Category: Informational

In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, it is the policy of the Wakefield-Marenisco School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender, age, disability, height, weight, or marital status be illegally excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination during any program, activity or service or in employment.

In accordance with Federal regulations, Wakefield-Marenisco District has appointed Superintendent Catherine Shamion as the Title VI, Title IX, Section 504/ADA, and Age Discrimination Coordinator. Any questions, suggestions or complaints regarding a possible or perceived violation of this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to this administrator, who is responsible for administering the nondiscrimination grievance procedure.

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

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education record within 45 days of the day the District receives a request to access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the administrator a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school official 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 educational records that the parent or eligible students believe are inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the district to amend a record they believe is inaccurate. They should write the Superintendent, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the District decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the amendment requested. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of a 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 FERPA authorizes 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 personnel); a person serving on the Board of Education; a person or company with whom the school 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 school official, in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the District discloses educational records without consent to an official 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 school district to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Complaints may be filed at:
   Family Office Complaince Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20201-4605

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that the Wakefield-Marenisco School District, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, the Wakefield-Marenisco School District may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the District in writing to the contrary. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Wakefield-Marenisco School District to include this type of information from your child’s educational records in certain school publications. Examples include:

• a playbill or program, showing your student’s role in a drama production or concert
• the annual yearbook
• honor roll or other recognition lists
• graduation programs
• and sports activity sheets, such as for football, showing weight and height of 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, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks.

In addition, two federal laws require school districts receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories—names, addresses and telephone listings—unless parents have advised the school district in writing that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. If you do not want the Wakefield-Marenisco School District to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without prior written consent, you must notify the Superintendent in writing by October 30, 2015.

The Wakefield-Marenisco School District has designated the following information as directory information:

• a student’s name
• address
• telephone listing
• picture
• major field of study
• date and place of birth
• participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• weight and height of members of athletic teams
• dates of attendance
• degrees and awards received
• most previous school attended

Any student in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade may enroll in a postsecondary (dual) enrollment program providing he/she meets the requirements established by law and by the Wakefield-Marenisco School District. Any interested student should contact Mr. Mark Lane, W-M guidance counselor, to obtain the necessary information.

The Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC) requires that a student earn credits in specific subject areas in order to graduate from high school. Credits are earned when the student demonstrates competencies in content expectations in the given subject areas. The law allows certain modifications of these credits and/or expectations through the development of a Personal Curriculum (PC). The Wakefield-Marenisco Personal Curriculum Committee will meet to determine eligibility on an individual student basis. All PC’s will be subject to approval by the Wakefield-Marenisco superintendent.

The W-M Board of Education may award a diploma to students successfully completing a PC. However, each variance from the MMC must be considered individually. The MMC requires the student to earn credits in certain subject areas in order to earn a Michigan diploma. The student must demonstrate competencies in core subject areas.

Modifications to the MMC via the PC may limit the student’s ability to:

• be admitted to college
• be eligible for college scholarships
• enter trade school
• secure a job in a career choice
• be eligible for NCAA athletic programs.

If a student does not fulfill the approved Personal Curriculum, the PC is null and void and the student is obligated to make up the class(es) that were waived or varied from the MMC by the Personal Curriculum in order to be eligible to graduate.

The PC may be requested by a parent, legal guardian or a student who has adult status. Upon request for a PC, the PC committee will meet to determine eligibility for a PC. If eligible, the PC team writes the PC with the student and the parent, using the student’s Educational Development Plan (EDP) and IEP (if applicable). The PC is then agreed to in writing by the student, parent, and superintendent. Progress is monitored quarterly by parents with each teacher of a modified curricular area.