Notices & Reports

AVAILABILITY OF ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT PLAN

Under Federal Law (AHRTA, 40 CFR Part 763) the Riverdale School District was required to perform a survey of asbestos containing materials in each of its buildings, as well as a Management Plan about what steps will be taken in light of the results of the reports.  This was done, and the official plan and copy of the inspection report for each building was forwarded to authorities in Madison, Wisconsin prior to October 12, 1997.

 You are advised of the availability of this plan and inspection report during normal business hours at your particular school’s business office.  Should you desire copies at a particular school the District has (5) working days to comply with this request.  A copy is also available at the District Office located at 747 North 6th Street, Muscoda, Wisconsin and there is no restriction as to immediate access.

 A reasonable charge of 15 cents per page will apply to all requests for a copy of the plan and/or inspection reports.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION

FERPA permits school districts to disclose directory information pertaining to students as provided under FERPA and the Wisconsin pupil records law.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Riverdale School District has designated the following types of information pertaining to students to be “directory information” which will be made publicly available:

• Student’s name 
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Height and/or weight, if a member of an athletic team
• Date of Graduation
• Photographs
• Degrees and awards received

Parents and eligible students may refuse to allow the Board to disclose any or all of such “directory information” upon written notification to the Board within fourteen (14) days after this public notice. 

Children who reside in the Riverdale School District have the following educational options:

•  Attendance at public schools
• Attendance at the Riverdale Academy
• Attendance at the Riverdale Virtual School
• Full time open enrollment
• Early College Credit Program and Start College Now, youth apprenticeship program, and options for pupils enrolled in a home-based private educational program.

Parents of children with disabilities are also advised that there is a special needs voucher program. For more information, please contact Stacy Sosinsky, Director of Special Education.

ANNUAL NOTICE  - HOMELESS CHILDREN 

The McKinneyVento Act defines children and youth who are homeless (twenty one years of age and younger) as: 

• Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes children and youth who are:
  • sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as doubled up);
  • living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations; 
  • living emergency or transitional shelters;
  • abandoned in hospitals; or 
  • awaiting foster care placement. 
• Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
• Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.

If you are personally aware of or are acquainted with any children who may qualify according to the above criteria, the Riverdale School District provides the following assurances to parents of homeless children:

•  The local district staff person (liaison) for homeless children is Emily McCormick, PK6 School Counselor, 6087393101 ext. 2018, emily.mccormick@riverdale.k12.wi.us
• There shall be immediate enrollment and school participation, even if educational and medical records and proof of residency are not available.
• All educational opportunities and related opportunities for homeless students (preschool to age 21), including unaccompanied youth, shall be the same as for the general student population.
• Enrollment and transportation rights, including transportation to the school of origin. “School of origin” is defined as the school the child or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled.
• Written explanation of a child or youth’s school placement, other than school of origin or the school requested by the parent, with the right to appeal within the local dispute resolution process.
• Meaningful opportunities for parents to participate in the education of their children. These shall include: special notices of events, parent teacher conferences, newsletters, and access to student records. 

Please contact Emily McCormick, homeless liaison for the Riverdale School District, for additional information about homeless issues. Mrs. McCormick can be reached at 7393101 ext. 2018 or by email at emily.mccormick@riverdale.k12.wi.us.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES Division of Public Health    P-44021 (06/2016)    STATE OF WISCONSIN    Wis. Stat. § 252.04    STUDENT IMMUNIZATION LAW 

AGE/GRADE REQUIREMENTS : The following are the minimum required immunizations for each age/grade level according to the Wisconsin Student Immunization Law. Additional  immunizations may be recommended for your child depending on his/her age. Please contact your doctor or local health department to determine if  your child needs additional immunizations.  

1. D= diphtheria, T= tetanus, P= pertussis vaccine. DTaP/DTP/DT/Td vaccine for all students Pre-K through 12: Four doses are required.  However, if a student received the 3rd dose after the 4th birthday, further doses are not required. Note: a dose four days or less before the 4th  birthday is also acceptable. 

2. DTaP/DTP/DT vaccine for children entering 5K Kindergarten: Each student must have received one dose after the 4th birthday (either the 3rd,  4th, or 5th dose) to be compliant. Note: a dose four days or less before the 4th birthday is also acceptable.  

3. Tdap is adolescent tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine. If a student received a dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine, such as  Td, within five years before entering the grade in which Tdap is required, the student is compliant and a dose of Tdap vaccine is not required. 4. Polio vaccine for students entering grades 5K Kindergarten through 12: Four doses are required. However, if a student received the 3rd dose  after the 4th birthday, further doses are not required. Note: a dose four days or less before the 4th birthday is also acceptable. 5. Laboratory evidence of immunity to hepatitis B is also acceptable. 

6. MMR is measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. The first dose of MMR vaccine must have been received on or after the first birthday Note: a  dose four days or less before the 1st birthday is also acceptable. Laboratory evidence of immunity to all three diseases (measles and mumps  and rubella) is also acceptable. 

7. Varicella vaccine is chickenpox vaccine. A history of chickenpox disease or laboratory evidence of immunity to varicella is also acceptable.

Meningococcal Disease: Protect Your Child 

Public health authorities recommend that teenagers and college-bound students be immunized against a potentially fatal bacterial infection called meningococcal disease, a type of meningitis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other leading medical organizations recommend routine meningococcal immunization for adolescents during the preadolescent doctor’s visit (11- to 12-year-olds), adolescents at high school entry (15-year-olds) if they have not previously been immunized, and for college freshmen living in dormitories.

Meningococcal disease is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection that can cause severe swelling of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) or a serious blood infection (meningococcemia).  Meningococcal disease strikes up to 3,000 Americans each year; nearly 30 percent of these cases are among teenagers and college students.

A meningococcal vaccine is available for use among persons aged 11 to 55 years, which provides protection against four of the five types of bacteria that cause meningococcal disease.  Many parents are unaware of the dangers the disease poses to their children and that a vaccine is available that may help to prevent up to 83 percent of cases among teens and college students.

Immunization is the most effective way to prevent this very serious disease.

About Meningococcal Disease

Meningococcal disease is often misdiagnosed as something less serious because early symptoms are similar to common viral illnesses.  Symptoms of meningococcal disease may include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion, exhaustion and/or a rash.

Meningococcal disease is spread through direct contact with respiratory and/or oral secretions from infected persons (for example, kissing or sharing drinking containers).  It can develop and spread quickly throughout the body, so early diagnosis and treatment are very important.  Even with immediate treatment, the disease can kill an otherwise healthy young person within hours of first symptoms.  Of those who survive, up to 20 percent may endure permanent disabilities, including brain damage, deafness and limb amputations.

Lifestyle factors common among teenagers and college students are believed to put them at increased risk of contracting meningococcal disease.  These lifestyle factors include crowded living situations (for example, dormitories, sleep-away camps), active or passive smoking and irregular sleeping habits.  Teens should avoid sharing eating utensils and drinking out of the same container, since infections may spread through this type of close contact.

NOTICE OF RIGHTS FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

The Family Education and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. They are:

 1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the District receives a request for access.  Parents or eligible students should submit to the School Principal or District Administrator a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The School Principal or District Administrator will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading.  Parents or eligible students may as the Riverdale School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the School Principal or Bryce Bird, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.  If the District decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the District will notify the parent of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that DERPA authorized disclosure without consent.  One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the District as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the District has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.  A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.  Upon request, the District discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:  Family Policy Compliance office, U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-4605

Public Records

The School District’s public records are available for public inspection and/or copying in accordance with State law.

Designation of Officers: The District Administrator, or in his/her absence, the administrative secretary,  are designated as the District Records Officer (DRO) and shall be legal custodians of records for the District and shall have the authority to render decision and carry out duties related to those public records.  The DRO may deny access to records only in accordance with the law.  The DRO is authorized and encouraged to consult with the District’s legal counsel to determine whether to deny access to a records request in whole or part.

Requests for Public Records: Public records of the District will be made available for inspection at the district office during regular business hours upon request.  No original public records of the District shall be removed from the possession of the DRO.  The DRO shall be responsible for administering the District’s Open Records Policy including but not limited to, designating where, when and how the public records of the District may be inspected and copied.

Requests for records of the District may be submitted orally or in writing to the DRO.  It is not necessary that any person requesting access to the public records of the District identify himself/herself in order to obtain a record, nor need any person requesting access to the public records of the District state any reason for his/her request.

Any request for a public record must reasonably describe the record or information sought.  If the DRO cannot reasonably determine what records or information are being requested, the request shall be denied and the reason for the denial shall be stated.  Any denial of a written request must be in writing and any denial of an oral request may be given orally or in writing.

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF RIVERDALE ANNUAL NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL AND EVALUATION PROCEDURES

 Upon request, the Riverdale School District is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services.

A request for evaluation is known as a referral. When the district receives a referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to determine if the child has a disability, and if the child needs special education services. The district locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private (including religious) schools, elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district. A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child's parent that the referral will be made. Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability, may also refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Referrals must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability.

A referral may be made by contacting Stacy Sosinsky, Director of Special Education, Riverdale School District, at (608) 739-3101, or by writing her at P.O. Box 66, Muscoda, WI 53573.

Surveys, Student Privacy and Parental Review and Access

The Board of Education respects the privacy rights of parents and their children. No student shall be required, as a part of the school program or the District's curriculum, without prior written consent of the student (if an adult, or an emancipated minor) or, if an unemancipated minor, his/her parents, to submit to or participate in any survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information concerning:

     
A. political affiliations or beliefs of the student or his/her parents;

B. mental or psychological problems of the student or his/her family;

C. sex behavior or attitudes; 

D. illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior; 

E. critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships; 

F. legally recognized privileged and analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers; 

G. religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or his/her parents; or 

H. income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such a program). 

Parents may inspect any materials created by a third party used in conjunction with any such survey, analysis, or evaluation before the survey/evaluation is administered or distributed by the school to the student. The parent will have access to the survey/evaluation within a reasonable period of time after the request is received by the building principal.

Consistent with parental rights, the Board directs building and program administrators to:

A. notify parents in writing of any surveys, analyses, or evaluations, which may reveal any of the information, as identified in A-H above, in a timely manner, and which allows interested parties to request an opportunity to inspect the survey, analysis, or evaluation; and the administrator to arrange for inspection prior to initiating the activity with students; 

B. allow the parents the option of excluding their student from the activity; 

C. report collected data in a summarized fashion which does not permit one to make a connection between the data and individual students or small groups of students; 

D. treat information as identified in A-H above as any other confidential information. 

Additionally, parents have the right to inspect, upon request, any instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum of the student. The parent will have access to the instructional material within a reasonable period of time after the request is received by the building principal. The term instructional material means instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of its format, including printed and representational materials, audio-visual materials, and materials in electronic or digital formats (such as materials accessible through the Internet). The term does not include academic tests or assessments.

Title I Program

The Riverdale School District participates in the school-wide Title 1 program.  Parent involvement is an important component in ensuring the success of the District’s Title I Program.  Parent involvement activities are planned throughout the school year.  They include but are not limited to: Back to School Night, Family Nights, Parent Teacher Conferences, Progress Reports, Newsletters, and the District Website.  

Parent’s input is important in the evaluation of the Title I program.  Parents will be surveyed at least one time per year at a parent involvement activity. Parents are welcome to give input in regards to the Title I Program to their child’s teacher(s), the District Reading Specialist or the District’s Title I Coordinator, anytime throughout the year.

The Title I staff will meet periodically throughout the year to discuss and evaluate the District’s Program.  Parent surveys will be shared with the Title I staff during these meetings.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE  INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH CHILD FIND ACTIVITIES 

This information in this publication also appears in Spanish and Hmong. 

Riverdale School District is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children, with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find. This agency conducts developmental screening of preschool children annually. This notice informs parents of the records the school district will develop and maintain as part of its child find activities. This notice also informs parents of their rights regarding any records developed. 

The school district gathers personally identifiable information on any child who participates in child find activities. Parents, teachers, and other professionals provide information to the school related to the child’s academic performance, behavior, and health. This information is used to determine whether the child needs special education services. Personally identifiable information directly related to a child and maintained by the school is a pupil record. Pupil records include records maintained in any way including, but not limited to, computer storage media, video and audiotape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. Records maintained for personal use by a teacher and not available to others and records available only to persons involved in the psychological treatment of a child are not pupil records. 

The school district maintains several classes of pupil records:

• "Progress records" include grades, courses the child has taken, the child's attendance record, immunization records, required lead screening records, and records of school extra-curricular activities. Progress records must be maintained for at least five years after the child ceases to be enrolled.
• "Behavioral records" include such records as psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, written statements relating specifically to the pupil's behavior, tests relating specifically to achievement or measurement of ability, physical health records other than immunization and lead screening records, law enforcement officers' records, and other pupil records that are not "progress records." Law enforcement officers' records are maintained separately from other pupil records. Behavioral records may be maintained for no longer than one year after the child graduates or otherwise ceases to be enrolled, unless the parent specifies in writing that the records may be maintained for a longer period of time. The school district informs parents when pupil records are no longer needed to provide special education. At the request of the child's parents, the school district destroys the information that is no longer needed.
• "Directory data" includes the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, degrees and awards received, and the name of the school most recently previously attended by the student.
• "Pupil physical health records" include basic health information about a pupil, including the pupil's immunization records, an emergency medical card, a log of first aid and medicine administered to the pupil, an athletic permit card, a record concerning the  pupil's ability to participate in an education program, any required lead screening records, the results of any routine screening test, such as for hearing, vision or scoliosis, and any follow-up to the test, and any other basic health information, as determined by the state superintendent. Any pupil record relating to a pupil's physical health that is not a pupil physical health record is treated as a patient health care record under sections 146.81 to 146.84, Wisconsin Statutes. Any pupil record concerning HIV testing is treated as provided under section 252.15, Wisconsin Statutes. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and section 118.125, Wisconsin Statutes, afford parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") the following rights with respect to education records: 

• The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of receipt of the request. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the records(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The school district will comply with the request without unnecessary delay and before any meeting about an individualized education program, or any due process hearing, and in no case more than 45 days after the request has been made. If any record includes information on more than one child, the parents of those children have the right to inspect and review only the information about their child or to be informed of that specific information. Upon request, the school district will give a parent or eligible student a copy of the progress records and a copy of the behavioral records. Upon request, the school district will give the parent or eligible student a list of the types and locations of education records collected, maintained, or used by the district for special education. The school district will respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records. A representative of the parent may inspect and review the records. 
• The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask Riverdale School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
•  The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in the student's education records, except to the extent that federal and state law authorize disclosure without consent. The exceptions are stated in 34 CFR 99.31, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations; Sec. 9528, PL107-110, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; and section 118.125(2)(a) to (m) and sub. (2m), Wisconsin Statutes. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Also the district discloses "directory data" without consent, unless the parent notifies the district that it may not be released without prior parental consent.
•  The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605.

The Wisconsin Dyslexia Guidebook may be found at https://www.riverdale.k12.wi.us/Dyslexia%202026.pdf

Notice of Nondiscrimination 

The School District of Riverdale is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities. The District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability, or any other reason prohibited by state or federal law, in any of its programs or activities, applications for admission, or employment. For additional information on the District’s nondiscrimination policies, see School Board Policies 2260 (Nondiscrimination and Access to Equal Educational Opportunity), 1422, 3122, and 4122 (Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity). 

The District shall provide for the reasonable accommodation of a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs with regard to examinations and other academic requirements. Requests for accommodations shall be made in writing and approved by the building principal. 

The District does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including employment, as required by Title IX and its regulations. Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to the District’s Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. For more information regarding the District’s Title IX grievance process, including how to report conduct that may constitute sex discrimination and how to file a Title IX complaint, refer to Board Policy 2266. 

The following individuals have been designated as the District’s Title IX Coordinators, as well as the Compliance Officers for the District’s Nondiscrimination and Access to Equal Educational/Employment Opportunity Policies listed above:

Sarah Ploeckelman, PK-6 Principal  608-739-3101, 800 N 6th Street , Muscoda, WI 53573             sarah.ploeckelman@riverdale.k12.wi.us 

*Sarah Ploeckelman has been designated as the lead Title IX Coordinator who is ultimately responsible for oversight of the District’s compliance with Title IX. 

Sarah Gruen, 7-12 Principal  608-739-3116, 235 E Elm Street, Muscoda, WI 53573           sarah.gruen@riverdale.k12.wi.us