Notification of Rights under FERPA for Elementary and Secondary Schools

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

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day the Kent City Schools (Roosevelt High School) receives a request for access.

Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal [or appropriate school offi­cial] a written request that identifies the records 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 education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

Parents or eligible students who wish to ask the Kent City School District to amend a record should write the school principal [or appropriate school official], clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed.  If the school 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 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 provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from 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 school 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 or contractor outside of the school who performs an institutional service of 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 has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educa­tion record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

[Optional] Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer.  [NOTE:  FERPA requires a school district to make a reasonable attempt to notify the parent or student of the records re­quest unless it states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request.]

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the [School] to comply with the requirements 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, SW

Washington, DC  20202

[NOTE:  In addition, a school may want to include its directory information public notice, as required by §99.37 of the regulations, with its annual notification of rights under FERPA.]

[Optional]  See the list below of the disclosures that elementary and secondary schools may make without consent.

FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent of the parent or eligible student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in §99.31 of the FERPA regulations.  Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the parent or eligible student, §99.32 of the FERPA regulations requires the school to record the disclosure.  Parents and eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures.  A school may disclose PII from the education records of a student without obtaining prior written consent of the parents or the eligible student –

• To other school officials, including teachers, within the educational agency or institution whom the school has determined to have legitimate educational interests. This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that the conditions listed in §99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(1) – (a)(1)(i)(B)(2) are met. (§99.31(a)(1))
• To officials of another school, school system, or institution of postsecondary education where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of §99.34. (§99.31(a)(2))
• To authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as the State educational agency in the parent or eligible student’s State (SEA). Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of §99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs.  These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf.  (§§99.31(a)(3) and 99.35)
• In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid. (§99.31(a)(4))
• To State and local officials or authorities to whom information is specifically allowed to be reported or disclosed by a State statute that concerns the juvenile justice system and the system’s ability to effectively serve, prior to adjudication, the student whose records were released, subject to §99.38. (§99.31(a)(5))
• To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (a)  develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b)  administer student aid programs; or (c)  improve instruction.  (§99.31(a)(6))
• To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions. (§99.31(a)(7))
• To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes. (§99.31(a)(8))
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. (§99.31(a)(9))
• To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to §99.36. (§99.31(a)(10)
• Information the school has designated as “directory information” under §99.37. (§99.31(a)(11))

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Model Notice for Directory Information

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

A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production;

• The annual yearbook;
• Honor roll or other recognition lists;
• Graduation programs; and
• Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, 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 local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. [1]

If you do not want Kent City School District to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the District in writing by [insert date].  Kent City Schools has designated the following information as directory information:  [Note: an LEA may, but does not have to, include all the information listed below.]

-Student’s name                                                          -Participation in officially

-Address                                                                            recognized activities and sports

-Telephone listing                                                       -Weight and height of members of

-Electronic mail address                                                  athletic teams

-Photograph                                                                -Degrees, honors, and awards

-Date and place of birth                                                  received

-Major field of study                                                  -The most recent educational agency or

-Dates of attendance                                                        institution attended

-Grade level                                                                -Student ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identifier used to communicate in electronic systems that cannot be used to access education records without a PIN, password, etc.  (A student’s SSN, in whole or in part, cannot be used for this purpose.)    

1] These laws are: Section 9528 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 7908) and

10 U.S.C. § 503(c).

May 1, 2018

Dear Students, Parents, and Friends of Theodore Roosevelt High School,

On May 8, Roosevelt will be celebrating our students as we host our Scholar and Achievement Awards Program. We recognize students with a 3.5 grade point average or above for the current school year and seniors who received local scholarships provided by local businesses, organizations, and families associated with Roosevelt. Last year over $70,000 worth of scholarships was awarded to 51 seniors.   We are extremely proud of all of our graduates and, whether or not your student is earning an academic award or a scholarship, this is a great and inspiring event for all students and families.   On May 9, we will be hosting our Career and Technical Education Passport Program and Reception.  Over 140 students will be earning their passports.  Many, if not all of these students, will be seeking post-secondary educational opportunities with the advantage of already having two years of experience in their chosen fields. 

During the past few early-release sessions, we had the benefit of listening to Dr. Neil Gupta, Director of Secondary Education at Worthington City Schools discuss “Coaching Up Leaders Through Design Thinking”.  We also heard from Kent State University Counselor Education Professors, Dr. Jenny Cureton and Dr. Janice A. Byrd.   Dr. Cureton and Dr. Byrd’s focus was healthy adolescent development.  After eight weeks of professional development focused on mental health, we are preparing to create a compelling statement as to the worth and necessity of concentrating on this critical topic.  We will be creating meaningful and actionable problem statements.  Students and staff will be a part of this process and I will communicate the results.

At our final senior informational assembly a few days ago, staff members who were selected by the senior class officers spoke to the class.  Their messages included many meaningful and inspirational thoughts and suggestions.  Students were reminded that last impressions are equally as important as first impressions and to be present in the moment and enjoy it.  They were encouraged to take risks, make an effort to meet new people, and always remember to thank the people who love and support them.  The Roosevelt staff is proud of our seniors and excited to celebrate with them on their graduation day.  Congratulations to our students and their families as well as to our faculty and our entire support staff.  We look forward to Commencement on May 20 at the Kent State MAC Center.

The day after graduation, the remaining students will be taking their final exams.  Students should be aware that twenty percent of the second semester grade is based on the final exam.  The third quarter grade is worth forty percent of the second semester grade.  The fourth quarter grade is worth forty percent of the semester grade.  Final exam scores are significant because they comprise twenty percent of the second semester grade.

May is a time for celebration and marks the culmination of many school activities.  There are a number of musical and vocal performances and art shows.  Spring sports participants will be preparing for postseason tournaments.  We know our students are excited and anxious for summer break but please remember how important it is to finish the academic year on a strong note.

Listed below are some important May dates:

May 9:                        TRHS CTE Passport ceremony at 9:00 a.m.

May 8:                        TRHS Scholar and Achievement Awards Program                                            and Reception – 7:00 p.m.

May 15:                      Board of Education Meeting at TRHS – 7:00 p.m.

May 17:                      TRHS Graduation Rehearsal for Seniors at KSU                                                MAC Center – 11:30 a.m.

May 18:                      TRHS Senior Honors Assembly and Senior Slide                                              Show – 7:50 a.m.

May 20:                      TRHS Baccalaureate and Graduation at KSU MAC                                          Center – 1:00 p.m.

May 21-23:               TRHS Final Exams  

May 24:                      Sumer School Registration – 11:00 a.m.           

Again, I want to offer my sincere congratulations to our graduates.   I also offer congratulations and gratitude to all of our students, our faculty and staff, and our community members, who have worked so hard and been so committed to making this a successful school year.   I offer my very best wishes for a safe, happy and fulfilling summer.

Respectfully,

Dennis A. Love

April 2, 2018

Dear Students, Parents, and Friends of Theodore Roosevelt High School,

This past school year has been marked by some trying times for our entire country.  In particular, these past few weeks have challenged schools and communities nationwide as our young people must decide how to respond.  We are proud of how our students have responded with the peaceful sharing of their thoughts and opinions and respect for all.  We are all continuing to work hard to maintain this environment so that students are able to focus on their coursework and feel safe in their school.  It appears that April 20^th may be another challenging day for our country.  As we get closer to that day, we will make a determination on how our school district will respond to the nationally planned April 20^th walkout.

School safety continues to be one of our main priorities.  Our safety team repeatedly reviews and evaluates all of our safety procedures.  At Roosevelt we have made many improvements over the past five years.  Some of those improvements include locking all doors and positioning a security person at the front entrance.  We have added several new cameras, hired a school resource officer, and practiced many lockdown and evacuation drills.  On March 22, we had a lockdown drill between periods.  The staff and students were amazing during this drill and the halls were clear within 20 seconds.  With the help of students, staff, parents and community members, we will evaluate our safety plan and set some new safety goals.

As prom and graduation are just weeks away, another safety concern focuses on student drivers.  We want to remind our students to enjoy this exciting time in their lives, but please act responsibly.  On April 17 our senior class will join many area high school students at Hiram College for the None for Under 21 program, which focuses on the horrors of driving under the influence. Please click here for complete information….

Starting on April 9, 2018, Theodore Roosevelt High School will administer the State Mandated End-of-Course Exams.  The attached link will provide you with more information for state testing.  Because of state testing, there will not be early release on Wednesday, April 11, or Wednesday, April 18. http://www.kentschools.net/rhs/testing/

April 2018 is Kent City Schools Hall of Fame month.  On April 7, nine inductees will join our Hall of Fame.  Our juniors and seniors will be meeting some of these accomplished inductees at our Hall of Fame assembly.  It is particularly meaningful for me as I am personally excited for the induction of my friend and classmate, Danita Brown.  Also, I was blessed to work with and know the great Robert Wright, and I had the honor of coaching with James DeLeone.  They, along with the other six inductees, have made the Kent City School District a great place for countless students and they are all so worthy of this prestigious honor.

Listed below are some of the important April dates:

April 6:   Kent City Schools Hall of Fame Assembly (Juniors and                                   Seniors only)

April 7:  Kent City Schools Hall of Fame Dinner and Ceremony at                            the KSU Hotel

April 9:   State Mandated End-of-Course Exams begin

April 10: Junior Class Assembly at 7:30 a.m. in the Auditorium

April 16:  Senior Class Assembly & Reception at 7:30 a.m. in the                                  Auditorium

April 17:  Senior Class None for Under 21 Field Trip at 8:00 a.m.                                     in the Auditorium

April 18:  Freshman Class Assembly at 7:30 a.m. in the                                                      Auditorium

April 26:  Interim Grade Reports distributed

April 28:  Junior-Senior Prom at TRHS – 7:30 p.m. -12:00

Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Respectfully,

Dennis Love

March 1, 2018

Dear Students, Parents, and Friends of Theodore Roosevelt High School,

Throughout the country and in our building, students have been discussing and/or taking part in walkouts as demonstrations of peaceful protest for school violence.  No matter your opinion of student walkouts, we can probably all agree there have been far too many violent incidents in schools.  During the school day, if any Roosevelt students want to peacefully protest violence, we hope to guide them in creating an educational structure for doing so in order to maintain a safe environment for all students.

We are aware of two walkouts that have been initiated by outside organizations.  The first one, promoted by Women’s March organizers, is on March 14th from 10:00 to 10:17 to honor the 17 people killed in the February 14th shooting.  The other is on April 20th, in memory of the Columbine shootings.  Several students have already approached me about their potential participation in a local walkout, although they did not specify a date.  The immediate steps that we are taking includes an Open Forum meeting with our students, which was held on Wednesday, February 28th.  We will continue working with student leaders to identify the purpose and talking points of their walkout.  Having as much information as possible will enable us to provide appropriate supervision for the safety and security for students, a location for the walkout, and potential follow-up actionable steps for actual change.

We are very proud of our second and, hopefully, annual National Black History Month Living History Museum. This year it was coordinated by Government teachers, Ms. Nikki Marchmon-Boykin and Mrs. Ann Puhalla, and our Project Unity Coordinator, Ms. Tiarra Habeeb.  Over 28 students and 10 staff members participated in this meaningful event.

Recently we have heard from local universities that not having weighted grades will have a negative impact on some of our students who are hoping to receive extra financial support.  Because of this information, we will weight our Advanced Placement, College Credit Plus Courses, and Career and Technical Education courses with a Career-Technical Assurance Guides (CTAGS) or Bilateral Articulation Agreements will be on a 5 point scale.  It will start immediately for all of our students.  Transcripts will reflect those changes.  By the end of the year, we will review other courses that will be weighted on a 4.5 scale.  For example, we will look at the depth and rigor for all of our advanced courses. The plan is to weight these courses for the fall of 2018.  We appreciate all of the information we received from parents over the past few years on this topic.

Topics concerning the professional development on early-release Wednesdays for the month of February included a student stressor survey that 870 of our students completed.  Students responded that current causes of stress in their lives included:  grades, excessive homework, time management, procrastination and lack of sleep.  We will be looking at these stressors in greater detail with the help of Kent State University Counselor Education Professors, Dr. Jenny Cureton and Dr. Janice A. Byrd. On March 14th, our staff will welcome Dr. Neil Gupta, Director of Secondary Education at Worthington City Schools, to discuss Leading Through Design Thinking Principles for Success.  During the early-release time, the school has been open for students so they may catch up on homework, participate in tutoring, work on projects, and make up tests.

Listed below are forthcoming events for the month of March:

            March 6:         All-City Band Extravaganza

            March 7:         Kent Schools Choral Festival

            March 16:       End of the third grading period

            March 17:       Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and TRHS                                                      DECA Community Expo.

            March 21:      Registration deadline for Advanced Placement                                                 Exams

            March 23:      Report cards distributed

            March 26:      First day of Spring Break

Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Respectfully,

Dennis Love

January 9, 2018

Dear Students, Parents, and Friends of Theodore Roosevelt High School,

Unfortunately, we ended the first semester with the tragic loss of one of our valued students.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Brandon Smallwood’s family and friends.  Students, staff, and the community must continue to support each other so these types of tragedies don’t continue.  The attached link, created by our Student Assistance Coordinator, Jacquie Peoples-Dukes, and our school counselors, may help us prevent future tragedies.  Resources-for-January-branching-out-2018

As we start the new year of 2018 and a new semester, I would like to extend a warm welcome back to all our students, staff, and community that make up the Roosevelt family.  I would also like to offer a sincere thank you to all who have demonstrated their commitment to our collective purpose of educating and caring for our students.  I hope students are relaxed, recharged, and ready for a new beginning in this second semester.  The new year is a fresh start with new opportunities.  It will bring a renewed sense of energy, enthusiasm, and a pursuit for excellence in education.  We will continue to work hard to make sure our students have a healthy mental outlook and feel empowered to face the challenges that 2018 will present.  Starting Wednesday, January 10, Roosevelt’s Early-Release Faculty Professional Development program will focus on mental health and stability.  As we go through this process, we will keep you updated. 

The scheduling process for the 2018-2019 school year will begin next week, January 17, with the Orientation-to-Scheduling Class Assemblies. Our goal is to be certain that students are scheduled appropriately in challenging courses that reflect their interests and abilities.

Listed below are some of the important January and early February activities and events that we all look forward to at TRHS in the year 2018.

 January 11:    NHS Induction & Reception – 7:00 p.m.

January 12:    Distribution of report cards

January 17:    Orientation-to-Scheduling Class Assemblies

(1^st Period-9^th Grade; 2^nd Period-10^th Grade; 3^rd Period-11^th Grade)

January 18:    TRHS 8^th Grade Orientation at Roosevelt – 7:30 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.

January 24:    10^th Grade & Interested 9th Grade Career Technical Program Orientation – 7:30 am

January 24:    College Credit Plus Meeting – 7:00 p.m.

February 1:    TRHS 10^th Grade Parent and Student Career and Technical Program Conversation at Roosevelt – 6:30 p.m.

 February 1:    TRHS 8^th Grade Open House at Roosevelt – 7:00 p.m.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication as we begin an exciting New Year.

Respectfully,

Dennis Love