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Annual Notifications

For a complete listing of school policies, visit the Board of Education Policy Manual on BoardDocs.

ASBESTOS NOTICE 

The Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District, as required by federal regulations, has a comprehensive management plan for the removal or containment of any asbestos-containing materials within the District. This plan is on file at the District Office, 1490 State Route 488, Clifton Springs, and is available for public inspection.

CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE NOTIFICATION

Those suspecting that a child is being abused or mistreated should report it by calling (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 a local police department. For more information, visit https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/cps. 

COMPUTER ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

The District provides technology to support teaching, enhance learning, and improve productivity. It recognizes that safeguards must be in place to protect staff and students, and to protect the District’s investment in technology. 

This policy is intended to delineate the roles and responsibilities of all technology users in the District. District employees, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES staff working on campus, contractors, and volunteers must comply with the provisions set forth by the Board of Education (Policy 6410 and 6411). 

Also, in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and Regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the District has adopted and will enforce an Internet safety policy that ensures the use of technology protection measures (example: filtering or blocking of access to certain material on the Internet) on all District computers with Internet access. 

However, no filtering technology can guarantee all staff and students will be prevented from accessing all locations. Proper safety procedures, as deemed appropriate by the applicable administrator/program supervisor, will be provided to ensure compliance with the CIPA. 

Further information on the use of technology can be found on the District’s website under Board of Education policies 7315, 8270, and 8271. Families may download and return to their child’s school the District’s Acceptable Use Policy and Agreement in the Data Privacy & Security section under the “Student Life” tab at Midlakes.org.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 

The District does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions; and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

Jeffrey Hamelinck and Daniel McAlpin have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies. Contact Hamelinck at (315) 548-6475 and jhamelinck@midlakes.org. McAlpin can be reached at dmcalpin@midlakes.org and (315) 548-6300. Put written correspondence to their attention at District Office, 1490 State Route 488, Clifton Springs, New York, 14432. Inquiries concerning the application of the Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District nondiscrimination policies may also be referred to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), 32 Old Slip, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005, (646) 428-3800 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (TTY).

FACILITY USE REQUESTS

The Board of Education encourages the community use of school facilities when such use is in the public interest, does not conflict with school activities, and is not detrimental to the purpose of schools. 

Residents, staff, and community and civic groups can make a facility use request at Midlakes.org/FacilityUsePortal. An email confirmation will be issued upon approval.

A certificate of insurance, a minimum of $1 million coverage, is required from all non-school individuals or groups. 

The District must be added as an additional insured. Applications will not be processed until this certificate is on file. Other points of interest:

  • School activities take precedence over all other uses.
  • All activities are canceled for that day/evening if the District is closed due to inclement weather or emergency.
  • This permit is valid only for the approved dates, times, facilities, and equipment.
  • All requests must conform to Education Law. Those approved to use District facilities and their participants will be responsible for observing all Board of Education regulations including:
  • Agree to indemnify and hold the Board of Education harmless for any claim filed by a member of the approved organization or any individual in attendance and further agree to pay the cost of school supervision, custodial, police, or firemen personnel as needed.
  • All individuals or groups authorized to use facilities assume responsibility for the conduct of participants and spectators.
  • No smoking or alcohol use is permitted on school property.
  • During a holiday break or on weekends, when custodians or cafeteria workers must be retained, the sponsoring organization will be responsible for the payment of these people. The District may impose a custodian fee outside normal work hours.
  • School facilities and equipment must be left in the same condition they are found. 

For additional information on facility use policies and to complete a Facility Use Request application, go to Midlakes.org/FacilityUsePortal. 

FIRE INSPECTION

The District is required under New York State Education Law to publish a public notice of the filing of its annual fire inspection report within 20 days of filing it with the New York State Education Department (NYSED). It must be published at least once in the designated official newspaper of the District or a newspaper in general circulation for its postal area. 

For more information on annual fire inspection notices, contact the District Clerk at (315) 548-6420.

MYSCHOOLBUCKS

Families may use a convenient and secure payment service to deposit funds into a child’s meal account. The service offers families the option to view a child’s account balance, meal history,  and more at MySchoolBucks.com. 

MySchoolBucks allows families to handle payments for their children enrolled at Midlakes from a single account. A credit/debit card, e-check, personal check, and cash are acceptable forms of payment. For more information, contact the District’s Food Service Department at foodservice@midlakes.org.

PESTICIDE APPLICATION NOTICE  

The District is required by law to maintain a list of staff and parents/guardians who wish to receive written notice 48 hours before the application of pesticides on school facilities. Certain pesticide applications are not subject to prior notification requirements. 

For more information, contact the District Clerk at (315) 548-6420, or mail your name, address, daytime phone, evening phone, and email address to the District Clerk, 1490 State Route 488, Clifton Springs, NY 14432.

PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW 

All teachers and principals are evaluated annually as mandated by the New York State Education Department. The District’s current APPR plan may be found at Midlakes.org.

RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO MILITARY RECRUITERS 

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the District must disclose to military recruiters and institutions of higher learning, upon request, the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of our high school juniors and seniors. 

Parents or students may request, in writing, that the District not release such information. Parents and students who are at least 18 years old wishing to exercise their option to withhold their consent to the release of this information must contact the Pupil Support Office at (315) 548-6310.

SAFETY PLAN

The District is required to develop and regularly review a district-wide school safety plan, in accordance with the regulations of the Commissioner of Education, designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious incidents and emergencies and to facilitate the coordination of District, local, and county resources in the event of such incidents or emergencies. A copy of the plan is available under the “Board of Education” tab at Midlakes.org.

SAFE SCHOOL HELPLINE

The District encourages the school community to use the Safe School Helpline to assist in the safety and security of students, staff, visitors, and school facilities. The helpline is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and allows anyone to report a concern by calling a toll-free number, submitting a text message, and completing a web-based form. 

The Safe School Helpline is designed to help our school community report threats, bullying/cyberbullying, violence, theft, drug or alcohol use, sexual harassment/abuse, and other dangerous situations. Reports will be forwarded to the appropriate school officials and/or emergency responders for action. Reports can be made in the following ways:

  • Toll-free number: (800) 418-6423, etc. 359.
  • Text “tips” to (614) 426-0240.
  • Complete a form at SafeSchoolHelpline.com.

Also, a Safe School app is available in the App Store and Google Play.

SCHOOL MEAL MENUS

All school menus for both buildings (breakfast and lunch) can be printed and translated using the tools on our website. Breakfast and lunch menus along with a list of a la carte items can be found on the website under the “Student Life” tab at Midlakes.org.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

The Committee on Special Education provides a range of services to students who have disabilities as well as support and training for parents/guardians of students with disabilities. For more information, families may contact Andrea Eldridge, the director of the Committee on Special Education at (315) 548-6440.

STUDENT HEALTH INFORMATION

Midlakes Health Services supports students’ academic success by promoting health in the school setting. One way the District provides care for students is by performing health screenings as mandated by the state law during the school year, including the following required screenings:

Health Appraisals: New York State Education Law (section 903) requires a health examination for new entrants and students in kindergarten and grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. It is recommended that children have the exam done by a primary care physician. 

BMI: New York State Education Law requires that body mass index (BMI) and weight be included in a student’s school health examination. BMI lets a healthcare practitioner know if the student’s weight is in a healthy range. 

A sample of school districts is selected each year to take part in a survey by the New York State Department of Health and information on student weight groups must be reported. Only summary information is used. No names or information regarding individual students is sent.

Hearing: Performed at school if not submitted by a private physician. Screenings are required for all students new to the District and students entering kindergarten and grades 1, 3, 5, 7,9, and 11.

Immunization: Children in a school setting must be immunized. The number of doses depends on the schedule recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Proof of immunization will be required before children are allowed to attend school. See chart for a schedule of immunizations from the New York State Department of Health or visit Health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization.

Vision: Performed at school if not submitted by a private physician. Distance and near vision acuity for all newly entering students and students in kindergarten and grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Color perception screenings are required for new students.

Dental Certificates: A dental certificate is requested for all newly entering students and students in kindergarten and grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. 

Scoliosis: (Performed at school if not submitted by a private physician) Scoliosis (spinal curvature) screening for girls in grades 5 and 7 and boys in ninth grade.

Additional Notes:

  • All medication (prescription/over-the-counter) must be delivered to the school by an adult. Medication cannot be administered at school without a written order from the physician and written permission from the parent/guardian.
  • If a child has a medical condition that prevents physical education participation, a medical excuse from the physician must be submitted to the school nurse.
  • Please notify the school when your child will be late, absent, or dismissed early.
  • Contact the nurse at your child’s school if your child has any special medical concerns or needs.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

The Board of Education is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment where students may receive and school personnel may deliver quality educational services without disruption or interference.

Responsible behavior by students, teachers, school personnel, parents, and others is essential to achieving this goal. The Board of Education recognizes the need to clearly define the expectations for acceptable conduct on school property; to identify consequences of unacceptable conduct; and to ensure that discipline, when necessary, is administered promptly, fairly, and consistently.

Each year the Board of Education reviews and adopts the District Code of Conduct for the maintenance of order on school property and at school functions. 

The code identifies expectations for student conduct and explains the disciplinary procedures used for enforcement. 

A summary of the Code of Conduct is mailed to homes annually before the start of school. For a complete copy of the Code of Conduct, visit the District website at Midlakes.org and scroll under the “Student Life” tab.

TAX COLLECTION

School taxes are collected by the Ontario County Treasurer. Residents not receiving a school tax bill the first week of September should contact the Ontario County Treasurer at (585) 396-4432. Failure to receive a tax bill does not change the obligation to pay school taxes. Residents may view their tax bills and other information at OntarioCountyNY.gov/1612/View-Your-Tax-Bill.

School taxes may be paid by mailing a check or money order to the following location(s). Envelopes must be postmarked with a United States Post Office postmark. All other payments will be deemed paid upon receipt:

Ontario County Treasurer,
20 Ontario St., Canandaigua, NY 14424. 

School taxes may be paid in person, during normal business hours, at any of the following locations:

Ontario County Treasurer,
2nd Floor, 20 Ontario St., Canandaigua, NY 14424.

Community Bank, NA
1334 State Route 96, Phelps, NY 14532.

Community Bank, NA
1 Clifton Plaza, Clifton Springs, NY 14432.

School taxes may be paid at OntarioCountyny.gov/35/Online-Services. All checks must be made payable to the Ontario County Treasurer. Payments should be made in the exact amount of the tax bill and include the tax bill, property tax map number, or property address with your payment on checks. Those needing a receipt should enclose their entire tax bill with their payment and check the receipt box. 

Returned checks will be subject to a processing fee. New York State does not permit any waivers of penalties on real property taxes received after the due date. Neither the Tax Collector nor any other official has the legal authority to waive statutory penalty charges.

VISITING SCHOOL

All visitors are required to report to the Main Office of their school building upon arrival to sign in and obtain a visitor badge. Visitors are also required to sign out at the office when leaving the building. 

Visitations to classrooms for purposes other than routine meetings, volunteering, field trips, and special events require advance permission from the building principal to allow teachers the opportunity to arrange their schedules to accommodate such requests. 

WELLNESS POLICY

The District is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children’s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. 

To that end, the Board of Education has adopted the District Wellness Policy (Board of Education Policy #5661), which addresses nutritional standards of foods and beverages sold on school grounds, physical education, recess, nutrition and health education, and staff wellness.