CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:
Records have historically been kept to assist the school in offering appropriate educational experiences to the pupil. The interest of the pupil should supersede all other purposes to which records might be put. The principal problem in connection with school records involves the matter of who has access to them. The governing statutes as regards to student records confidentiality is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which went into effect in the late 1974, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and portions of P.L. 94-142, final regulations, 1977. Following the aforementioned Federal legislation, Kansas legislation passed which required the State Board of Education and the board of every school district...shall adopt a policy in accordance with applicable federal laws and regulations to protect the right of privacy of any student or pupil and his or her family regarding personally identifiable records, files, and data directly related to such student or pupil (K.S.A. 72-6214).
The following is highlights of the policies which have been adopted by the Kansas State Board of Education to assure the protection of the confidentiality of any personally identifiable data collected or maintained pursuant to the identification and evaluation of children for purposes of placement in special education.
HIGHLIGHTS:
  1. Each local board of education shall be responsible for informing the public of policies and procedures to assure confidentiality of the records of exceptional children and such notice shall be given in the native languages of the various population groups of the state.
  2. Access Rights of Parents:
  3. Parents of their duty authorized representative shall be permitted to inspect and review any personally identifiable data relating to their child without unnecessary delay (no more than 45 days after request).
  4. If any record includes data on more than one child, parents shall inspect and review only data relating to the their child.
  5. Parents shall be provided a response to reasonable requests for explanation or interpretation of the data relating to their child.
  6. Records which name all persons obtaining access to a child’s records (excluding parents and authorized employees of the agency), the date access was given, and the purpose for which the person was given access to the records shall be maintained.
  7. A listing shall be kept of the types and locations of data collected and maintained by the school.
  8. No charge shall be made to parents to search for or to retrieve data (school may charge fee for copies if charge does not effectively prevent parents from obtaining records).
  1. Rights to Hearing to Amend Records:
  2. Parents may request appropriate amendments to records which they believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the privacy or other rights of the child.
  3. Within a reasonable period of time, either (1) the records shall be amended or (2) the parent shall be notified of the school’s decision to refuse to amend.
  4. Upon parental request, a hearing shall be conducted to determine whether or not the challenged data are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the legal rights of the child.
  5. Parental consent shall be obtained before personally identifiable data are:
  1. Disclosed to anyone other than officials of the agency collecting or using the data.
  2. Used for any purpose other than identification and evaluation for purposes of determining a need for special education and related services, and
  3. Used for purposes other than those previously specified to the parent.
Note: If parental consent is denied in any of the above cases the school shall either accept the parent’s decision or apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for an order directing the parents to comply.
  1. Safeguards
  2. The confidentiality of data shall be protected at collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction stages.
  3. One official shall be designated by the agency to be responsible for assuring the confidentiality of any personally identifiable data.
  4. Provision shall be made for instruction regarding the Federal laws and regulations, as amended, and State policies and procedures as set forth in this document for all personnel collecting or using personally identifiable data.
  5. A current listing of the names of agency personnel who may have access to personally identifiable data shall be maintained for public inspection.
  6. Destruction of Data
  7. Each parent shall be contacted when records are no longer needed and be informed of his or her right to have the information destroyed. If parent wants records destroyed they shall be; however, a permanent records of the student’s name, address, and telephone number and his or her grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level completed, and year completed may be maintained without time limitation.
  8. When informing parents of their rights regarding the destruction of records, the school should remind them that the records may be needed by the child for social security benefits or other purposes.
  9. In the event the school cannot contact the parent the school shall document its efforts.
  10. Children’s Rights Policy
When a child has reached the age of majority, eighteen years, the permission or consent required of and the rights accorded to parents of the child shall be required of and accorded to only the child provided the child has not been legally adjudicated to be an incapacitated person nor under the jurisdiction of a court as child in need of care.
  1. If this policy is not followed by a staff member it could result in a plan of assistance or termination.

CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT REPORTING PROCEDURE
The Graham Early Childhood Center Director has designated the lead teachers at Graham County Early Childhood Center as the persons responsible for identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect to the SRS department and our central office. Staff of Graham County Early Childhood Center are mandated reporters.
Procedures in reporting child abuse and neglect:
●If you suspect child abuse document the location of the injuries on the Graham County Early Childhood Center Child Abuse/Neglect Report form and picture of the human body form.
●If a school nurse is available, ask her to look at the child.
●Contact the Graham Early Childhood Center central office and they will help in determining whether to notify DCF.
●Call DCF and report the suspected abuse.
●Document everything that is said or that happens on the NKESC Graham County Early Childhood Center Child Abuse/Neglect Report form. Include the date it happened, when you observed it, and your signature.
●Documentation is kept in the child’s file and a copy is sent to the central office at NKESC.
SEVERE WEATHER PRECAUTIONS PROCEDURE
Please listen to the radio for school cancellations during times of severe weather. If school is to be dismissed for the day, or if it is to be dismissed early, announcements will be made over local radio and TV stations as early as possible. Graham County Early Childhood Center is included in all district weather announcements.
School may be dismissed early in cases of extreme weather. In the event that a session is to be dismissed early (such as severe weather condition), the child will be left at their normal drop off site unless Graham County Early Childhood Center is otherwise notified. Attempts will be made to contact those parents/guardians or alternate emergency names for those children who are brought to the center by parent/guardian.
Parents are encouraged to make individual decisions concerning their children’s attendance during severe weather. Keep them home or pick them up early if you prefer. If a child must walk to school, don’t bring them when wind chills are dangerously low.
If Graham County Early Childhood Center teachers have concerns about the driving conditions, they should call the service center.
●Single session sites: if school starts one hour late, we start class an hour later and end at the same time. Breakfast and lunch are served.
If the school starts two hours later, we begin two hours later and keep children until 1:30. Lunch and a snack are provided. (Instead of breakfast).
●Double session sites: if school is one-hour late, the morning session will start an hour late and end at the regular time.
If it is a two-hour late start, the morning session is cancelled. Regardless, there is a normal afternoon session.
●Full-day session: if school starts late, so does the full-day session. The ending time is the same as always.
OUTDOOR PLAY/WEATHER PROCEDURE
Overview
Outdoor play is not only an opportunity for learning in a different environment, it also provides many health benefits. Outdoor play allows for physical activity that supports maintenance of a healthy weight and develops gross motor skills. Short exposure of the skin to sunlight promotes the production of vitamin D that growing children require.
Children need protection from adverse weather and its effects. Wind chill conditions that pose a risk of frostbite as well as heat and humidity that pose a significant risk of heat-related illness are defined by the National Weather Service (NWS) and are announced routinely.
Heat-induced illness and cold injury are preventable. Children have a greater surface area-to-body mass ratio than adults. Therefore, children do not adapt to extremes of temperature as effectively as adults when exposed to high climatic heat stress or too cold. They also have a lower sweating capacity and cannot dissipate body heat by evaporation as effectively.
The NWS provides convenient color-coded guides for caregivers/teachers to use to determine which weather conditions are comfortable for outdoor play, which requires caution, and which are dangerous. To access the latest local weather information and warnings, contact the National Weather Service at See example.
Winter can be problematic for children with Asthma. Caregivers/teachers should work with parents and primary care providers to ensure safe outdoor play has been addressed.
Guidelines
The Graham Early Childhood Center will follow their specific school district's procedures for outside play temperatures and/or conditions. The below recommendations should also be considered.
  1. Children should play outdoors when the conditions do not pose a safety risk, individual child health risk, or significant health risk of frostbite or of health related illness. Children who are on site 4 or more consecutive hours should be outdoors at least 1 hour.
  1. Caregivers/teachers must protect children from harm caused by adverse weather, ensuring that children wear appropriate clothing and/or appropriate shelter is provided for weather conditions. Weather that poses a significant health risk should include wind chill factor at or below 32℉ and or heat at or above 90℉, as identified by the National Weather Service (NWS).
  1. Sunny Weather: Children should be protected from the sun by using shade and sun protective clothing when playing outdoors between hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
  1. Warm Weather: Children should be well hydrated before engaging in prolonged periods of physical activity and encouraged to drink water during a period of the same activity. Caregivers/teachers should encourage parents to dress children in clothing that is light-colored and lightweight to maximize the evaporation of sweat.
  1. Cold Weather: Outer garments such as coats should be tightly woven and water repellent for rain or snow. Hats, coat and gloves should be worn. Caregivers/teachers should check children’s extremities for normal color and warmth every 15 minutes during outdoor play. Staff will ensure children have no strings or loose items on children’s clothing or around children’s necks that could get caught on play equipment.
  1. Caregiver/teachers should also be aware of environmental hazards such as contaminated water, loud noises, and lead in the soil when selecting the play area. Children should be observed closely when playing in dirt/soil, or pea gravel so that none is ingested or put in ears or noses. Play areas should also be secure and away from traffic areas. All areas should be free of any entrapment hazards.

ENROLLMENT and ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES
GUIDELINES
  1. Once the acceptance letters are sent, Graham Early Childhood Center staff are sent their respective lists so they may begin enrolling children.
  1. The Graham County Early Childhood Center staff’s first step would be to assist in organizing a developmental screening at their site in the spring prior to the school year. (See developmental screening for these procedures.) At this time, families will complete the enrollment paperwork, which consists of release of information, consents and permissions, nutrition intakes, lead risk questionnaire, fluoride form, dental consents, health history form, ASQ-SE2, ASQ-3, and appropriate PROMIS forms.
  1. Prior to the beginning of the year, children’s statuses will be reviewed by the Graham County Early Childhood Center staff.
  1. Once a child is enrolled and determined to be eligible for Graham Early Childhood Center, they may remain in the program for the remainder of that enrollment year and the succeeding year as long as they are age eligible.
  1. The Graham County Early Childhood Center child may begin school once the centers have a physical on file that is at least within the last year.
  1. If applications are taken throughout the year, they are sent to the Assistant Director and the same process applies. The only difference is that the site will do the developmental screening for Graham County Early Childhood Center children at the site during the school day. The paperwork with the parent will be completed before the child attends school.
  1. If a child drops throughout the year, their slot is filled within 30 days from when the opening occurred with the next child on the waitlist (according to priority criteria). The staff will notify the Assistant Director of the drop and she will then select the next child and the appropriate paperwork will be completed once the family is notified of their acceptance.
  1. At the end of each month, the Assistant Director runs a program-wide report detailing the number of students enrolled for that month. She also reports enrollment numbers on-line monthly to the HSES website and to the State of Kansas for EHS.
  1. If an individual’s attendance percentage in Graham Early Childhood Center falls below 85%, each site is required to document why the attendance is low.
  1. Like any other educational program, we expect your child to attend Graham Early Childhood Center on a regular basis. In order to receive the full benefits of the Early Childhood Center program, your child must come to school regularly. The teachers plan activities around a routine so the children know what to expect during their time at school. When a child misses several days of school or comes to school irregularly, it is difficult for him/her to remember the routine. This can be frustrating for the child. Please call the Graham Early Childhood Center classroom if your child will be absent from school. If you are unable to notify the school by phone, please send a note with your child the next day explaining why he/she was not in school. Staff will call parents/guardian within an hour of Early Childhood Center classroom start time if they have not heard from parents/guardian and document on sign-in sheet. Staff will complete the Attendance Analysis Form monthly and send to the central office. They will also send a copy of the Attendance Team Meeting Form if applicable.
If parents cannot be reached and a child misses four consecutive days of school, the family will be notified by certified letter that we are dropping them from the Graham Early Childhood Center. If no contact is made within one (1) week from the date of the letter, your child will be dropped from the program.
If a child’s attendance is below 70% one month and it is not due to extreme illness, staff and parents will meet to discuss attendance and complete the Attendance Team Meeting Form.
If an individual's percentage is below 70% for two consecutive months, they may be dropped at the teacher and assistant director’s discretion, if there is a waiting list.
  1. The Graham Early Childhood Center must provide information about the benefits of regular attendance and support families to promote the child’s regular attendance.
  1. Within the first 60 days of program operation, and on an ongoing basis thereafter, the Graham Early Childhood Center must use individual child attendance data to identify children with patterns of absence that put them at risk of missing ten percent of program days per year and develop appropriate strategies to improve individual attendance among identified children, such as direct contract with parents or intensive case management, as necessary.
  1. The Graham Early Childhood Center must not deny placement to any child, nor exclude any child based on their health care needs or medication requirements.
  1. If a child is not picked up within 15 minutes at then end of the day, the staff will call the parent/guardian. If they cannot be reached, the staff will call emergency contacts. If a child still has not been picked up within 30 total minutes, staff will call DCF or the police.