Annual Notices

Asbestos: In accordance with the EPA Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, the Bedford Central School District has in-place an asbestos management plan to identify and manage asbestos building materials. Information regarding required inspections, asbestos related building projects or general review is available in each building and in the district business office. For more information or questions, contact the Buildings and Grounds Office via email at drankin4839@bcsdny.org.

Pesticides: Pesticide products may be used periodically throughout the school year. At the beginning of the school year, we are required to maintain a list of parents, guardians and staff who request to receive 48 hour written advanced notice of an actual pesticide application. If you wish to receive such notification of pesticide applications scheduled to occur in your school, please contact the Buildings and Grounds Office via email at drankin4839@bcsdny.org.

The Board of Education recognizes an important relationship between class attendance and student performance. Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. A student's final grade may be based on, but not limited to, classroom participation, as well as, performance on homework, tests, papers and projects. Consequently, consistent with the importance of classroom participation, unexcused ATEDs (Absence, Tardy, and/or Early Dismissal) may affect a student's class participation grade.

At the elementary and secondary school levels, after 10 days of ATEDs, parents will be contacted by letter notifying them of the impact that ATEDs have on the student's educational development and the disruption to classroom routines. A copy of the letter will be placed in the student's file. After written notification has been sent to parents, if the situation persists, parents will be contacted to meet with the principal or his/her designee to further discuss the issue.

High School Grading as it Relates to Attendance:
At the high school level with more than 7 accumulated absences for one-half year course or 14 accumulated absences for a full year course (except for one credit science courses, absences may not exceed 18), students will not receive credit for that course. School assigned activities are not accumulated absences for the purpose of receiving credit.

Excused, Unexcused Absences and Re-Assigned Activities:
All excused ATEDs require written parental explanation and are defined as Absences, Tardiness, and Early Departures from class or school due to personal illness, illness or death in the family, religious observance, quarantine, required court appearances, school emergency medical treatments or other special health related services.  All other ATEDs (e.g., class cuts, extended vacations, undocumented absences and tardiness, unapproved early leaves) are considered unexcused absences.

School re-assigned activities are the only absences excused and not accumulated. School re-assigned activities include: homebound instruction, field trips, music rotational, school-wide testing, student Government meetings and activities, suspension, sport sectionals, state competitions, and verified college visitations for seniors.

All ATEDs must be accounted for in the attendance record. Students who are unable to attend school or a class on a given day due to their participation in a school-sponsored activity (i.e., music lessons, field trips), may arrange with their teachers to make up any work missed. This also applies to any student who is absent, tardy or leaves early from school or class due to illness or any other excused reason. All students with an excused ATED are expected upon their return to consult with teachers for missed work.

Students with excused ATEDs will be given the opportunity to make up a test or other missed work and/or turn in a late assignment for inclusion in their final grade. Make-up opportunities must be completed by a date specified by the student’s teacher for the class in question.

Disciplinary Consequences:
Unexcused ATEDs will result in disciplinary action consistent with the District's code of conduct and student handbooks. Those penalties may include detention or in-school suspension. Students may also be denied the privilege of participating in or attending extracurricular events.
 

Click to view the Comprehensive Student Attendance Policy #7110

The Board of Education meets on Wednesday evenings, about every 3 weeks during the school year and more often in the month of  March, when the budget is being developed for the next school year . The dates of these meetings are noted on the District’s calendar on the website. Any additional meetings that may be scheduled will also be posted on the District’s website. All meetings of the Board are open to the public, including committee meetings. Meetings generally begin at 7pm. Meeting agendas, information and minutes are available on BOARDDOCS. The link for which is accessible from the District’s home page.

The abuse or maltreatment of children is against the law. Victims need an effective child protective service to prevent them from suffering further injury and impairment. 

The purpose of the Child Protective Services Act of 1973 is to encourage more complete reporting of child abuse and maltreatment. The law established child protective services (CPS) in each county in New York. Each CPS is required to investigate child abuse and maltreatment reports, to protect children (anyone under 18 years old) from further abuse or maltreatment, and to provide rehabilitative services to children, parents, and other family members involved.

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services maintains the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR, also known as the “hotline”) for reports made pursuant to the Social Services Law.

The SCR receives telephone calls alleging child abuse or maltreatment within New York State. SCR staff relay information from the calls to the local CPS for investigation, monitors their prompt response, and identifies whether there are prior child abuse or maltreatment reports.

The SCR receives calls 24 hours a day, every day from two types of sources: mandated and non-mandated reporters. Mandated reporters are persons who are required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment (mandated reporters include medical and hospital personnel, school officials, social service workers, child care workers, residential care workers and volunteers, law enforcement personnel). 

Voluntary, or non mandated reporters can make a difference.

Non-mandated, or voluntary reporters, such as neighbors, relatives and other concerned members of the public, may also report suspected abuse:

If you believe that a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department.

If you suspect a child has been harmed or is at risk, please dial 1-800-342-3720, to report what you have seen or heard.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call TDD/TTY at 1-800-638-5163 OR have your Video Relay System provider call 1-800-342-3720. 

For more information: 

NYS Office for Child Safety Website: https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cps/  

Brochure: “Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse & Neglect - Questions often asked by friends, neighbors, and relatives”

The Board of Education intends to foster a culture and practice of civility in all school and school-related settings, communications, and operations. Informed debate, healthy dialogue, disagreements, and informed public opinion are to be expected and are accepted forms of interaction in a democratic society. However, disruptive, volatile, hostile, aggressive, mean-spirited, and maligning communications or actions are not part of that culture and practice, nor are other forms of inappropriate interactions. Common norms and protocols for civil discourse and action and compliance with public meeting laws are to be expected.

Purpose:
It is the intent of the Board of Education to foster mutual respect, civility, and orderly conduct of district employees, contracted personnel, those serving in an official school district capacity, students, parents, and the public. While protecting the right to freedom of expression, the intent of the policy is to maintain, to the greatest extent reasonably possible, a safe, harassment-free civil workplace and to maintain civil communications and interactions.

Expectations:
Bedford Central School District employees, contracted personnel, and all others serving in an official school district capacity, including but not limited to members of the Board of Education and student representatives to the Board of Education and any of its committees, are expected to treat everyone, including but not limited to students, parents, visitors, other staff members, and members of the public with courtesy, civility, and respect. 

Adopted by the Board of Education on February 28, 2018
Amended November 18, 2020

Click to view the Civility Policy #3413

We believe that each student has the right to learn in a secure environment where educational excellence and social cooperation are valued and where distractions and disturbances are minimized. In our efforts to foster a climate where students can maximize their potential, social adaptation and social appropriateness need to be nurtured. Students are entitled to pursue their education in an atmosphere that is safe and conducive to learning - free from bias, bullying, discrimination, intimidation and any form of harassment or threat. The Code of Conduct includes the requirements of the Dignity for All Students Act. To this end, the District condemns and strictly prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment - including bullying, taunting, hazing or intimidation, against students by students and/or employees that are based on a student’s actual or perceived race, weight, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious practices, mental or physical abilities, sex, sexual orientation and/or gender identity on school property, including but not limited to school buses, school functions (which means school-sponsored, extracurricular events or activities) off-school property/campus when it interfers with or distrupts the educational process or school funcion.

If we expect requirements for conduct and social behavior to help foster learning, the formal and consistent application of the basic rules and their consequences is necessary. It is necessary that each student, parent, and staff member thoroughly understand these basic rules and consequences, and that each member of the Bedford community make a strong personal commitment to the fulfillment of these goals.

In order to help implement the philosophy, the Board of Education has adopted the Bedford Central School District’s Code of Conduct. Please review all aspects of this document with your child. The link is: Code of Conduct

Click to view the Dignity Act Policy #7550.

For more information and related DASA forms, please click here.

Bedford Central School District may compile and disclose student directory information to third parties unless a parent requests in writing that the information not be disclosed. Directory Information includes a student's name, address, phone number, school issued student email address, date and place of birth, major course of study, participation in school activities or sports, weight and height of a member of an athletic team, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, most recent school attended, class schedule, photograph, and class roster. A third party may include, but is not limited to, a branch of the military, colleges, universities, business associations, parent/teacher organizations and individual citizens. The release of this information is subject to a parent's request that the information not be disclosed. If a parent or guardian wishes to prevent their child's directory information from being released to the military and other third parties, they should send an opt-out letter by September 30, 2024 to Stacey Haynsworth, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services in the Administration Building on the Fox Lane Campus stating that the directory information is not to be disclosed. Please be sure to include the child's full name and address. This process must be done annually. Unless allowed by law, the school district will not disclose personally identifiable student information.

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This opt-out process applies only to student directory information held and maintained by the District. Parent groups and other organizations may collect student and parent information which may be published in a directory. This opt out does not apply to these groups. If you do not want to have your child’s information in a school directory or other publication produced by a non-district organization, you must contact those organizations directly.

The Superintendent of Schools, principals, and other administrators will send school and District information via telephone, email and text to notify families about important school events, important timely information and District news. Please review these for information that you may need to know. Telephone notifications will contain important timely information. Please be sure we have your correct phone number and email address.

During the year it is necessary to delay, dismiss early or close school because of inclement weather or for other reasons. Listed below are the procedures that have been established for closing school, delaying the opening of school or dismissing school early. 

School Closing, Delays & Early Dismissal:
We utilize our emergency messaging system to contact parents in the event of school closings, delayed openings, early dismissals, and other emergencies. Parents must provide updated contact information to their child's school each year. In addition, any important message, including those about changes to the school day, will be on the District's main number (241-6000), on the District's home page www.bcsdny.org, and it will be on the radio and TV stations as close to 6am as possible.

Delayed Opening:
If school opening is delayed, the announcement will include the length of the delay. Check for updates as changes may occur.

The length of the delay will apply to all bus runs scheduled throughout the school district for both public and non-public school students. For instance, a two-hour delay will mean all buses will run two hours later.

Dismissals on days of delayed opening will be at regular times unless noted otherwise.

Emergency Dismissal:
When it is necessary to dismiss school early, texts and emails will be sent via Parent Square to contact parents and, in addition, the announcement will be made on radio stations and added to the website.  All afterschool and evening activities will also be cancelled. No late buses or activity buses will run. Parents/guardians, please be sure to update the form annually that lists the name of the individual who will be responsible for the child in the event school closes early. Please consider how the information will be used when completing the card.

Please check the website and listen to the radio stations for all of this information, but do not call the stations. Their lines will be busy receiving correct information and need to be kept clear.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972:
The Bedford Central School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin in the employment and educational opportunities it offers, including vocational educational opportunities. Also, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Bedford Central School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the educational programs or activities which it provides, including vocational programs, counseling services for students, access by students to educational programs, course offerings, textbooks, and student activities. The individuals responsible for the coordination of activities relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of sex are Marci Tiggs, Director of Human Resources, and Stacey Haynsworth, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services. Either Ms. Tiggs or Ms. Haynsworth will provide information, including information on complaint procedures, to any student or employee who feels that their rights under Title IX may have been violated by the District or its officials. Ms. Tiggs and Ms. Haynsworth's offices are in the Administration Building on the Fox Lane Campus. Ms. Tiggs can be reached at 914-241-6014 and Ms. Haynsworth can be reached at 914-241-6022. In addition, any student or employee may make an inquiry or complaint directly to the Federal Office for Civil Rights. A grievance procedure is available to the public; interested persons should contact either Ms. Tiggs or Ms. Haynsworth.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:
The Bedford Central School District hereby gives notice that it does not discriminate on the basis of disability as prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. The District further gives notice that it does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to its programs and/or activities, including vocational education programs, and that no qualified individual with a disability will be denied an employment opportunity on the basis of such disability. Inquiries concerning this policy may be referred to Stacey Haynsworth, who also serves as the Section 504 Coordinator. Her office is in the Administration Building on the Fox Lane campus. She can be reached at 914-241-6022. A grievance procedure is available to the public; interested persons should contact Ms. Haynsworth.
 

Click to view the Title IX Policy #3421.
Click to view the Equal Education Opportunity Policy #8130.

All students are provided with health services under state requirements. A medical examination is required when a child enters school and routinely at grades Pre-K, Kindergarten 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Students referred to the Committee on Special Education must have a physical within one year of their initial meeting. Students participating in the interscholastic sports program must have an updated physical within the last year. The family physician should perform the examination because of their more specialized knowledge of the student and their family history. In special situations, the school physician is available to perform physical examinations. Forms are available at the school health offices.

Each parent is requested at the beginning of the school year to make sure their emergency information is up to date and make the necessary changes by contacting, Kristine Connor, District Registrar at kconnor5136@bcsdny.org or Katy Mooney, Office Assistant/Spanish Speaking at kmooney4932@bcsdny.org.

Record of immunization is mandated by New York State law and requires that all children entering school should be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and varicella. Students entering Pre-K must have at least one dose of HIB and at least one dose of PCV (pneumococcal). Children transferring within New York State shall be admitted to school for fourteen days to allow sufficient time to obtain immunizations. If not received, they will be excluded until proper immunization is received.

Students transferring from out-of-state or country are allowed 30 calendar days to obtain immunizations. If not received, they will then be excluded. Every effort will be made to assist students and their families to meet mandated requirements.

HEALTH SERVICES

• One dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine will be required for entry into grade 7.
• A total of two doses of MenACWY vaccine, administered a minimum of 8 weeks apart, will be required for entry into grade 12. The second dose must be administered no sooner than 16 years of age. However, if the first dose of MenACWY vaccine was received at 16 years of age or older, then a second dose will not be required. The NYS school immunization requirements allow for a grace period of up to 4 days before the 16th birthday. Serological evidence of immunity to meningococcal disease will not meet the meningococcal vaccine requirement for school in NYS.

School Medication Administration Policy:
As outlined in the Nurse Practice Act and in the provisions of the New York State Education Law, school nurses and other school personnel are not allowed to routinely dispense any medications in school. Students, as well as school personnel, cannot even be given aspirin tablets or cough drops. However, there may be times when it is necessary for a student to be given medication during school hours. If so, the following requirements must be met:

A. The parent and the physician must complete a two-part medication form. This form is available
     from the school nurse. No medication can be given unless this form is completed and on file in the
     school health office.

B. The parent must deliver the prescribed medication to the health office. It must be in the original
     container with attached label as purchased from the pharmacy. No student is to bring any
     medication into school at any time, nor should they self-medicate.

C.  When medication is no longer given to a student during school hours, the unused supply of
     medication and its container will be destroyed unless claimed by the parent.

If your child has special health needs, it is essential that you contact the school nurse. This information can guide school personnel in proper health counseling and program modification. The school district health services follow the Department of Health guidelines with regard to contagious/ communicable diseases, pediculosis infestation and special diseases or illnesses. Children who have suffered from injuries or special illnesses are required to submit medical documentation to participate in regular school activities, including physical education classes and interscholastic programs. Students confined to their homes for documented medical reasons are entitled to home tutoring. The school principal may be contacted for information.

Please click on the following link to be taken directly to the Health Office page: Student Health Services/School Nurses

To be eligible for kindergarten, a child must have reached five years of age by December 1 of the year they are to enter school. Registration for Kindergarten is available through our district website beginning in January. When registering for school, a parent must provide proof of birth, physical exam, immunization record, parent identification and two proofs of district residency. The law requires that all children entering school be adequately immunized against Rubella (German measles), Polio, Mumps, Diphtheria and Tetanus and Pertussis, regular Measles, Hepatitis B and Varicella. If the student has not turned 5 by the 1st day of school, they need the Hib vaccine. For more information, please call Kristine Connor, District Registrar, at 914-241-6107 or Katy Mooney, Office Assistant/Spanish Speaking, at 914-241-6005.

Click to view the Entitlement to Attend Policy #7130
Click to view the Age of Entrance Policy #7120

Parent conferences are scheduled twice during the school year in October and March. The October conferences are an opportunity for teachers and parents to share information about the student early in the school year. The March conference dates are scheduled for elementary parents only and allow for report card progress information to be shared and discussed. Elementary report cards are accessible through the parent portal at the end of each marking period in December, March and June.

At the middle and high school level, report cards and teacher comments provide a rating of the student’s achievement compared to their ability – in all levels. Close contact between school and home is encouraged, and conferences may be scheduled at the request of either the parent or the teacher. Report cards are accessible through ParentVue at the end of each marking period in November, January, April and June. Parents and guardians should note that conferences may be scheduled at their request at other times during the school year. Parents/guardians with questions about their child’s progress in school, should direct their questions first to the classroom teacher, then to their child’s guidance counselor or school principal. Faculty members who have direct instructional contact with your child are usually best able to answer questions or address concerns.

Parents are advised that if students bring personal property to school, it is at their own risk.

Bedford Central School District may use individual photographs of students attending our schools in any of several different District publications throughout the year. These publications include, but not limited to, the District website, newsletters, BOCES, BCSD-TV and press releases to local media. Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents may elect to exclude the publication of their child's individual photograph from being used in school publications and media outlets. If you wish to prevent your child's individual image from being used in this manner, please send an opt-out letter by September 30, 2024 to Stacey Haynsworth, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services in the Administration Building on the Fox Lane Campus stating that individual photographs are not to be used by any Bedford Central School District or any media outlet. Please be sure to include your child's full name, address and school of attendance. This process must be done annually.

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If you choose to opt your child(ren) out of photographs, please understand this goes for everything, including but not limited to yearbooks.

Our district policy provides transportation for all resident pupils living more than one-half mile from their school. It is a privilege to ride the school bus. The Assistant Superintendent for Business, Mr. Thomas Cole oversees the pupil transportation programs. For assistance, call 914-241-6001, 914-241-6008 or 914-241-6174. Please discuss the following safety rules with your children.

The bus driver is in charge of the bus. Follow the driver’s instructions.

1.  Arrive at your bus stop 5 minutes early.
2.  Wait for your bus in a safe place away from the road. Respect the property around your stop.
3.  Always cross 10 feet in front of the bus. Look both ways before crossing the street. Follow the bus driver's   directions when crossing the street. Walk while crossing the road.
4.  Do not push on or near the bus. Do not run to or from the bus.
5.  Always remain seated while riding the school bus. Don’t yell or make loud noises. It may be distracting to the   driver and cause a hazard.
6.  Students are encouraged to wear seat belts.
7.  Do not eat, drink, or litter on the bus.
8.  Do not put any part of your body out the window. This is dangerous.
9.  Never throw anything out of the bus windows.
10.  Participate in the emergency bus drills throughout the year. Follow these procedures when necessary.
     

Please instruct your children to be very alert to traffic as they get on and off the bus. Even though your child may follow all the safety rules, a motorist may pass a stopped school bus. Your children’s awareness of traffic may prevent a serious situation.

Behavior Problems on the Bus
Conduct reports are filed by the bus drivers for students that violate safety procedures while riding the bus. Conduct reports are referred to the school principal. Because misconduct on the school bus creates a serious safety hazard by distracting the driver, students who misbehave on the bus may lose their riding privileges. To maximize safety for all passengers, please encourage your children to behave on the bus as they would in school. Cameras are on each bus to help monitor and enforce bus safety rules.

Established Bus Routes and Stops
Students are expected to use the stops and routes assigned to them. Students will be picked up and dropped off at their assigned stops only. A written request to use a different stop or route must be submitted to the school, signed by a parent/guardian and approved by the principal. Students are not permitted to walk or ride a different bus without written permission. We cannot honor telephone requests to change a child's bus.

For Our Kindergarten Riders and Parents
Our bus drivers have been instructed that it is NOT our practice to let kindergarten students off of the school bus unless there is an adult to meet them. If your kindergarten student is permitted to be met by an older sibling or neighbor who is aged 6th grade or older, we will need written permission stating this. Drivers shall not release students to persons not recognized by the driver or not listed as emergency contact with your school. Kindergarten students that are not met at the stop as required will be returned to their elementary school office at the end of the bus run.

For our Elementary Parents Grade 1-5
If you would like to request that a student in grades 1-5 be permitted to get off the school bus ONLY if there is an adult to meet them, this request must be sent to the District Transportation Department in writing. Please indicate who is permitted to receive your student and include phone numbers to reach them. If the listed adult is not at the bus stop as specified, the student will be returned to their elementary school office at the end of the bus run.

• If a parent or other approved sibling or adult is not at a bus stop, the bus dispatcher makes one call to the parent. If the parent can’t be reached, the dispatcher will contact the school to give notice they might need to return the student to school. The driver will continue on their bus route and after the route is completed, the driver will go past the student's bus stop again. If no parent or other approved person is there, the driver will return the student to school and the parent will be contacted again.

• When buses are running late or breakdown, the bus company will let the Transportation Department know ASAP. For large buses, it may not be possible to call every parent. We will provide information to any parent that calls the Transportation Department at 914-241-6001.

Please click on the following link to be taken directly to the Transportation Department page: Transportation Department

All schools offer a fresh, hot breakfast daily. Alternate breakfast items are also available, including fresh bagels, cereal, and Stonyfield Organic yogurts. Breakfast at all schools is $1.50. The Elementary Schools offer a featured hot entree daily with the use of white whole muscle chicken, along with a Boar’s Head sandwich selection, daily protein salads, homemade soups seasonally, homemade yogurt parfaits, and bagel/yogurt lunches at a cost of $3.00 per lunch. Middle and High School offerings include two featured hot entrees daily with the use of a white whole muscle chicken, a made to order Boar’s Head deli bar, pizza bar, grill items, homemade soups seasonally, homemade yogurt parfaits, and a made to order salad bar at a cost of $4.00 per lunch. All schools offer whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

MySchoolBucks:
The Bedford Central School District has contracted with MySchoolBucks to offer you the opportunity to manage your children’s school lunch accounts online or via telephone. Although payments to student accounts may still be made by check directly to the school, we encourage you to take advantage of the convenience of this service. Please review the MySchoolBucks system’s features below that are now available to all district parents at www.MySchoolBucks.com.

System Features:

• Pay for your child’s meals from home
• View your child’s account balance
• Schedule automatic payments
• Receive low balance email reminders
• View a report of daily spending
• View the menu of your school’s cafeteria
   

For more detailed information, please go to www.bcsdny.org to see the School Lunch Information.

The District is responsible for providing special education services to children ages 3 through 22 through the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and the Committee on Special Education (CSE). All  processes and procedures for referral and evaluation to the CPSE and CSE are described on the District website under Special Education Services. The Department can be reached at 914-241-6127.

Please click the following link to be taken directly to the Special Education Department page: Special Education Department

Grade Promotion or Advancement: For promotion to the next grade level, all pupils must have demonstrated as determined by the teacher(s) satisfactory progress in, including but not limited to, academic performance, social/emotional growth, speech and language development, and readiness of learning as measured by classroom assignments and assessments, standardized assessments including State of NY assessment and other assessments, and other instruments as determined by the classroom teacher, clinicians, CSE, and/or other educational professionals. 

Student Retention: A Monitoring Committee shall be established to review the progress of any child at risk of being retained. The committee should include, but not be limited to, the Principal, the classroom teacher(s), a clinician, other professionals as appropriate, the parent(s)/guardian. Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will be notified of the committee's review in writing. Recommendation for retention will be made by the Monitoring Committee and the final decision on retention will be made by the Principal in a conference with the parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Such a committee shall also be established when a parent requests grade retention. Students failing to meet attendance requirements may be retained. Parents may appeal a retention decision to the Superintendent of Schools, whose determination shall be final. For students under the Committee on Special Education, the CSE shall act as the Monitoring Committee. Students who appear in danger of second retention may be referred to the Committee for Special Education for evaluation. 

Student Placement: The Bedford Central School District adheres to an “Open Enrollment” Policy for honors, advanced placement, or other advanced courses, which means that students and parents ultimately have a choice as to whether a student enrolls in a particular class or not, provided the students meets any specific coursework prerequisites for the course. Course prerequisites for all honors, advanced placement, and other advanced courses shall be clearly listed in the course curriculum/syllabus. Information which may help guide a conversation between a student, parent, counselor, and/or teacher about whether a particular course is right for the student may include, but not be limited to, performance in previous related coursework, the student’s previous work habits, the student’s previous classes taken, teacher recommendation, and/or other factors. However, ultimately, if a student meets coursework prerequisites, the student may enroll in the course in question.

Click to review Student Evaluation, Promotion, and Placement Policy #7210

The U.S. Department of Education's regulations under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), commonly known as the Buckley Amendment, give parents the right to inspect and review their child's education records (including any student data stored and maintained by the District), seek amendments to information in their child's educational records that may be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student's privacy rights, consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent, and file a complaint with the Department of Education for alleged failure of a school to comply with FERPA.

One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A “school official” includes  a person employed by the school or school district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel) or a person serving on the school board.  A school official also may include a volunteer, contractor, or consultant who, while not employed by the school, performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist; a parent or student volunteering to serve on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.  A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if they need to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.

All requests for records should be made to the Pupil Personnel Services Department. All applicable fees and charges are as per BOE policy.

Click to view the Privacy and Security for Students Data and Teacher and Principal Data Policy #5676.

Google Accounts:
Bedford Central School Districts (BCSD) issues email accounts to all of its students, which end in @student.bcsdny.org. These accounts are managed in our custom Google system, called Google Workspace for Education, and are similar to publicly available Gmail accounts with a few key differences as follows:

• Our Technology Department has access to manage student accounts and app privileges.
• These Google accounts are ad free.
• Google does not access data in this system for advertising or other purposes.
• These Google accounts have restrictions and are intended for school-related purposes only.
• These Google accounts may receive and send email only to other bcsdny.org accounts, with one exception: High School students enrolled in Science Research and Engineering courses may be given unlimited email access in order to work with industry mentors. A separate permission slip is sent home to parents for this purpose.
   

For additional information about how Google protects the privacy of Google Workspace for Education Domains, please visit the Google Privacy & Security Website.

BCSD contracts with a third party vendor, Gaggle, to monitor student activity within the Google account for the purpose of keeping all students safe. This includes the monitoring of email conversations as well as the content of documents and pictures stored within the Google account. If inappropriate material is identified, school and district administration will be notified and they will take appropriate action. In extreme circumstances, where the inappropriate material may indicate a potential threat of harm, the contracted vendor has been authorized to contact the police directly as well as notify school and district administration.

Internet Filtering:
All BCSD computers are filtered and use is monitored whether they are being used in our schools or another location. Internet activity is logged, monitored and filtered using products by Lightspeed Systems. All internet activity is monitored for appropriate use.  The filtering restrictions are based on the categorization of website in terms of age-appropriate access.  Access is limited based on the education level of the students - Elementary, Middle School, or High School. Monitoring may include username, device description, websites visited and device location. Inappropriate use is flagged and will be reported to the Principal.