petitions for
the submission of a proposition must contain a minimum of 25 signatures of
qualified voters of the district, or 5 percent of the number of voters at the
last annual election, whichever is greater.
Petitions shall be filed on a form provided by the District Clerk. The names of the petitioners must be in ink
and in legible handwriting and include the petitioners' full name and
address. The address must include the
house number, street and municipality.
1050
2. Petitions must be filed with the District Clerk at least 30
days prior to the annual meeting, except for petitions relating to a proposition
which must be included in the notice of the annual meeting (e.g., changing the
number of board members). Such
petitions must be submitted 60 days in advance of the annual meeting to
facilitate the preparation and printing of the ballots.
3. Propositions must include the specific appropriations
necessary for the purposes listed.
4. All petitions for submission of propositions shall contain a
clear and concise statement of the proposition to be submitted. Wording of a petition must comply with legal
requirements. If not, it may be changed or altered by the Board, or the Board
may reject a petition for failure to comply.
5. The Board shall examine each petition filed for the
submission of questions and propositions and shall determine whether such
question or proposition is for a purpose authorized by law to be voted upon by
the qualified voters of the district.
If the Board shall determine that the question or proposition is for a
purpose not authorized by law to be voted upon by the qualified voters of the
district, the Board shall omit such question or proposition from the voting
machine.
Propositions received in accordance with these
specifications will be placed on the ballot as amendments and will be voted
upon by the voters in the same manner as the proposed budget, except that the
Board shall not be required to place any proposition on the ballot which is
within the exclusive province of the Board, or otherwise forbidden by law. No proposition involving the budget may be
submitted to the voters more than twice.
The Board may also, on its own motion, submit
propositions.
Cross-ref: 2120, School Board Elections
2120.1, Candidates and Campaigning
6100, Annual Budget
6120, Budget Hearing
6130, Budget Adoption
Ref: Education Law §§416(3); 1608(2); 1716(2) 1804(4); 1906(1);
2002(1); 2003(1)(2); 2004(1)-(7); 2009; 2021; 2022(1), (4)-(5); 2035(2);
2601-a(2)
General Construction Law §60
Matter
of Hebel,
34 EDR 319 (1994)
Matter
of Martin,
32 EDR 567 (1993)
Matter
of Como,
30 EDR 214 (1990)
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
Revision date: September
21, 1999
PUBLIC
INFORMATION PROGRAM
The Board of Education believes that good human relations
are far more effective than any techniques of public relations that are
known. However, the Board shall
maintain a complete, specific and continuing public information program, in
order to promote widespread understanding of the school program, and to gain
the support and participation of the community in the school system. The public information program will be
conducted with an eye toward positive human relations.
In addition to encouraging members of the community to
attend and participate in public Board meetings, the Superintendent of Schools
shall develop a program to disseminate information about Board policies,
procedures, actions and district educational programs to the public.
The Superintendent shall coordinate the activities of
district administrators to ensure their direct involvement in the public
information program. Each school,
through its faculty and staff, shall participate not only in the dissemination
of information to the public, but also in the planning of events and social
programs aimed at getting the community involved in school district activities.
Parents and citizens wishing to obtain information should
inquire first through a Building Principal or other school administrator, then
through the Superintendent, and finally through the Board.
Cross-ref: 1900, Parental Involvement
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
SCHOOL
SPONSORED PUBLICATIONS
The district will disseminate information to the community
concerning school and district affairs through the promulgation of certain
types of communication through a variety of school and district-sponsored
publications. School and
district-sponsored publications may consist of widely differing forms, such as:
1. direct mailings or flyers from individual schools;
2. direct mailings or releases on a district-wide basis from the
office of the Superintendent of Schools;
3. the distribution of printed posters;
4. publication of Sachem News;
5. individual school newspapers and announcements; and
6. use of Sachem web site.
Any distribution of informative flyers from individual
schools which is promulgated by mailing or delivery by students must first be
checked for suitability and correctness.
The final responsibility for such releases or flyers shall rest in all
cases with the Building Principal.
He/She may, for this purpose, designate a specifically appointed school
publicity officer competent to make corrections.
Student handbooks shall be published at all secondary
schools. A full curriculum description
shall be developed at the high school.
Whenever possible, district-wide notification to each
household in the district should precede every public meeting of an
informational nature or one held for purposes of voting. Such notifications shall announce the time,
place and purpose of any such meeting.
From time to time, particularly in the event of district
elections, the office of the Superintendent shall cause announcement posters to
be placed at designated locations within the district.
Board publications will be published on a regular basis or
more frequently if circumstances warrant additional issues.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
SCHOOL
SPONSORED ELECTRONIC MEDIA
The Board of Education and the district shall use its
locally owned and controlled radio station (WSHR) and the district’s web site
as prime channels of communication with the community. The main function(s) of the radio station
and web site are as instructional tools and their purpose is education.
The Board encourages the station's involvement as a
community service. Regular community
news broadcasts shall be a part of the programming of radio station WSHR and
the web site. Such programming shall
include school and district news. The
district public relations person shall be in regular contact with the adult
supervisor of WSHR and the web site and appropriate student station
officials. The district public
relations person will make news releases, school news, appropriate Board agenda
items, etc. available to it on a regular and early basis and use WSHR and the
web site as a prime source of communication with the community and cooperate
fully with the station.
The Building Principal of the high school, the faculty
director of the station itself, and all adults who are connected with the radio
station will ensure against commercial or other exploitation for commercial or
other reasons of the station itself and the students who are a part of its
educational program.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
1120
SCHOOL DISTRICT RECORDS
It is the policy of the Board of Education to inform members of the public about the administration and operation of the public schools in accordance with the Freedom of Information Law of the State of New York.
The Superintendent of Schools shall develop regulations ensuring compliance with the Freedom of Information Law and setting forth the procedures to be followed to obtain access to District records, and submit such regulations to the Board for approval. The Superintendent shall designate, with Board approval, a Records Access and Records Management Officer, pursuant to law.
Retention and Destruction of Records :
The Board hereby adopts the Records Retention and Disposition Schedule ED-1 issued pursuant to Article 57-A of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, which contains the legal minimum retention periods for District records. In accordance with Article 57-A, the District will dispose of only those records described in the schedule after they have met the minimum retention periods set forth in the schedule. The District will dispose of only those records that do not have sufficient administrative, fiscal, legal or historical value to merit retention beyond the established legal minimum periods.
The Superintendent will establish procedures in the event the School District is served with legal papers. The Superintendent will communicate with applicable parties, including the school attorney and the records management official, to ensure that, when appropriate, a litigation-hold is properly implemented. The litigation-hold is intended to prevent the destruction or disposal of records that may need to be produced as part of discovery. It is the intention of the Board of Education to comply with applicable rules and regulations regarding the production of necessary documents, data, files, etc. The Board directs the Superintendent to institute such procedures to implement this policy.
Cross-ref: 8630, Computer Resources and Data Management
Ref: Public Officers Law §84 et seq. (Freedom of Information Law)
Education Law §2116
Arts and Cultural Affairs Law §57.11
Local Government Records Law, Article 57-A
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 16, 26
8 NYCRR Part 185
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
Revision date: November 20, 2007
1120-R
SCHOOL DISTRICT RECORDS REGULATION
The following comprises the rules and regulations relating to the inspection and production of school district records:
I. Designation of Officers
1. The Records Access Officer shall be the District Clerk. He/She shall:
a. receive requests for records of the District and make such records available for inspection or copying when such requests are granted; and
b. compile and maintain a detailed current list by subject matter, of all records in the possession of the District, whether or not available to the public.
2. The Superintendent of Schools, with the Board's approval, shall designate a Records Management Officer for the District. The Records Management Officer will develop and oversee a program for the orderly and efficient management of District records.
II. Definition of Records
1. A record is defined as any information kept, held, filed, produced or reproduced by, with or for the District in any physical form whatsoever, including but not limited to reports, statements, examination, memoranda, opinions, folders, files, books, manuals, pamphlets, forms, papers, designs, drawings, maps, photos, letters, microfilms, computer tapes or disks, rules, regulations or codes.
2. The Records Access Officer will have the responsibility for compiling and maintaining the following records:
a. a record of the final vote of each member of the Board on any proceeding or matter on which the member votes;
b. a record setting forth the name, school or office address, title and salary of every officer or employee of the District; and
c. a reasonably detailed current list by subject matter of all records in possession of the District, whether or not available for public inspection and copying.
3. No record for which there is a pending request for access may be concealed or willfully destroyed.
III. Access to Records
1.Time and place records may be inspected: Records may be requested from, and inspected or copied at the Office of the Records Access Officer, at 245 Union Avenue, Holbrook, during the hours of 9 am and 3 pm on any business day on which the District Offices are open. Records may also be requested via e-mail at the following address: cadelberg@sachem.edu.
2. Fees: The fee for documents up to 9 x 14 inches is 25 cents per page. For documents larger than 9 x 14 inches, tape or cassette records, or computer printouts, the cost will be based on the cost of reproduction or program utilized. Fees are subject to periodic review and change. However, no fee shall be charged for records sent via e-mail, the search for or inspection of records, certification of documents, or copies of documents which have been printed or reproduced for distribution to the public. The number of such copies given to any one organization or individual may be limited, in the discretion of the Records Access Officer.
3. A request for access to records should be sufficiently detailed to identify the records. Where possible, the requester should supply information regarding dates, titles, file designations or other information which may help identify the records. A request for any or all records falling within a specific category provides sufficient identification.
4. Procedures: Requests to inspect or secure copies of records shall be submitted in writing, either in person, by mail or via e-mail, to the Records Access Officer.
5. All requests for information shall be responded to within five business days of receipt of the request. If the request cannot be fulfilled within five business days, the Records Access Officer shall acknowledge receipt of the request and advise the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied.
6. If a request cannot be granted within 20 business days from the date of the acknowledgement of the request, the District must state in writing both the reason the request cannot be granted within 20 business days, and a date certain within a reasonable period when it will be granted depending on the circumstances of the request.
IV. Appeals
1. The Superintendent of Schools, or designee, shall hear appeals for denial of access to records under the Freedom of Information Act.
2. An applicant who is denied access to a public record may within thirty (30) days after the denial file an appeal by delivering a written appeal to the Superintendent, or designee, identifying:
a. the date of the appeal;
b. the date and location of the request for records;
c. the records to which the requester was denied access;
d. whether the denial of access was in writing or was a failure to provide records promptly as required by Section II; and
e. the name and return address of the requester.
3. The Superintendent, or designee, shall inform the requester and the New York State Committee on Open Government of his/her decision in writing within ten (10) business days of receipt of an appeal. The District Clerk shall transmit to the Committee on Open Government photocopies of all appeals and determinations.
4. An individual whose final appeal is denied may initiate a court review of this determination, as provided for in Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
V. Prevention of Unwarranted Invasion of Privacy
To prevent an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, the Records Access Officer may delete identifying details when records are made available. An unwarranted invasion of personal privacy includes but shall not be limited to:
1. disclosure of confidential personal matters report to the District which are not relevant or essential to the ordinary work of the District;
2. disclosure of employment, medical or credit histories or personal references of applicants for employment; unless the applicant has provided a written release permitting such disclosures;
3. sale or release of lists of names and addresses in the possession of the District if such lists would be used for private, commercial or fund-raising purposes.
4. disclosure of information of a personal nature when disclosure would result in economic or personal hardship to the subject party and such records are not relevant or essential to the ordinary work of the District; or
5. disclosure of items involving the medical or personal records of a client or patient in a hospital or medical facility.
Unless otherwise deniable, disclosure shall not be construed to constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy when identifying details are deleted, when the person to whom records pertain consents in writing to disclosure, or when upon representing reasonable proof of identify, a person seeks access to records pertaining to him or her.
VI. Listing of Records
Pursuant to Section 87(3)(c) of the Public Officers Law, the current records retention schedule for school districts, published by the Commissioner of Education, shall serve as the list by subject matter of all records in the possession of the school district, whether or not available under the law.
VII. Litigation-Hold
The Superintendent will designate a "discovery" team, comprised of the school attorney, Director of Information Systems, the Records Access and Records Management Officers, and other personnel as needed. The discovery team will convene in the event litigation is commenced to plan to respond to the request for records. The Superintendent, with the assistance from the Director of Information Systems, will ensure that measures are put into place to preserve applicable records.
Adoption Date: November 20, 2007
NEWS
MEDIA RELATIONS
The Board of Education invites and welcomes the active
participation of all forms of mass media in promoting the cause of good
education within the district and elsewhere.
The Board encourages suggestions and advice from representatives of the
media as to how best to facilitate the flow of information to them from the
Board and others within the school system.
All staff desiring to release information to the media
should first notify the Building Principal.
The Superintendent of Schools shall establish all necessary procedures
to govern day-to-day interactions between the schools and the news media.
The Board reserves the right to control and/or limit media
access to the buildings in order to facilitate pending consultation with the
Superintendent of Schools, a Building Principal, or his/her representative.
The information officer shall be the contact spokesperson
or the liaison official between the news media and the district. He/She shall maintain a close contact with
the press and respond to their inquiries in the best interest of the
district. Administrators and others in
authority may also be sources of information for media contact as per direction
of the Superintendent.
Ref: Arts and Cultural Affairs Law §61.09
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
Revision date: September
21, 1999
NEWS
RELEASES
Because of the importance and delicacy of matters before
the Board of Education, it is essential that an accurate, considered account be
released by the information officer whenever information is deemed
necessary. The information officer
shall develop news articles and information releases from all district sources,
including all school buildings, district offices and Board meetings. The information officer should be made aware
of all school-related meetings and activities and publicize them appropriately.
In addition to information disseminated in
school-sponsored media, the information officer may also prepare statements,
announcements and news releases to the following media and to any others that
may be introduced to the community about such items as Board plans and
policies:
YANKEE TRADER MID-ISLAND
NEWS
1 Glenmere Lane P.O.
Box 805
Coram, NY 11717-1461 Smithtown,
NY 11787
PENNYSAVER NEWS RONKONKOMA
REVIEW
P.O. Box 679 P.O.
Box 925
Farmingville, NY 11738 Smithtown,
NY 11787
SUFFOLK LIFE NEWSDAY
Education Page
137 Fairharbor Drive 235
Pinelawn Road
Patchogue, NY 11772 Melville,
NY 11747-4250
Carol Brooks Stacey
Altherr
BROOKHAVEN REVIEW NEWSLETTER - AREA
12
P.O. Box 925 41
Glenmere Lane
Smithtown, NY 11787 Coram,
NY 11727
Pamela
Betheil
THIS WEEK OUR
PLACE
425 Smith Street P.O. Box 346
Farmingdale, NY 11735 Bohemia,
NY 11716
Region 6 Calendar Bea
Hoffer
OUR TOWN USA NEWS CABLEVISION
P.O. Box 10 1600
Motor Parkway
Shirley, NY 11967 Hauppauge,
NY 11788
Beverly Barthel Lynn
Zawacki
1131
CHANNEL 12 NEWS WSHR
RADIO STATION
12 Media Crossways Sachem
North High School
Woodbury, NY 11797 Lake
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
WBLI RADIO STATION WMJC RADIO
STATION
3090 Route 112 P.O.
Box 697
Medford, NY 11763 Melville,
NY 11746
News Director News
Director
WALK RADIO STATION SACHEM WEB SITE
Colonial Drive
East Patchogue, NY 11772
News Director
Should an event of special public interest (such as the
appearance of a guest speaker or interviewee, or the performance of a musical
or play) be scheduled by the district or one of the district schools, advance
announcement shall be made to local press.
School activities (for example, the results of an interscholastic
athletic contest) shall be reported to the appropriate local news media.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
Revision date: September
21, 1999
SCHOOL
BUDGET AND BOND REFERENDA INFORMATION
The annual district budget shall be submitted for voter
approval as required by law. Any
voter-presented propositions shall be submitted in accordance with the
procedure specified by law and district policy. The resubmission of any defeated budget or the submission of any
propositions by the Board of Education will be done at the discretion of the
Board as permitted by law.
The Superintendent of Schools shall approve all
information regarding district expenditures submitted to the district voters
for approval. The Superintendent shall
ensure that any document, newsletter, advertisement or other communication
prepared and/or distributed at district expense shall be factual in nature to
the best of his/her knowledge, and shall not exhort district voters to vote to
approve or disapprove any matter submitted for voter approval.
The duties of the Publicity Representative shall include
the preparation of budget brochures and publications related to all
district-sponsored public referenda.
Cross-ref: 6100, Annual Budget
Ref: Education Law §1716
Phillips
v. Maurer,
67 NY2d 672 (1981)
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
RELATIONS WITH
COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
The Board of Education recognizes the potential benefits
of community and business partnerships with school districts. The Board and district staff shall therefore
cooperate with those organizations which may provide support in improving the
educational, vocational, counseling, and/or extra-curricular opportunities in
the district. Board members shall seek
to maintain regular interaction with community and business leadership, both on
a formal and informal basis.
Partnerships with these organizations may include mentor
and/or apprenticeship programs, pilot projects, grants, off-campus counseling
services, and volunteer services, in addition to or as part of the district
curriculum.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
RELATIONS WITH PARENT AND BUILDING
LEADERSHIP TEAM ORGANIZATIONS
The Board of Education formally encourages the concept of
active community groups within the district.
The Board recommends the establishment of PTAs and BLTs in all buildings
and the coordination of their efforts.
The Board endorses cooperation with these groups and
recommends that there be structured into the operation of the district a system
that will enhance that spirit of cooperation.
The Board welcomes discussion with the local groups and
the involvement of those groups in matters that are appropriate within their
sphere of concern.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
RELATIONS
WITH BOOSTER ORGANIZATIONS
The Board of Education recognizes that extracurricular
support groups, or "booster" organizations, provide important support
to district schools, and can be a valuable means of stimulating community
interest in the aims and activities of district schools. Booster organizations may be defined in two
ways:
1. an organization which is created to foster community support
and raise funds for a specific extracurricular activity (e.g., athletics,
speech and debate, and/or musical groups); or
2. an organization which is created to foster community support
and raise funds for the school's general extracurricular program.
Parents and other interested members of the community who
wish to organize a booster club for the purpose of supporting a specific school
program are encouraged to do so, as long as the activities of such organizations
do not interfere unduly with the total educational program, or disrupt district
operations in any way.
The Board retains final responsibility and authority on
all activities which have an impact on students, the schools, school programs,
and/or school-owned property.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS
The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility to
hear and respond to public comment, and therefore encourages public
participation at Board meetings. There
will be a specific agenda item at each Board meeting to provide an opportunity
to address the Board.
A reasonable period of time, not to exceed three minutes
per person (which may be waived by a majority vote of the Board), shall be set
aside during the first part of each regular Board meeting during which the
taxpayers, community citizens, school personnel, and school students may openly
express themselves related to agenda items.
A second comments from visitors section is held later in the meeting to
allow for public comment on any topic (not to exceed three minutes per
person). Persons wishing to speak
should first be recognized by the President, then identify themselves, any
organization they may be representing at the meeting and the agenda topic they
wish to discuss. Comments should be
kept to three minutes and relate to school matters.
The President is responsible for the orderly conduct of
the meeting and shall rule on such matters as the time to be allowed for public
discussion, the appropriateness of the subject being presented, and suitability
of the time for such a presentation.
The Board as a whole shall have the final decision in determining the
appropriateness of all such rulings.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
1400
PUBLIC
COMPLAINTS
The Board of Education recognizes the right of community
members to register individual or group concerns regarding instruction,
district programs, materials, operations, and/or staff members. The main goal of the district is to resolve
such concerns with only the parties involved, whenever possible. Public complaints about the school district
will be directed to the proper administrative personnel. Complaints about specific classroom
practices shall be directed to the teacher concerned. If the matter is not settled satisfactorily, the complainant
shall then contact the Building Principal; if there is no resolution on this
level, the Superintendent of Schools shall be contacted. The Superintendent shall refer the issue to
the Board for final resolution.
Matters referred to the Superintendent and/or the Board
may be required to be placed in writing.
Concerns registered directly to the Board as a whole or to an individual
Board member may be referred as soon as is reasonably possible to the
Superintendent or his/her designee for investigation, report, and/or
resolution.
Cross-ref: 1440, Complaints about School Personnel
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
1410
COMPLAINTS
ABOUT POLICIES
Complaints about Board of Education policies should be
directed to the Superintendent of Schools.
Complaints shall be in writing, stating the specific objections to the
specific policy(ies).
The Superintendent shall review any complaint and conduct
whatever study or investigation he/she deems appropriate. The Superintendent shall then submit the
complaint and his/her recommendation to the Board. The Board shall then review the policy, amend or repeal the
policy, if appropriate, and notify the complainant of the action taken.
Adoption date: November 18, 1997
1420
COMPLAINTS
ABOUT CURRICULA OR
INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS
The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility for
the purchase of instructional materials.
The Board encourages district teachers and administrators to select
books and other materials in accord with sound educational principles and
practices, and to use them effectively in the classrooms. However, the Board also recognizes the right
of community members to voice concerns and/or complaints regarding the
implementation of a particular curriculum and/or instructional material.
All complaints concerning textbooks, library books and
other instructional material shall be submitted to the Superintendent of
Schools or his/her designee. The
Superintendent shall promulgate regulations subject to Board of Education
approval establishing a complaint procedure.
Cross-ref: 4511, Textbook Selection and Adoption
4513, Library Materials Selection and Adoption
4524, School Libraries
Ref: Education Law §§1709(15); 1711(5)(f)