Watervliet City School District > About Us > Annual Notifications

Annual Notifications

The Watervliet City School District is required to provide the following notifications to parents on an annual basis. If you have difficulty accessing any document on this page, please contact Public Information Specialist Judy Frost at 518-629-3236, or email jfrost@vlietschools.org.

The notifications are posted online for your convenience. Click on the hyperlink to jump to a particular topic.

Child Abuse Hotline Notification

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/main/cps/

EdLaw2D

New York State Education Law gives parents/guardians the right to information about how the Watervliet City School District is safeguarding student and staff data.

If at any time the district learns that student and/or teacher/principal data has been compromised, parents and guardians will be notified, and the data breach will be reported to the state Education Department. Parents who have concerns or complaints about data privacy or security may file a complaint by contacting Kirsten DeMento, Data Protection Officer, kdemento@vlietschools.org, or call 518-629-3231.

Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security (2020)

The Watervliet City School District is committed to protecting the privacy and security of student data and teacher and principal data. In accordance with New York Education Law Section 2-d and its implementing regulations, the District informs the school community of the following:

1) A student’s personally identifiable information cannot be sold or released for any commercial purposes.

2) Parents have the right to inspect and review the complete contents of their child’s education record.

3) State and federal laws protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information, 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.

4) A complete list of all student data elements collected by New York State is available for public review at the following website http://www.nysed.gov/student-data-privacy/student-data-inventory or by writing to the Office of Information and Reporting Services, New York State Education Department, Room 865 EBA, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234.

5) Parents/guardians who believe there has been a possible breach of student data should direct their concerns/complaints to the District Data Protection Officer, Kirsten DeMento at 518-629-3231 or kdemento@vlietschools.org.

6) Parents have the right to have complaints about possible breaches of student data addressed. Complaints should be directed in writing to Privacy Complaint, Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234. Complaints may also be submitted using the form available at the following website http://www.nysed.gov/student-data-privacy/form/report-improper-disclosure. 

APPENDIX

Supplemental Information Regarding Third-Party Contractors

In the course of complying with its obligations under the law and providing educational services to District residents, the Watervliet City School District has entered into agreements with certain third-party contractors. Pursuant to these agreements, third-party contractors may have access to “student data” and/or “teacher or principal data,” as those terms are defined by law and regulation.

For each contract or other written agreement that the District enters into with a third-party contractor where the third-party contractor receives student data or teacher or principal data from the District, the following supplemental information will be included with this Bill of Rights:

  1. The exclusive purposes for which the student data or teacher or principal data will be used by the third-party contractor, as defined in the contract;
  2.  How the third-party contractor will ensure that the subcontractors, or other authorized persons or entities to whom the third-party contractor will disclose the student data or teacher or principal data, if any, will abide by all applicable data protection and security requirements, including but not limited to those outlined in applicable laws and regulations (e.g., FERPA; Education Law Section 2-d);
  3. The duration of the contract, including the contract’s expiration date, and a description of what will happen to the student data or teacher or principal data upon expiration of the contract or other written agreement (e.g., whether, when, and in what format it will be returned to the District, and/or whether, when, and how the data will be destroyed);
  4. If and how a parent, student, eligible student, teacher, or principal may challenge the accuracy of the student data or teacher or principal data that is collected;
  5. Where the student data or teacher or principal data will be stored, described in a manner as to protect data security, and the security protections taken to ensure the data will be protected and data privacy and security risks mitigated; and
  6.  Address how the data will be protected using encryption while in motion and at rest.
  7.  Third-party contractors are also required to:
    1. Provide training on federal and state law governing confidentiality to any officers, employees, or assignees who have access to student date or teacher or principal data;
    2. Limit internal access to education records to those individuals who have a legitimate educational interest in such records.
    3. Not use educational records for any other purpose than those explicitly authorized in the contract;
    4. Not disclose personally identifiable information to any other party without the prior written consent of the parent or eligible student; or (ii) unless required by statute or court order and the third-party contractor provides a notice of the disclosure to the New York State Education Department, board of education, or institution that provided the information no later than the time the information is disclosed, unless providing notice of the disclosure is expressly prohibited by the statute or court order;
    5. Maintain reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of personally identifiable student information in its custody;
    6. Use encryption technology to protect data while in motion or in its custody from unauthorized disclosure as specified in Education Law 2-d;
    7. Notify Watervliet City School District of any breach of security resulting in an unauthorized release of student data, in the most expedient way possible and without unreasonable delay;
    8. Provide a data security and privacy plan outlining how all state, federal and local data security and privacy contract requirements will be implemented over the life of the contract;
    9. Provide a signed copy of this Bill of Rights to the Watervliet City School District thereby acknowledging that they aware of and agree to abide by this Bill of Rights.

8) This Bill of Rights is subject to change based on regulations of the Commissioner of Education and the New York State Education Department Chief Privacy Officer, as well as emerging guidance documents.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

As required under FERPA, the district would like to inform parents/guardians, and students 18 years of age or older currently in attendance, to their right to:

  • inspect and review the student’s education records,
  • request that records be amended to ensure that they are accurate and not misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights, and control disclosures from the student’s education records, with certain exceptions.
    file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the Watervliet City School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Address of the Office that administers FERPA:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

Public relations use of student data/photos

From time to time, school district officials may release student information (name, address, grade level, photograph, art work, academic interest, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, terms of school attendance and graduation, awards received, etc.) for use in school district publications or within school building websites, or to the media for public relations purposes.

Parents who object to the release of their child’s information and/or photograph should notify their child’s building principal in writing on or before September 30 in any school year.

Fire Inspection

Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection for of the Watervliet City School District school buildings for fire hazards which might endanger the lives of students, teachers, employees therein, has been completed and the report thereof is available at the offices of the Watervliet City School District at 1245 Hillside Dr., Watervliet, NY 12189 for inspection by all interested persons.

Pesticide Notification

Watervliet City School District may use pesticide products periodically throughout the year. The Pesticide Notification Law requires school districts to maintain a list of staff and persons in a parental relation who wish to receive 48-hour written notice prior to the application of pesticides. Written notifications will include the date, locations and product used for each application.

For further information or to be placed on the school-specific 48-hour notification list, please contact Keith Heid, School Business Manager at 518-629-3203, or email kheid5@vlietschools.org

Non-discrimination

The Watervliet City School District does not discriminate in employment or in the education programs and activities which it operates on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, religion, race, or handicap in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, or §504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the NYS Human Rights Law.

Inquiries regarding this non-discrimination notice may be directed to Section 504/Title IX Coordinators. Director of Educational Programs & Accountability/UPK Director Kirsten DeMento and Director of Special Education and Student Support Services Sarah Horaczek are responsible for coordinating activities related to Title IX and Section 504 compliance and will provide information, including complaint procedures, to any student or employee who feels that their Title IX rights may have been violated by the district or its officials.

  • Kirsten DeMento
    Director of Educational Programs & Accountability
    Watervliet Elementary School
    2557 Tenth Avenue, Watervliet, NY 12189
    Phone: 518-629-3231

or

  • Sarah Horaczek
    Director of Special Education and Student Support
    Services
    Watervliet Jr.-Sr. High School
    1245 Hillside Drive, Watervliet, NY 12189
    Phone: 518-629-3250

District-Wide Safety Plan

Watervliet City School District has developed a District-wide School Safety Plan and confidential Building-level School Safety Plans for each building as required by New York State Safe School Against Violence in Education (S.A.V.E.) Law. This law requires the district to annually provide written information to all students and staff about emergency procedures. As required, the District-wide School Safety Plan was originally submitted to the New York State Education Department in June 2001. Each confidential Building-level Emergency Response Plan was originally submitted to the local police and New York State Police in June 2001.

The District-wide School Safety Team annually reviews the District-wide School Safety Plan. The Building-level School Safety Teams annually review the confidential Building-level Emergency Response Plans. All updates are approved by the Board of Education prior to re-submitting them to the New York State Education Department and the local police and New York State Police, respectively.

The district will provide training throughout the year and will conduct at least eight fire drills, four lockdown drills and conduct a district-wide drill to test sheltering plans and/or early dismissal. Emergency evacuation information is posted in each classroom and Emergency School Closing information can be found in the district calendar. For more information concerning the District-wide School Safety Plan, please contact the school

View the District-Wide Safety Plan

Asbestos Management Plan

In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1987 (40 CFR Part 763), the Watervliet City School District is required to give annual notification stating that the Asbestos Management Plan for each building is available and kept in the main office. These records are available for review during normal business hours.

Six-month periodic asbestos surveillances as well as a triennial inspection are required in pursuant of AHERA. If any asbestos projects are scheduled in the future, all work shall be conducted according to all applicable local, state and federal regulations.

For more information, please contact Keith Heid, School Business Manager at 518-629-3203, or email kheid5@vlietschools.org

Annual Professional Performance Review Plan

APPR stands for Annual Professional Performance Review and it is the process by which teachers and principals are evaluated in New York state. The intent of APPR is to assist educators to improve the quality of instruction in schools and, in turn, to improve students’ performance and readiness for colleges and careers. District APPR plans must meet strict state guidelines and be negotiated with local unions. Under state guidelines, APPR takes into account classroom observations and student performance. Teachers and principals across New York ultimately receive an overall effectiveness rating every year.

View plan on the NYSED website

Immunization and Physical Exam Requirements

Education Law requires that all students entering grades 2, 4, 7 and 10, as well as ALL new students entering any grade, must have a physical examination.
The exam is considered valid if the date of the exam is within ONE YEAR prior to the start of the school year in which the physical exam is required. This may be done by the family doctor or school physician

Parents of Watervliet students are reminded of immunization requirements for school entry. Children must be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chicken pox), measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B. A record of immunizations, signed by the health care provider, is required for registration.

For the most recent immunization requirements, visit the NYSDOH website.

BMI/Weight Status Category Reporting

As part of a required school health examination, a student is weighed and his/her height is measured. These numbers are used to figure out the student’s body mass index or BMI. The BMI helps the doctor or nurse know if the student’s weight is in a healthy range or is too high or too low.

Changes to the New York State Education Law require that BMI and weight status group be included as part of the student’s school health examination. A sample of school districts will be selected to take part in a survey by the New York State Department of Health.

If our school is selected to be part of the survey, we will be reporting to New York State Department of Health information about our students’ weight status groups. Only summary information is sent. No names and no information about individual students are sent. However, you may choose to have your child’s information excluded from this survey report. 

The information sent to the New York State Department of Health will help health officials develop programs that make it easier for children to be healthier.

Parents who wish to exclude their child’s data from such group calculations must contact their child’s school nurse in writing.