• Equal Opportunity at Valley Park School District:

    The Valley Park School District (VPSD) is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals. For that reason, the district will not discriminate against individuals in employment practices and educational programs. School districts throughout the U.S. receive funds from the Federal Government in varying amounts. The government requires that the recipient abide by certain rules and regulations.

    Sex discrimination in federally assisted educational programs is prohibited by Title IX of the Education Program of 1972. The VPSD will not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs, activities and employment practices.

    The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states that no institution receiving federal funds can discriminate against handicapped persons. The VPSD does not discriminate against handicapped persons in its programs, activities and employment practices.

    Inquiries by persons concerning the protection against discrimination should be directed to:

    Dr. Tim Dilg
    Superintendent of Schools
    Valley Park School District
    One Main Street
    Valley Park, MO 63088
    Phone: (636) 923-3695

    The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 states that parents have the right to review educational records of their children. When a student reaches the age of 18, the rights become those of the student, with certain exceptions. A hearing may be requested by the parents to challenge the content of such records and parents must give written consent for the release of information from the record.

    School principals are responsible for maintaining the privacy and security of student records.

    FERPA Notice - Your Rights:

    The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords to parents/guardians of students, and to students themselves who are over 18 years of age (“eligible student”), certain rights with respect to the student’s education records maintained by the Valley Park School District. These rights are outlined below:
    1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the district receives a written request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The principal 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 education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the district to amend a record they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the Superintendent of Schools clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the 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 includes a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, counselor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the district’s school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist; or a parent, student or other person serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee or assisting another 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 in order to fulfill his or her responsibilities for the district. The Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (VICC) and its officers, employees and agents are also school officials with legitimate educational interests, because they act for and on behalf of the district with respect to transfer students and the transfer program, and because they seek to advance the interests of both. A transfer student’s attendance records and other educational records relevant to the student’s participation in the program or to the program itself may accordingly be disclosed to VICC without obtaining written consent from the parent/guardian or eligible student. Upon request, the district also discloses education records without consent to officials of a 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 district to comply with the requirement of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office, U. S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20202-4605.

    Legal Notice: Students' Records

    The Valley Park School District, pursuant to the U.S. General Education Provisions Act, declares (Board of Education Policy JO) the following as “Student Directory Information” (information contained in an education record of a student that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed), as provided in said act, that information relating to students may be made public, without first obtaining consent of a parent or eligible student, if said information is in any of the following categories:
    Students in kindergarten through high school:
    • student’s name;
    • parents’ names;
    • address;
    • telephone number;
    • e-mail address and the parents’ addresses,
    telephone numbers and e-mail addresses;
    • date of birth;
    • grade level;
    • enrollment status (full-time or part-time);
    • participation in district-sponsored or district-
    recognized activities and sports;
    • student identification # or user ID;
    • weight and height of members of athletic teams;
    • dates of attendance;
    • degrees, honors, awards received;
    • artwork or coursework displayed by the district;
    • school or school districts previously attended; and
    • photographs, video tapes, digital images and
    recorded sound, unless such records would be
    considered harmful or an invasion of privacy.
    This public notice is required by law before such information can be placed in the yearbook, student directories, or other student publications. “Student Directory Information” can be released in accordance to the Sunshine Law, unless parents request it not be released.
    By notifying the building principal, parents may indicate their desire that some or none of the above, listed information be released without their consent, provided that such notification is given to the district within thirty (30) days of this publication notice.
    The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 states that parents have the right to review educational records of their children. When a student reaches the age of eighteen (18), the rights become those of the student, with certain exceptions. A hearing may be requested by the parents to challenge the content of such records and parents must give written consent for the release of information from the record.
    School principals are responsible for maintaining the privacy and security of student records.
    Student health information shall be protected from unauthorized, illegal or inappropriate disclosure by adherence to the principles of confidentiality and privacy.

    Public Notice: Students with Disabilities Compliance:

    All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency regardless of the severity of the disability, including children attending private schools, highly mobile children such as migrant and homeless children and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though they are advancing from grade to grade.

    The Special School District of St. Louis County in partnership with Component Districts assures that a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is provided to all students with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 under its jurisdiction. Disabilities include: autism; deaf/blindness; emotional disorders; hearing impairment and deafness; mental retardation; multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment; other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech and language impairment, traumatic brain injury; visual impairment/blindness; and a young child with a developmental delay.

    The Special School District in partnership with the Component Districts assures that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri’s First Steps Program.

    The Special School District in partnership with the Component Districts assures that personally identifiable information collected, used or maintained by the agency for the purposes of identification, evaluation, placement or provision of FAPE of children with disabilities may be inspected and/or reviewed by their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians may request amendment to the educational record if the parent/guardian believes the record is inaccurate/ misleading, or violates the privacy or other rights of their child. Parents have the right to file complaints with the U. S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the District to meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

    The Special School District has developed a Local Compliance Plan for implementation of State regulations for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This Plan contains the agency’s policies and procedures regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention and destruction of personally identifiable information and the agency’s assurances that services are provided in compliance with General Education Provision Act (GEPA). This Plan is available for public review during regular school hours on days school is in session in the office of the Superintendent of Schools.

    Local school districts in the State of Missouri are required to conduct an annual census of all children with disabilities or suspected disabilities from birth through age twenty-one (21) who reside in the District. This census must be compiled by December 1 each year. This information is treated as confidential and must include: name of child, parent/legal guardian’s name/address; birth date and age of the child; the child’s disability and services provided to the child.

    This notice can be provided in native languages as appropriate.