Annual Notifications - Menands School District

The Menands Union Free School District is required to provide the following notifications to parents on an annual basis. They have been posted online for your convenience.

Annual Fire Inspection Report

Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection of the school buildings of the Menands Union Free School District for fire hazards that might endanger the lives of students, teachers, and employees therein, has been completed on Oct. 21, 2022. The report thereof is available through this link and at the district office of the Menands Union Free School District, 19 Wards Lane, Menands, NY 12204 for inspection by all interested persons.

ARP ESSER Fund Reporting

The 2021-22 enacted state budget includes language requiring local education agencies, such as school districts, that receive funding from the Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP-ESSER) to post on its website a plan by school year of how these funds will be spent.

New York has been allocated nearly $9 billion in ARP-ESSER funds, with a minimum of $8.09 billion (90 percent) going to local education agencies, including public schools. Menands UFSD has been allocated $802,041.

A copy of this plan is available for viewing.

ARP ESSER Application

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Plans

The Menands Union Free School District is committed to providing a continuum of effective strategies, opportunities, programs and services that support all students meeting or exceeding challenging learning standards, and maximizing their individual academic potential. Subsequently, the Menands Union Free School District community intends to promote the professional growth and development of its educational staff through its evaluation procedure that entails engagement in a regular process of review, development, enhancement, updating, and refinement of their knowledge and teaching skills.

The annual professional performance review process serves as an integral vehicle to ensure the development, implementation, and preservation of high-quality educational programs aligned with the New York State Common Core Learning Standards, the District’s Mission Statement and the Superintendent’s Goals for the District that are annually adopted by the Board of Education.

Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) supports the professional growth of our educators. A successful review system should provide timely feedback, an opportunity to acknowledge educators’ strengths as well as their areas for growth as an educator. The evaluation plan will cultivate and advance cooperative efforts to improve student learning.

The Menands School APPR plan can be viewed in its entirety here.

Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR): Obtaining Teacher/Principal APPR Scores

New York State Education Law requires each classroom teacher and school principal to receive an annual professional performance review (APPR) that results in a composite effectiveness score and rating. All parents/guardians have the right to obtain the APPR quality ratings and composite effectiveness scores for their child’s current teacher(s) and principal(s) once they are available. To initiate this request, please contact your child’s principal in their corresponding school.

Asbestos Management Plan

The Menands Union Free School District has submitted information to the New York State Education Department regarding asbestos containing building materials in the school district. This information is documented in the school district’s Asbestos Management Plan, which is in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1987 (40 CFR Part 763). This memorandum is intended to fulfill annual notification requirements.

In compliance with the AHERA Regulation, the school district conducted its 2019 Triennial Re-inspection on June 15, 2022. The school continues to perform the Six Month Periodic Surveillances as required under the AHERA Regulation as well. Documentation related to all inspections is available in the Asbestos Management Plan, found here.

The Asbestos Management Plan for the Menands Union Free School District is located in the Main Office and is available to the public for review during the following times: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

For more information, please contact Ed Fisher at 518-465-4561, ext. 008.

Attendance Policy

Being present is essential for students to make academic progress. The objective of the district’s comprehensive attendance policy is to promote student attendance and identify the process used to address issues related to unexcused absences, incidents of tardiness and early departures. Communication about attendance expectations and addressing attendance issues is an important part of the policy.

A copy of the comprehensive attendance policy is available online HERE, at your child’s school, or the District Office.

Body Mass Index

New York State requires schools to track each students’ body mass index (BMI) and weight status category as part of school health examinations. Every year, the New York State Department of Health surveys some schools for the number of students in each weight category. If Menands Union Free School District is surveyed by the state, the district will share summary group data only and will not share summary group calculations. In order to opt out of the sharing of this data, parents/guardians must contact Diane Roseberger at droseberger@menands.org.

Child Abuse Hotline

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 at http://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cps/ .

Code of Conduct

The Menands Union Free School District 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. You can find a complete copy HERE.

Continuity of Operations

New York State requires school districts to develop a continuity of operations plan and make it available. The Menands Union Free School District is providing the following plan so stakeholders are aware of the district’s plans in the event of an ongoing public health emergency involving communicable diseases. You can find the plan HERE.

Dignity for All Students Act

The goal of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) is to provide students with a safe and supportive learning 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. Learn more about how DASA is put into practice in our school.

District-Wide School Safety Plan

New York State school districts are required to develop a district-wide school safety plan to help school officials identify and respond to potential emergencies. The Menands Union Free School District-Wide Safety Plan was developed by the Menands School District Safety Team with guidance from the New York State Police. In accordance with Ed Law 28-a, the following is a draft of the 2023-24 District-Wide Safety Plan available for public comment for 30 days. Learn more about the Menands District Wide School Safety Plan here.

Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act

The goal of the Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act is to promote safe interscholastic athletics participation and to prevent incidents of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in student athletes. The law requires districts to provide information to parents/guardians of student athletes prior to the student’s participation in any interscholastic athletics. The law also requires teachers who coach extra-class athletic activity and coaches to hold a valid certificate of completion of a first aid knowledge and skills course offered by a nationally recognized organization. Information about the SCA and the Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, can be found here.

Ed Law 2d

PARENTS’ BILL OF RIGHTS FOR DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY

The Menands Union Free School District Board of Education is committed to ensuring privacy in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations and District policies.

A student’s personally identifiable information (PII) cannot be sold or released for any commercial purpose.
The right to inspect and review the complete contents of the student’s education record stored or maintained by an educational agency.
State and federal laws, such as NYS Education Law §2-d and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, that protect the confidentiality of a student’s PII, and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices, including but not limited to, encryption, firewalls, and password protection, must be in place when data is stored or transferred.
A complete list of all student data elements collected by NYSED is available for public review online or by writing to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234.
The right to have complaints about possible breaches and unauthorized disclosures of student data addressed. Complaints may be submitted to Dr. Jennifer Cannavo at jcannavo@menands.org or 518-465-4561, or submitted to NYSED online or by mail to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234, by email to privacy@nysed.gov, or by telephone at 518-474-0937.
To be notified in accordance with applicable laws and regulations if a breach or unauthorized release of their student’s PII occurs.
Educational agency workers that handle PII will receive training on applicable state and federal laws, the educational agency’s policies, and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices that protect PII.
Educational agency contracts with vendors that receive PII will address statutory and regulatory data privacy and security requirements.

Reference: New York Education Law § 2-d(3)(a)

Adopted: 2/8/2021

Menands’s Data Privacy and Security Policy

Supplemental Information
* Menands UFSD and South Colonie Central School District have a shared services agreement.

¹ “Parent” means a parent, legal guardian, or person in parental relation to a student. These rights may not apply to parents of eligible students defined as a student eighteen years or older. “Eligible Student” means a student 18 years
and older.

² “Personally identifiable information,” as applied to student data, means personally identifiable information as defined in section 99.3 of title thirty-four of the code of federal regulations implementing the family educational
rights and privacy act, section twelve hundred thirty-two-g of title twenty of the United States code, and, as applied to teacher or principal data, means “personally identifying information” as such term is used in subdivision ten of
section three thousand twelve-c of this chapter.

³ Information about other state and federal laws that protect student data such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, and NY’s Personal Privacy Protection Law can be found
at http://www.nysed.gov/student-data-privacy/federal-laws-protect-student-data.

Additional student data privacy information

This bill of rights is subject to change based on regulations of the commissioner of education and the SED chief privacy officer, as well as emerging guidance documents from SED. For example, these changes/additions will include requirements for districts to share information about third-party contractors that have access to student data, including:

How the student, teacher or principal data will be used;
How the third-party contractors (and any subcontractors/others with access to the data) will abide by data protection and security replacements;
What will happen to data when agreements with third-party contactors expire;
If and how parents, eligible students, teachers or principals may challenge the accuracy of data that is collected; and
Where data will be stored to ensure security and the security precautions taken to ensure the data is protected, including whether the data will be encrypted.

More information

If you would like more information, please contact Jennifer Cannavo at jcannavo@menands.org

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Board of Education, Menands Union Free School District, has adopted a policy designed to assure parents and students the full implementation, protection and enjoyment of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). A copy of the School District’s Policy is available for review in the office of the District Clerk.

FERPA requires the School District to designate as “directory information” any personally identifiable information taken from student’s educational records prior to making such information available to the public for any use.

The Board of Education of the School District has stated as a policy that it declines to designate student records as directory information under FERPA. The School District believes that it has a duty to protect the privacy rights of parents and students who expect that personally identifiable information from educational records will not be released to the general public for commercial or non-educational uses. Therefore, the School District will not provide access to directory information to the general public. However, the School District will provide such information for traditional uses, such as the yearbook, honor rolls, athletic programs and other school publications. However, if a parent/guardian desires to withhold the use of information of their child for even these limited educational purposes, he/she may do so by completing the proper form available at the Superintendent’s office.

If a parent/guardian has no objection to the use of student information for the educational purposes described here, he/she does not need to take any action.

This notification can also be found in the district’s Code of Conduct.

The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) also provides parents/guardians and students who are 18 years of age or older (known as “eligible students) with certain rights with respect to the student’s educational records. Parents/guardians and eligible students have the right to:

Inspect and review the student’s records within 45 days after the day a request for access is received by the school;
Request the amendment of a student’s educational records that the parent/guardian or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights;
Provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent as outlined above;
File a complaint with the USDOE concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Officer, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202.

Fiscal Transparency Documents

View the Menands School’s required budget documents here.

Foundation Aid Reporting

An integral portion of school aid from New York State is disbursed as Foundation Aid. This funding was established to assist school districts in providing students with the foundation for a basic education. This aid is used for general school operations and is based on student need, enrollment and district fiscal capacity. The State has yet to distribute the full amount originally owed to districts, and aims to phase-in this funding by the 2023-24 school year. Due to changes in factors that the formula takes into consideration, the Menands UFSD was allocated an increase in this aid for school years through 2023-24. The Foundation Aid funds for the 2021-22 school year was incorporated into the budget and addressed the following:

Eliminating the achievement gap
Addressing student social-emotional health
Providing adequate resources to English language learners, students with disabilities and students experiencing homelessness

The 2021-22 budget was approved by the voters of our community, and stakeholders were involved throughout the budget process by participating in budget workshops, hearings and through the voting process. This budget had an 80 percent approval rate from the community.

Free and Reduced-Price Meals

Menands School participates in the National School Lunch Program providing nutritious meals for all students. Free and reduced meals are provided daily based on household size and income. All information is kept strictly confidential. Families who may qualify for the Free and Reduced Meal Program will need to complete and submit a free/reduced meal application to determine if your child is eligible for free or reduced-price meals for the upcoming school year. Only one application needs to be submitted per household. You will be notified within 4-5 business days if you qualify for the program.

Parents are encouraged to submit the completed application to the district office BEFORE the start of school each year. Those who qualify will receive meals at no charge through the end of the school year.

Please contact Liz Mentiply at (518) 465-4561, ext. 101 or by email at lmentiply@menands.org for any application questions.

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

Freedom of Information Law

For access to the Menands Union Free School District’s record under the NYS Freedom of Information Law, please contact the district’s FOIL Officer Joanne Moran at jmoran@menands.org

Requests should state that the information is being sought under the Freedom of Information Law and provide a brief description of the public records requested. Please be as specific as possible (i.e. relevant dates, names, descriptions, etc.)

The FOIL officer will acknowledge receipt of any FOIL requests within five business days. The nature of the request will determine how quickly the information can be provided.

Foil request form.

For more information about the Freedom of Information Law, visit the Committee on Open Government website.

Grade Promotion and Placement Policy

Decisions about student promotion and placement are at the discretion of the building principal. These decisions are guided by recommendations of teachers and staff members, past academic performance and parent/guardian input. Past academic performance refers to a variety of indicators of student achievement and growth. The district’s promotion and placement policy was adopted by the board of education following a review by the district administration.

Hand Sanitizer Use

The Menands Union Free School District will be making alcohol-based hand sanitizers available in its school buildings during the 2023-24 school year. If parents wish to opt their child out of using it, they should send a written notice to the building principal by September 15, 2023.

Homeless Student Policy

The New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYS-TEACHS) provides materials on its website that schools can use to provide information about educational services for homeless students.

Idling School Buses on School Grounds

State law requires school districts to take steps to minimize the idling of the engines of school buses and other school vehicles on school grounds. While students are boarding and departing school buses, the engine should be turned off. Students should be instructed about the importance of getting on and off buses in an orderly and efficient fashion to minimize loading and unloading time. Bus engines should also be off while parked at sporting events and other school activities. Exceptions to this “no idling” policy can be made in cases of emergency, mechanical issues or for necessary heating.

Influenza Materials

Schools and child-care settings are required to post influenza educational material, in plain view, within their facilities.

The materials must be posted during flu season, or early fall through May. As such, Menands School posts updated information annually on its website and throughout its school buildings.

Integrated Pest Management

New York State Education Law requires schools to provide written notification to all parents/guardians and staff members regarding the potential use of pesticides periodically throughout the school year. The district maintains a list of all individuals who wish to receive 48-hour prior written notification of certain pesticide applications. If you would like to receive 48-hour notifications of pesticide applications that are scheduled to occur, please contact Ed Fisher at 518-465-4561, ext. 8. In the event of an emergency application necessary to protect against an imminent threat to human health, a good faith effort will be made to supply written notification to those on the 48-hour prior notification list. Some pesticide applications are not subject to notification requirements, including anti-microbial products, EPA-designated biopesticides and exempt materials, and when a school remains unoccupied for a continuous 72-hours following an application. For more information on requirements, please contact the buildings and grounds department.

Instructional Technology Plan

As required by the Commissioner’s Regulation 100.12, the Menands Union Free School District maintains an Instructional Technology Plan to help support achievement and engagement through the seamless integration of technology into teaching and learning, improve learning experiences for students and increase equitable access to technology-rich learning experiences for students and staff. Menands Union Free School District’s plan is available HERE.

Lead Testing

State law requires school districts to sample all water outlets currently or potentially used for drinking or cooking purposes in buildings that may be occupied by students and to submit those samples to a state-approved lab for analysis. Testing last took place on November 21, 2020 and must be completed every three years thereafter, unless the state Commissioner of Health requires testing sooner.

The state established an action level of 0.005 milligrams of lead per liter. If a sample from a water outlet exceeds this level, schools must take steps to prevent the use of the outlet for drinking or cooking purposes until it is remedied and follow-up testing confirms it is no longer above the action level.

School districts are required to report the results of all water testing to the state Department of Health

View the results from our latest round of water testing, conducted in 2020.

New York State Report Card

New York State Education Law requires school districts to make report card and accountability report information available on district websites. Click here to view the Menands District Report Card.

Non-Discrimination Policy/Equal Opportunity Policy

The Menands Union Free School District does not discriminate on the basis of race (defined as, but not limited to, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, and ethnic background, as well as traits historically associated with race including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, national origin, creed, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, military status or any other protected status in its educational programs, employment or any other activities. Further, it is unlawful for an employer to retaliate against any individual because that person filed a complaint, opposed any unlawful practice or testified or assisted in an investigation or proceeding. Any inquiries and complaints regarding non-discrimination in the district may be referred to Districts Title IX Co-Coordinator:

Principal Kathleen Wylie at kwylie@menands.org

Open Meeting Law

Board of Education meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 pm at Menands School unless otherwise noted. All board meetings are open to the public.

Board meetings will be held in person in the Community Room, in addition to live streamed.

All recordings, agendas, and minutes for meetings can be found on the districts online portal, BoardDocs.

Release of Student Directory Information

Consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the district has designated certain categories of personally identifiable student information that it may release without prior written consent. This known as “directory information”. The purpose of doing this is to enable student activities and accomplishments to be publicized and for the creation of such publications as the annual yearbook, programs for graduations, concerts and other special events, sports activity sheets and honor roll or recognition lists. Achievements are typically published on the school website and through school district social media, press releases to the local media and official district publications. Directory information can be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent/guardian’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks.

The district has designated the following types of information as directory information: name, grade, school, photograph, participation in activities or sports, and/or honors received.

If you do not want any or all of these types of information released pertaining to your child without our prior written consent, please send this request in writing to Kathleen Wylie by the end of September each school year.

While the district will honor the request of any parent/guardian or eligible student who has submitted written notification opting their child out of the release of directory information, the district is not responsible for media that cover news happenings, sporting events or other school events that are open to the public, such as plays and musical performances.

School Budget Documents

The following is the public information about the three part budget, property tax report card and and other information the state requires school districts to post.

Three part budget statement

2021-22 School District Report Card/Fiscal Accountability Supplement

Property Tax Report Card

Administrative Salary Disclosure

The Tax Exemption Report

School Meals: Modifications

While a variety of food choices are made available to all students, parents and guardians may also request meal modifications if the available options do not meet their child’s dietary needs. To request a meal modification, please contact Mike Tehan at (518) 465-4561 ext. 120 or email at mtehan@menands.org.

Student Privacy (Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment)

The protection of Pupil Rights Amendment provided parents/guardians with certain rights regarding the conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes and certain physical exams. In particular, if a survey is funded in whole or part by the U.S. Department of Education, parents/guardians have the right to consent before students are required to complete a survey that asks about any of the following protected areas:

Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parents/guardians;
Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
Sexual behavior or attitudes;
Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;
Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors or ministers;
Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent/guardian; or
Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

Parents/guardians will also receive a notice and an opportunity to opt students out of the following:

Any other survey that asks about the above protected areas;
Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attending school or school functions, with the exception of physical exams or screenings required or permitted by state law (e.g. hearing, vision or scoliosis); and
Activities involving collection, disclosure or use of personal information collected from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

Parents/guardians have the right to inspect any surveys that ask about above protected areas, as well as surveys created by third parties that are used to collect personal information from students for marketing purposes and instructional materials used as part of the curriculum.

The school district will directly notify parents/guardians of its student privacy at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. Parents/guardians will also be provided with reasonable notification of specific activities or surveys covered by this policy and the ability to opt their child out of such activities.

These rights transfer from the parents/guardians to their child who is at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor.

Anyone who believes their rights have been violated may file a complaint with: Family Policy Compliance Officer, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202.

Title I

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), parents/guardians have the right to know the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers, and the right to know specific information about the required assessments their child will take. Parents/guardians may request this information by contacting the Superintendent at 518-435-4561 ext. 104.

Title IX

It is the policy of the Menands Union Free School District to provide a learning and working environment that is safe, welcoming, and free from discrimination on the basis of sex. Title IX requires the school district not to discriminate. View the district’s full harassment and non-discrimination policy on the policy section of the district website. Reports of sexual harassment can be made at any time, to the Districts Title IX Co-Coordinator:

Principal Kathleen Wylie at kwylie@menands.org

Transportation to Non-Public Schools

If your child attends a non-public school within the Menands Union Free School District area, and needs transportation to their school, please contact Jennifer Cannavo at (518) 465-4561 ext. 119 or email at lmentiply@menands.org.