District Notice
Asbestos Annual Notification
On October 22, 1986 President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act know as (AHERA). This act requires all school districts, public and private, K through 12, to inspect each of their school buildings for asbestos containing materials. Management plans are then to be developed which outline how the asbestos containing materials will be handled in each of the school buildings.
Copies of the Montrose Community Schools' inspection reports and management plan are available for review at each school building, as well as the school district office.
The district has assigned Lynne Clark, Executive Director of Finance, as the designated person to see that all district responsibilities are properly carried out. You may contact her to learn more about (AHERA) and any scheduled response actions within each school.
Annual Notification to Parents Regarding Student Records and Specific Events/Activities
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") affords parents and students over eighteen (18) years of age ("adult students" or "eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. On February 24, 2014, the Board of Education adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of education records and the rights of parents and students to access education records. Copies of this policy and related guidelines are located in all school buildings and individual copies are available from the District's Records Officer ("DRO"), Dr. Linden Moore. The DRO is responsible for the supervision of student records in the school and his/her office is located at 300 Nanita Drive, Montrose, MI 48457 or s/he can be reached by calling 810-591-8812. For additional information on this notice and related policy, click here.
Casual and Non-Casual Contact Communicable Diseases and Pests Policy
Because a school has a high concentration of people, it is necessary to take specific measures when the health or safety of the group is at risk. The school's professional staff has the authority to remove or isolate a student who has been ill or has been exposed to a communicable disease or highly-transient pest, such as lice. Specific diseases include; diphtheria, scarlet fever, strep infections, whooping cough, mumps, measles, rubella, and other conditions indicated by the Local and State Health Departments. Any removal of a student will only be for the contagious period as specified in the school's administrative guidelines or as specified by the family physician.
In the case of non-casual-contact, communicable diseases, the school still has the obligation to protect the safety of the staff and students. In these cases, the person in question will have his/her status reviewed by a panel of resource people, including the County Health Department, to insure that the rights of the person affected and those in contact with that person are respected. The school will seek to keep students and staff persons in school unless there is definitive evidence to warrant exclusion. Non-casual contact communicable diseases include sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), ARC-AIDS Related Complex, HIV (Human immune deficiency virus), HAV, HBV, HCV (Hepatitis A, B, C) and other diseases that may be specified by the State Board of Health.
As required by Federal law, parents will be requested to have their child's blood checked for HIV, HBV, and other blood-borne pathogens when the child has bled at school and students or staff members have been exposed to the blood. Any testing is subject to laws protecting confidentiality.
Constitution Day
Public Law 108-447 requires all educational institutions receiving federal funds to hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 each year for the students served by the educational institution. If the 17th fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the law allows the celebration to be held during the preceding or following week.
Constitutionally Protected Prayer
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) requires that each local or intermediate school district or public school academy, as a condition of receiving funds under any portion of the Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA) of 1965 as amended, annually certify, to the state agency, that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools.
Epi-Pens
As required by law, all schools maintain a limited supply of epinephrine auto-injectors (Epi-pens) that can be administered to individuals with unknown allergies in an emergency situation. In addition, each school has an identified group of staff members who have been trained in the administration of the auto-injectors should the need arise. This required supply of Epi-pens is not intended to replace any Epi-pens that parents and students with known allergies traditionally maintain in the school office.
Parents of students with a known severe allergy are required to notify the school of the medical condition and adhere to the district’s policy regarding self-possession and self-administration of prescription medications.
Eye Protective Devices
State law requires all public schools and public school academies to provide adequate eye protective devices for students enrolled in courses where danger to the eye exists [MCL 380.1288]. Administrative Code Rules governing Eye Protective Devices require that all public schools and public school academies certify compliance with this requirement.
Integrated Pest Management
The Montrose Community Schools utilizes an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to control pests. IPM is a pest management system that utilizes all suitable techniques in a total pest management system with the intent of preventing pests from reaching unacceptable levels or to reduce an existing population to an acceptable level. Pest management techniques emphasize pest exclusion and biological controls. However, as with most pest control programs, chemical controls may also be utilized.
Parents and guardians have the right to be informed prior to any application of an insecticide, fungicide or herbicide made to the school grounds or buildings during this school year. In certain emergencies, such as an infestation of stinging insects, pesticides may be applied without prior notice to prevent injury to students, but you will be notified following any such application. If you need prior notification, please complete the form (click here) and submit it to your child’s building principal
Non-Discrimination Policy
It is the policy of the Montrose Community Schools that no discriminatory practices because of sex, race, color, national origin or handicap, be allowed in providing instructional opportunities, job placement assistance, employment practices and policies governing student conduct and attendance. Any person suspecting a discriminatory practice should contact Montrose Community Schools, Dr. Linden Moore, Superintendent, at 300 Nanita Drive, P.O. Box 3129, Montrose, MI 48457-0829 or by phone at 810-591-8812.
Title VII and Title IX Compliance
It is the policy of the Montrose Community Schools to maintain an education and work environment that is free from all forms of unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment. This commitment applies to all operations, programs, and activities of the school district.
To achieve this goal, all students, administrators, teachers, staff, and all other school personnel share responsibility for avoiding, discouraging, and reporting any form of unlawful harassment. In keeping with the regulations of Title VII and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act pf 1964, any and all reports or complaints regarding potential harassment and discrimination should be reported to our district’s compliance officers:
Dr. Linden Moore
Superintendent
300 Nanita Drive
P.O. Box 3129
Montrose, MI 48457
Phone: 810.591.8812
Email: lmoore@montroseschools.org
OR
Mrs. Cassandra Jackson
Assistant Superintendent
300 Nanita Drive
P.O. Box 3129
Montrose, MI 48457
Phone: 810.591.8812
Email:cjackson@montroseschools.org
To read additional information regarding the district’s anti-harassment policy, please click here.