Annual Notifications
Annual Notifications
Educational Rights and Reports
-
When a child under the age of seven is enrolled in kindergarten or a higher grade at Holdingford Public Schools, the school district must provide the parent or guardian who enrolls the pupil with a written explanation that the pupil is subject to the compulsory attendance provisions of Minn. Stat. 120A.22 and Minn. Stat. 120A.34, unless the board of the district in which the pupil is enrolled has a policy that exempts children under seven. Holdingford Public Schools has no such policy. Minn. Stat. 120A.22, Subd. 6.
-
School districts must notify parents and students of the e-learning day plan at the beginning of the school year. Our plan can be found by clicking here. Minn. Stat. 120A.414
-
The school district shall provide notice to parents “of a limited English proficient student” identified for participation or participating in language instruction program no later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year. This notice shall include the information required under 20 U.S.C. 6312(g)
-
Each school shall jointly develop with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy. Parents shall be notified of the policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language the parents can understand. The policy shall be made available to the local community and updated periodically to meet the changing needs of parents and the school. 20 U.S.C. 6318(b)
-
A school board may charge fees for textbooks, workbooks, and library books lost or destroyed by students. The board must annually notify parents or guardians and students about its policy to charge a fee under this paragraph. Minn. Stat. 123B.37, sub. 1(b)
-
Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online. Each participating college or university sets its own admissions requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses. Eleventh and 12th-grade students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th graders are eligible to enroll in PSEO on a more limited basis (see note below). Students must meet the PSEO residency and eligibility requirements and abide by participation limits specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. If a school district determines a pupil is not on track to graduate, she/he may continue to participate in PSEO on a term by term basis.
By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the date a student registers for courses for the following school year (whichever is earlier), schools must provide PSEO information to all students in grades 8-11 and their families. To assist the district in planning, a student must inform the district by May 30 of each year of their intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following school year.
There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books or fees for items that are required to participate in a course; however, students may incur fees for equipment that becomes their property when the course or program is completed, textbooks that are not returned to the postsecondary institution according to their policies, or for tuition costs if they do not notify the district by May 30 and the district does not waive this date requirement.
Funds are available to help pay transportation expenses for qualifying students to participate in PSEO courses on college campuses. For more information on these funds, access the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement Program Instructions.
Enrolling in a PSEO course does not prohibit a student from participating in activities sponsored by the high school.
School districts must allow a PSEO student reasonable access to the high school building, computers and/or other technology resources during regular school hours to participate in PSEO courses, whether on-line or on campus.
Each year, districts must publish their grade-weighting policy on their website, including a list of courses for which students can earn weighted grades.
All courses taken through the PSEO program must meet graduation requirements. Districts must transcript credits earned in PSEO by a ratio prescribed in statute. Districts have the authority to decide which subject area and standards the PSEO course meets. If there is a dispute between the district and the student regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the student may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits will be final.
Postsecondary institutions are required to allow PSEO students to enroll in online courses consistent with the institution’s policy regarding postsecondary student enrollment in online courses.
Tenth-grade students may initially enroll in one Career and Technical Education (CTE) PSEO course if they receive a reading proficiency score of “meets” or “exceeds” on the 8th grade MCA. If 10th graders taking a CTE PSEO course earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional postsecondary courses. If the student did not take the MCA in 8th-grade, another reading assessment accepted by the enrolling postsecondary institution can be substituted. For students with disabilities, there is an alternative option to demonstrate reading proficiency.
For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.
-
The purpose of the Achievement and Integration (A&I) for Minnesota program is to pursue racial and economic integration, increase student achievement, create equitable educational opportunities, and reduce academic disparities based on students' diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds in Minnesota public schools.
-
To understand Holdingford Public Schools' response to the Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR) legislation, it is important to examine the mission, vision, and goals outlined in the district's strategic plan. The strategic plan serves as the foundation for defining student readiness and broadens the definition of success beyond academic achievement to include essential skills such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.
District Operations, Nutrition, and Environmental Health
-
A school board annually must notify the public of its revenue, expenditures, fund balances, and other relevant budget information. The board must post the materials in a conspicuous place on the district's official website, including a link to the district's school report card on the Department of Education's website, and publish a summary of the information and the address of the district's official website where the information can be found in a qualified newspaper of general circulation in the district. Minn. Stat. 123B.10
All district financial information can be found on the Holdingford Public School Finance Webpage
-
A school district or charter school must send parents an annual notice that includes the district’s or charter school’s annual testing and remediation plan, information about how to find test results, and a description of the of remediation efforts on the district website. The district or charter school must update the lead testing and remediation information on its website at least annually.
In addition to the annual notice, the district or charter school must include in an official school handbook or official school policy guide information on how parents may find the test results and a description of remediation efforts on the district or charter school website and how that information is updated.
If a test conducted reveals the presence of lead at or above five parts per billion, the school district or charter school must, within 30 days of receiving the test result, either remediate the presence of lead to below five parts per billion, verified by retest, or directly notify parents of the test result.
A district or charter school’s plan to accurately and efficiently test for the presence of lead in water must be publicly available upon request. Minn. Stat. 121A.335
District Lead in Water Testing Policy
-
A school that plans to apply a pesticide that is a toxicity category I, II, or III pesticide product, as classified by the EPA, or a restricted use pesticide, as designated under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, on school property, must provide a notice to parents and employees that it applies such pesticides. In addition, districts required to give notice shall include in an official school handbook or official school policy guide a section informing parents that an estimated schedule of applications of pesticides is available for review or copying at the school offices, and that a parent may receive prior notice of each application if specifically requested. Minn. Stat. 121A.30
-
A school district that has tested its school buildings for the presence of radon shall report the results of its tests to the Department of Health in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner of health and report the results at a school board meeting. Minn. Stat. 123B.571, sub. 3.
-
A school district must post its current school wellness policy on its website. Minn. Stat. 121A.215.
At least once every three years, a school district will evaluate compliance with the wellness policy, create a report of the findings, and make the finding available to the public in an accessible and easily understood manner. 7 C.F.R. 210.31(e)(2)
-
As a result of recent federal legislation (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act – AHERA), each primary and secondary school in the nation is required to complete a stringent new inspection for asbestos and to develop a plan of management for all asbestos-containing building materials. I.S.D. # 738 has a goal to be in full compliance with this law and is following the spirit, as well as, the letter of the law. As a matter of policy, I.S.D. 738 shall continue to maintain a safe and healthy environment for our community’s youth and employees.
-
I.S.D. #738 now has in place a program to monitor and improve indoor air quality at our school. The Holdingford School District considers no objective more important than providing its’ employees, students, and visitors a healthy, safe environment. Because we believe that indoor air quality is essential to this objective, we are sending this notification to inform parents, students and staff of our program to monitor and improve indoor air quality.
Holdingford Public School Indoor Air Quality Parent Notification
Nondiscrimination
-
School districts that receive Federal assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) must implement a public notification system to inform applicants, participants, and potentially eligible persons of program availability, program rights and responsibilities, the policy of nondiscrimination, and the procedure for filing a complaint. The public notification system must include information on (1) program availability; (2) complaint information; and (3) nondiscrimination statement (nondiscrimination statement must appear on all food and nutrition service information materials and sources, including websites.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Guidance on Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement (with authority from 7 C.F.R. 15.3)
See Nutrition Website for policies
Student Protections
-
School boards shall adopt a Bullying Prohibition Policy that conforms with Minnesota Statutes sections 121A.41 to 121A.56. The policy shall be conspicuously posted in the administrative offices of the school and school district in summary form; given to each school employee and independent contractor (if the contractor regularly interacts with students); included in the student handbook; and be available to all parents and other school community members in an electronic format in the languages appearing on the district or school website. Minn. Stat. 121A.031.
A district or school must include in student discipline policy that the district distributes or otherwise transmits to students and their parents annually at the beginning of each school year notice about rights and responsibilities of students and parents under the Safe and Supportive Minnesota Schools Act. Minn. Stat. 121A.0311 -
School boards shall adopt a written policy governing student or staff hazing that conforms with Minn. Stat. 121A.69 and the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act. The policy must appear in the student handbook.
-
School districts and charter schools must adopt a written policy to address malicious and sadistic conduct and sexual exploitation. The policy must be conspicuously posted throughout each school building, distributed to each district or school employee and independent contractor at the time of hiring or contractions, and included in each school’s student handbook. Minn. Stat. 121A.0312
-
School boards must adopt a written policy regarding harassment and violence based on sex, religion, and race that conforms with Minn. Stat. Ch 363A. The policy must be included in each school’s student handbook on school policies; conspicuously posted throughout each school building; and given to each district employee and independent contract. Minn. Stat. 121A.03.
Student Data, Privacy, and Other Rights
-
The school district shall give notice to parents and eligible students of the right to refuse to let the district designate any or all data about the student as directory information. This notice may be given by any means reasonably likely to inform the parents and students of the right. Minn. Stat. 13.32, subd. 5
The school district may not designate a student's home address, telephone number, email address, or other personal contact information as directory information.
The school district shall give public notice of the categories of information which it has designated as such information with respect to each student attending the institution or agency and shall allow a reasonable period of time after such notice has been given for a parent to inform the institution or agency that any or all of the information designated should not be released without the parent’s prior consent. 34 C.F.R. 99.37; 20 U.S.C. 1232(g)
See District Policy 515 and FERPA(Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
-
School districts must: (1) directly notify parents and guardians of the school district’s policy;(2) inform parents at the beginning of the school year if the district or school has identified specific or approximate dates for administering surveys and give parents reasonable notice of planned surveys scheduled after the start of the school year; (3) give parents direct, timely notice by U.S. mail, e-mail, or other direct form of communication, when their students are scheduled to participate in a student survey; and (4) give parents the opportunity to review the survey and to opt their students out of participating in the survey. Minn. Stat. 121A.065
-
The school district that receives a request to disclose student information to the juvenile justice system must notify the student’s parent or guardian by certified mail of the request to disclose information before disclosing the information. Minn. Stat. 13.32, Subd. 8(c)
-
A school district shall provide for reasonable notice of the adoption or continued use of such policies directly to the parents of students enrolled in the district. At a minimum, (1) the notice shall be provided annually, at the beginning of the school year, and within a reasonable period of time after any substantive change in such policies and (2) offer an opportunity for the parent or student of appropriate age to opt the student out of participation in activities described below (Student Data and Activities Requiring Notification). 20 U.S.C. 1232h
See District Policy 515 and FERPA(Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
-
If a school district engages in (1) activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for the purpose of marketing or for selling that information (or otherwise providing that information to others for that purpose) ; (2) administration of any survey about any of the topics listed in 20 U.S.C. 1232h(1)(B); or (3) any nonemergency, invasive physical examination or screening (a) required as a condition of attendance; (b) administered by the school, scheduled in advance by the school, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student or of other students, the district must directly notify parents of affected students at least annually of the specific or approximate dates when these activities are scheduled or expected to be scheduled and within a reasonable time period after any substantial change to the policies. 20 U.S.C. 1232h
See District Policy 515, 520, FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and Mobile Messaging Privacy Policy
-
Within 30 days of the start of each school year, a school district must give parents and students direct and timely notice, by United States mail, e-mail, or other direct form of communication, of any curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider contract affecting a student's educational data. The notice must:
-
identify each curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider with access to educational data;
-
identify the educational data affected by the curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider contract; and
-
include information about the contract inspection and provide contact information for a school department to which a parent or student may direct questions or concerns regarding any program or activity that allows a curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider to access a student's educational data.
A school district must provide parents and students an opportunity to inspect a complete copy of any contract with a technology provider. Minn. Stat. 13.32, subd. 13(h)
Holdingford Public Schools uses a variety of digital tools to support student learning. Technology vendors and software are utilized to support work as we help all students develop the skills necessary to succeed in an ever-changing world.
We have an inventory of our curriculum, testing, and assessment tools posted here and include an outline of the student data elements within each tool. This list is maintained and communicated annually to all families at the start of the school year.
Please reach out to Carson Bettcher, Technology Coordinator for additional questions regarding specific digital tools used in classrooms and to obtain access to the list of tools.
-
Testing and Assessment
-
The school district shall make widely available through public means (including by posting in a clear and easily accessible manner on the district’s website and, where practicable, on the website of each school) for each grade served by the district, information on each assessment required by the State, other assessments required by the State, and where such information is available and feasible to report, assessments required districtwide by the district, including—(i) the subject matter assessed; (ii) the purpose for which the assessment is designed and used; (iii) the source of the requirement for the assessment; and (iv)where such information is available—(I) the amount of time students will spend taking the assessment, and the schedule for the assessment; and (II) the time and format for disseminating results. 20 U.S.C. 6312(e)(2)(A); 20 U.S.C. 6311
See Assessment/Testing Website under Academics
-
School districts must provide a report card that must include student achievement, graduation rates, school district performance, and other required information outlined in 20 U.S.C. § 6311. The school district shall publicly disseminate the information to all schools in the district, to all parents and guardians, and make the information widely available to the public. The district may link directly to the district’s report card on the Minnesota Department of Education website if it includes clear and easy step-by-step instructions for parents and guardians on how to find it. An additional notification method must be used for parents and guardians without access to the internet or computer. 20 U.S.C. 6311(h)
See Holdingford Public School District Minnesota Report Card
-
A district or charter school must publish on its website a comprehensive calendar of standardized tests to be administered in the district or charter school during that school year. The calendar must provide the rationale for administering each assessment and indicate whether the assessment is a local option or required by state or federal law. The calendar must be published at least one week prior to any eligible assessments being administered, but no later than October 1. Minn. Stat. 120B.301
See Assessment/Testing Website
-
School districts and schools must provide information on each assessment required by the state and the school district. The information must include: (1) subject matter assessed; (2) purpose of the assessment; (3) source of the requirement and if information is available; (4) length of time expected and schedule for the assessments; and (5) time and format for disseminating results. 20 U.S.C. § 6311; Minn. Stat. 120B.31, subd. 4(a); 20 U.S.C. 6312(e)
See Assessment/Testing Website
-
School districts must notify parents of the Minnesota Department of Education form regarding state academic standards, assessments, and the parents’ right to not have their child participate in the state and locally required academic assessments. The form must be posted on the district’s website and be included in the student handbook. Minn. Stat. 120B.31, Subd. 4a
See Assessment/Testing Website