Nondiscrimination Statement
Sheridan County School District #1 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in admission or access to, or treatment of employment in, its educational programs or activities. Inquiries concerning Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and ADA may be referred to Sheridan County School District #1 Superintendent, Jeff Jones, 307-655-9541, PO Box 819, Ranchester, WY 82839.

Annual Public Notice of Non-Discrimination in Career & Technical Education (CTE)
All Career and Technical Education programs follow the system’s policies of nondiscrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, and disability in all programs, services, activities, and employment. In addition, arrangements can be made to ensure that the lack of English language proficiency is not a barrier to admission or participation. Sheridan County School District 1 also does not discriminate in hiring or employment practices.

Title IX Coordinator
District’s Title IX Coordinator is designated and authorized to oversee compliance with all aspects of the District’s Sexual Harassment Policy. Inquiries about the application of Title IX to District may be referred to: 1) the Title IX Coordinator, who may be reached at the District Administration Building, PO Box 819, 1127 Dayton St., Ranchester, WY. 82839, 307-655-9541; or 2) the Assistant Secretary, Office of Civil Rights, 1244 Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, (303) 844-5695, OCR.Denver@ed.gov

Sharing Student Information
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law, requires that Sheridan County School District #1, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, we may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the district to the contrary. We have designated the following information as directory information:

Student’s name
Address
Telephone listing
Grade level
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
Height of members of athletic teams
Degrees, honors, and awards received

The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the school to include this type of information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

A program for a concert or student production
The annual yearbook
Honor roll or other recognition lists
Graduation programs
Sports activity sheets, such as for basketball, showing grade level and height for team members.

Directory information can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, parent organizations, community foundations, and companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies receiving federal assistance to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories – names, addresses, and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the school that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent.

If you do not want SCSD#1 to disclose directory information for your child without your prior written consent, you must notify the district in writing. Should you have questions contact Jeff Jones at the Central Office (655-9541), or send your written communication to Wanda Orchard, Box 819, Ranchester, WY, 82839.

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Information about Staff
The new Federal legislation entitled the No Child Left Behind Act requires each school district to provide parents with information about their child’s teachers. If requested by a parent, our district may disclose the following information about staff members’ qualifications:

Grade level and subject areas in which they are certified
Status of their teaching certification – full, temporary, or provisional
College degrees (bachelors, masters, doctorate) and majors

If you would like to request this information please call or write Jeff Jones, Superintendent, 655-9541, Ext. 1132, Box 819, Ranchester, WY 82839.

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Do You Know The Immunization Law?
Under the Wyoming state law (W.S. 21-4-309) K-12 students are required to be fully immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases as designated by the State Health Officer. An official record of immunization is required to be on file for all students. Wyoming state law allows medical and religious waivers to vaccination and can be obtained from the State or County Health Officer by submitting written evidence of religious objection or medical contraindication to the administration of any vaccine. If you have any questions concerning the requirements contact your personal physician; Suzanne Prior and Kimberley Maurhoff, Big Horn School Nurses, 674-8190; or Emily Lewis, Tongue River School Nurse, 655-2206.

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Crisis Plan
A primary responsibility of public schools is to provide a safe and secure environment for students, employees, and the public. Sheridan County School District #1 has clearly defined policies and procedures for responding to situations that threaten the health, safety, and welfare of students, staff, and community members using our facilities. The district crisis plan includes written procedures for taking action and communicating with local law enforcement agencies, community emergency services, parents, students, and media in the event of a crisis. Click here to view the Sheridan County School District #1 Crisis Plan.

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Unsafe School Choice Option
The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, at Title IX, Section 9532, entitled “Unsafe School Choice Option,” requires each state receiving funds under the Act to establish and implement a policy requiring that a student attending a persistently dangerous public elementary school or secondary school, be allowed to attend a safe public elementary or secondary school within the local educational agency.

A Wyoming public school is considered to be persistently dangerous if the following condition exists:

In any two consecutive years, the school has experienced expulsions (as defined by the Wyoming State Education Code) for drug, alcohol, weapons, or violence that exceed an expulsion rate of 2% per year of the student body or four students, whichever is higher, as figured from the most current available year’s enrollment. For the purpose of this definition, a “violent criminal offense” shall mean homicide, rape, robbery, and/or aggravated assault (as defined by Wyoming Violent Index Offenses).

Persistently dangerous schools will be identified based on school safety data such as the types and occurrences of violent criminal acts in public elementary schools or secondary schools. Schools at risk of being identified as persistently dangerous will be monitored in an effort to address and correct those areas posing risks within the schools. Parents of students attending schools identified as persistently dangerous will be provided notice of the school status and of the option of allowing their children to transfer to a safe public school.

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act of 2001
Each State Educational Agency shall ensure that each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including public preschool education, as provided to other children and youth.” (Title X, Part C, § 721(1))

The McKinney-Vento program is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Homeless children and youth should have access to educational and other services that they need to meet the same Wyoming State Standards and Assessments to which all students are held. States and local education agencies are required to review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youth. For more information, contact Michele Fritz, At-Risk Coordinator, at 655-2206, Ext. 1129.

McKinney-Vento Referral Form

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Equal Educational Opportunities
The Sheridan County School District #1 Board of Trustees believes that discrimination has no place in public education. Schools should be open to all who wish to enjoy their benefits. This right should not be curtailed because a student possesses characteristics, which do not conform to majority patterns. In accordance with the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), the district will assure equal access and participation of all students regardless of gender, color, race, disability, national origin, or age, and will remove barriers to learning that would limit participation in educational activities. The district shall also be responsible for providing materials and equipment to assure equal access.

REF: Policies IGB, IGBA, IGBFA, IGBG, IGBJ, IHBC,
20 U.S.C. 794, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504
20 U.S.C. 1401, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
20 U.S.C. 1681, Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX
20 U.S.C. 1703, Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972
20 U.S.C. 2000, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Titles VI and VII
42 U.S.C. 12101, et seq., Americans with Disabilities Act

Sheridan County Schools #1