Annual Notices for Families

Springfield Public Schools is required annually to distribute five notices to families with important information about their rights and those of their students.

Below you will find information pertaining to district policies and annual parent/student notifications about Directory Information Rights, Student Records, HIV/AIDS Curriculum, Teacher Qualifications, and Parent Review of Materials.

 

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Directory Information Rights

The Springfield School District maintains student information that is classified as "directory information." Directory information is the following: student's name, grade, photograph, address, parent address, telephone number, major field of study, date and place of birth, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height if a member of an athletic team, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the school(s) recently attended by the student.

Ordinarily, this information will only be given out for school-related purposes such as news releases, sports rosters and student recognition. The district must, under federal law, release secondary students’ names, addresses and telephone numbers to military recruiters and/or institutions of higher education, unless parents or eligible students request the district withhold this information.

Prior to releasing directory information, the school must give public notice of the categories it has designated as directory information. Parents have the right to forbid release of any or all such directory information by requesting that the district refrain from publishing such information. If you do not want any or all of this information released, please complete the form at the bottom of this page and return it to your child's school.

If you do not notify the District in writing, it is understood the District has your consent to release the directory information.

Your written statement will be placed in your child's record and will remain in effect until you request a change in writing. You do not need to complete a new form each school year.

If you have children in several schools, you will need to send this request (in writing) to each child's school.

 

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Student Records

The following statement is a summary of school regulations regarding student records. School Board Policy and district Administrative Rules contain the district's detailed rules and regulations. You may want to review copies at each school or at the district Administration Building, 640 A Street, Springfield, Oregon.

1. Confidentiality of Student Records: All student records are confidential and may be opened for inspection only in accordance with applicable federal and state law and school board policy.
    
2. Inspection of Student Records: Parents or legal guardians have the right to inspect their child's student records and to challenge the content of the records. A copy of any portion of the student's record will be made available to parents at a reasonable time and at the cost of reproduction. Should a parent, guardian or eligible student request the amendment of education records to ensure the records are not inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of a student's privacy or other rights, a hearing may be scheduled. Once the student reaches age 18, those rights transfer to the student alone. If the custody of a student has been granted to only one parent, it is important for you to know the non-custodial parent has access to all student records unless there is a court order to the contrary.
    
3. Release of Student Records: Generally, parents or the student, if he/she is 18 or is attending an institution of higher education, must consent to the release of all student records. The school district, however, may release student records without consent in the following instances:
   
   a. To other district employees who have a legitimate educational interest in the records;
   b. To the officials of another school district or an institution of post secondary education in which the student seeks to enroll or has already enroll after the parents have been given an opportunity to review the contents of the records;
   c. To state and federal governmental agencies requiring such information;
   d. In connection with a student's application for or receipt of financial aid;
   e. To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena; and
   f. For emergency situations involving the health or safety of the student or other persons.
   g. To school board members during an executive session closed to the public to consider the expulsion of a student or to examine confidential medical records.
   h. To parents of a dependent student.
   i. To accrediting organizations if the information is needed to carry out their accrediting functions.
    
4. Filing a Complaint: Pursuant to Oregon Administrative Rule 581-21-410, a person may file a written complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office, United States Department of Education, regarding an alleged violation under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The Office's address is: Family Policy Compliance Office, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington DC, 20202.
    

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HIV/AIDS Curriculum

The Oregon Department of Education and Springfield School District believe that public schools have an important role in educating students with current, factual information about HIV/AIDS. In accordance with this belief and Oregon Administrative Rules [581-22-1440], each school in Springfield provides instruction about HIV/AIDS at various times throughout the year.

An age-appropriate plan of instruction has been developed as part of the health curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students. The plan of instruction includes the following:

• Information about the disease and how it is transmitted. This information is designed to allay those fears about HIV that are scientifically groundless;
• hygienic practices that reduce the risk of exposure to HIV, Hepatitis B and other infectious diseases;
• an emphasis on sexual abstinence for youth and monogamous relationships for adults as the safest and most responsible sexual behaviors;
• information about responsible sexual behavior that may reduce or eliminate exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases; and
• information about the high risks of contracting HIV, Hepatitis B and other infectious diseases thorough the sharing of intravenous drug needles or syringes.

Oregon law and Springfield policies allow parents to preview the curriculum materials that will be used in the classroom program. Parents also have the right to have students excused from all or any part of this instructional program. Parents should contact their child’s school for more information about when formal HIV/AIDS instruction will take place, review of the curriculum materials or to have a student excused from the instructional unit.
 

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Teacher Qualifications

The law allows parents the opportunity to know the qualifications of their children’s teachers and paraprofessionals. As the parent of a Springfield student, you have the right to request the qualifications of your child’s teacher (including degrees, licenses and endorsements held by the teacher). You also have the right to request the qualifications of any paraprofessionals who work with your child(ren) in school. If you wish to know these qualifications, your request must be made in writing and given to the school principal.
 

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Review of Materials

As stated in Springfield School District policy, parents have the right to:

1. Review any instructional material used by the district as part of the educational curriculum for students;
2. Review any instrument used in the collection of personal information from students for the purpose of marketing or for selling that information or otherwise providing that information to others for that purpose;
3. Review any survey by a third party;
4. Review any district survey if the survey items include responses concerning politically affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s family; sex behavior or attitudes; illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior; critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships; legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians and ministers; religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; and income, other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such a program. A parent may request that their student be excused from participation in a survey, which contains responses in these areas.

Any request for review of these materials should be made in writing to the school principal.

 

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Use of Restraint and Seclusion

Springfield Public Schools is required by state law to publish a report detailing the use of restraint and seclusion. In some cases the demographic information potentially reveals student identifiable information. That portion of the data has been redacted. Review the most recent report. 

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Student Rights

Students’/Students’ Parents Rights

• The right to attend district schools and activities free from any sexual harassment.

• The right to file a complaint pursuant to district policy JBA/GBN Sexual Harassment when a student feels they have been the victim of sexual harassment.
• The right to a fair, adequate, and impartial investigation.
• The right to be notified when the investigation is concluded and as to whether a violation of the policy was found to have occurred, to the extent allowable under state and federal confidentiality laws.
   

Complaint Process
Any student who has knowledge of conduct in violation of the district’s sexual harassment policy or feels they are a victim of sexual harassment is strongly encouraged to immediately report their concerns to the school administrator, or to a teacher, counselor, or school nurse, who will promptly notify the school administrator or appropriate district official. Students may also:

• Report concerns to the Title IX Coordinator (Dr. Brian Megert, Director of Special Programs) at 541-747-3331.
• Use the formal sexual harassment complaint form available from the Title IX Coordinator.

The investigation will be completed within thirty (30) days from receipt of the complaint, unless impracticable. Once the investigation is complete, the person who initiated the complaint and the person reported will be notified in writing of the outcome. See district administrative regulation JBA/GBN-AR(1) for a full description of the complaint procedure under Oregon law and JBA/GBN-AR(2) for a description of Title IX complaint procedures.

No Retaliation
The initiation of a good faith complaint about behavior that may violate the district’s policy against sexual harassment may not adversely affect the educational assignments or educational environment of a student complainant, or any terms or conditions of employment or work environment of an employee complainant, or any terms or conditions of employment or of work or educational environment of a third-party complainant. There shall be no retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports, files a complaint, or otherwise participates in an investigation or inquiry of sexual harassment.

Confidentiality Rights
The district will keep information related to sexual harassment complaints as confidential as is allowable under the law. The district will only release sexual harassment complaint information to individuals with a right or need to know in order to provide supportive measures, investigate the complaint, take corrective action or otherwise carry out the purposes of the district’s policy and applicable laws prohibiting sexual harassment, and to comply with the law, including due process rights for the accused. Please direct questions to the Title IX Coordinator.

Reports Involving Drug and Alcohol Use
Students who report and participate in a sexual harassment investigation may not be disciplined for violations of the district’s drug and alcohol policies that occurred in connection with the reported harassment and that were discovered as a result of harassment report or investigation, unless the student gave another person alcohol or drugs without the person’s knowledge and with the intent of causing the person to become incapacitated and vulnerable to the harassment.

Students living in the SPS school district who need confidential medical or mental health services may access the Springfield Schools Health Center, 541-682-3550, 1050 10th Street, Springfield, OR 97477. These providers may not share a patient’s protected health information with SPS staff members without the explicit written permission of the student’s parent or eligible student.

Other Resources
In addition to district support, individuals may seek assistance from local, state, and national organizations. Please see the list of organizations and their contact information below: 

• Plaza de Nuestra Comunidad, 541-687-2667, Individual, family, and crisis counseling from bilingual and bicultural providers.
• Riverview Center for Growth, 541-726-1465, Emotional, behavioral and mental health therapy for children, teens, adults, and families.
• Looking Glass Youth & Family Support | 541-484-4428, Counseling and support for children and teens experiencing difficulties.
• Ophelia’s Place | 541-284-4333: Nonprofit organization dedicated to helping girls ages 10-18 make healthy life choices through empowerment, education, and support.
• Sexual Assault Support Services | 541-343-7277, Free and confidential advocacy and support services to survivors of sexual violence, and their families, 24 hours a day.
• White Bird Clinic | 541-687-4000, Free, 24-hour crisis intervention services, as well as mental health information and referral. 

These procedures do not prevent the right of any person to make direct complaints related to educational programs and services to the Oregon Dept. of Education (ODE) or the US Dept. of Education, Office of Civil Rights. Complaints related to sexual harassment may only be filed with ODE after exhausting the district’s internal complaint procedure, or 90 days, whichever comes first. 

Civil and criminal remedies not provided by the district may be available through the legal system. The right to pursue other legal remedies may be subject to statutes of limitation.