Things You Should Know

The use of the District’s technology resources is for appropriate school-related educational and operational purposes and for the performance of job duties consistent with the educational mission of the District.  Use for educational purposes is defined as use that is consistent with the curriculum adopted by the District as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities and developmental levels of students.  All use for any purpose must comply with this policy and all other applicable codes of conduct, policies, procedures, and rules and must not cause damage to the District’s technology resources.

All employees and students are responsible for the appropriate and lawful use of the District’s technology resources.  This policy is intended to ensure that all users continue to enjoy access to the District’s technology resources and that such resources are utilized in an appropriate manner and for legitimate purposes. The full policy can be found on the district website at www.parklandsd.org/boarddocs.

All District schools provide accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Parents of children with disabilities should contact the Student Services and Special Education Department, 610-351-5555, for inquiries regarding appropriate placement of their child. Adults with disabilities who wish to visit or utilize school facilities should contact the appropriate building principal for information. General questions regarding the accessibility of school facilities should be directed to the Office of the Assistant Superintendent at 610-351-5505.

School districts in Pennsylvania are required by the State Board of Education to provide instruction about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) at the elementary, middle and high school levels. The Parkland School District health curriculum will be providing that instruction through a series of lessons about AIDS in grades 3, 6, 8, and 11.

A student can be excused from instruction about AIDS. A written request from the parent/guardian is required. Parents/guardians wishing more information about this instruction should contact the building principal or the Office of Teaching and Learning. Curricular materials are available for home instruction when a student is excused from the District’s program of instruction.

Any questions relative to the objectives, content and resources in any part of the District curriculum should be directed to the Office of Teaching and Learning at 610-351-5540.

The use of anabolic steroids, except for a valid medical purpose, by any student involved in school-related athletics in the Parkland School District is prohibited. Bodybuilding, muscle enhancement, increasing muscle bulk or strength for the enhancement of athletic ability is not a valid medical purpose. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) shall not be included as an anabolic steroid.

No student shall be eligible to resume participation in school athletics unless a medical determination has proved no residual evidence of steroids exists. A student may be required to participate in drug counseling, rehabilitation, testing or other programs as a condition of reinstatement into a school athletic program.

Meals will be provided to students in grades K-12. No child is denied a meal; however, payment is expected for any and all meals served to a child. Any student that owes money to the food services department will not be permitted to purchase extras or a la carte items until such time that their debt has been paid in full. For the 2025-26 school year, payments can be made using the www.schoolcafe.com/ParklandSD website, or by sending cash or check into the Food Services Office located at 2619 Stadium Drive Orefield, PA 18069. Checks must be made payable to PSD Cafeteria.

The Parkland Board of School Directors recognizes the importance of an orderly climate for learning. As a result, the District staff and District programs are focused on assisting students in the development of self discipline. In no instance will corporal punishment be permissible in those circumstances where discipline measures must be imposed on students.

The District has adopted a comprehensive Emergency Operation Plan(s) designed to aid District personnel in responding to any emergency. Questions regarding emergency preparedness may be directed to the Director of District Safety, Security and School Services or the building principal.

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES INVOLVING ANIMALS

Senate Bill 727 states that public school pupils from kindergarten through grade twelve may refuse to dissect, vivisect, incubate, capture or otherwise harm or destroy animals, or any parts thereof, as part of their course of instruction. Any students wishing to exercise this right should speak with their science teacher at the start of the year or semester.

The Parkland School District is committed to providing a drug/ alcohol-free learning environment for the students. A coordinated curriculum providing a wealth of information at various grade levels is utilized to prevent student use of drugs, alcohol and mood-altering chemical substances.

District rules and regulations are in place to provide a coordinated effort by District personnel to respond effectively to current and potential use and abuse of drugs and alcohol. No student shall unlawfully manufacture, distribute, dispense, possess or use any controlled substance as defined in the applicable Federal and State laws and regulations including but not limited to Act 21 (U.S.C.812) and Act 64 (1972).

Any student who violates this policy may be disciplined, suspended and/or expelled and/or be required to participate in a drug/alcohol evaluation. A student apprehended in the act of possessing, using, distributing and/or being under the influence of an illegal substance will be referred to the police as well as the building’s Student Assistance Program, or school counselor and/or may be referred to an appropriate licensed agency for drug/alcohol evaluation. A student seeking individual help for drug/alcohol-related problems may contact his/her building’s Student Assistance Program, or school counselor for a list of appropriate licensed agencies.

Experience indicates that each year emergency conditions may require school officials to close one or more of the District’s 12 schools. Although weather conditions are the major reason for an emergency closing, the loss of a school’s water or power supply or the breakdown of a heating system or other emergency may also necessitate closing a school.

Most parents know when impending weather conditions may require a late start, a cancellation or an early closing of the schools. However, parents have virtually no way of anticipating a school closing for any other emergency. Consequently, an emergency closing usually creates difficulty for children for whom there are no accommodations when they arrive home prior to the normal dismissal time.

When any emergency necessitates the cancellation or early closing of school, we will utilize the District’s rapid notification system which calls, e-mails, and texts all parents that have opted into the system at the beginning of the school year or during the new student registration process.  Information will also be posted immediately to the District’s website at www.parklandsd.org.  We will also notify local radio and TV stations and request that they air the appropriate information as soon as possible.

Due to the number of students in each school and the many incoming calls that are common when there is an emergency closing, parents are urged to opt into the rapid notification system as well as develop a contingency plan, which will provide accommodations for any child who arrives home early due to an emergency closing. Arrangements with neighbors, friends or relatives constitute the contingency plan already developed by many District residents.

In compliance with state and federal requirements, the Parkland School District provides free breakfast and lunch to those children whose family cannot afford to pay the full price. Eligibility is determined by several criteria including size and total income of the family. Application forms are available online at: www.schoolcafe.com.

Per the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: The act defines the term “homeless children and youths” as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Students in homeless situations have the right to:

• Be identified as homeless and receive Title I services
• Be immediately enrolled in school despite their unstable housing situation and despite their inability to produce documents ordinarily required of students who have a permanent residence
• Receive assistance in procuring school records
• Be allowed to stay in the school they attended when they became homeless or the school in which they were last enrolled (called school of origin)
• Be transported from their current place of residence to the school of origin to reduce the need for them to transfer from school to school
• Receive free school breakfast and lunch
• Receive referrals to medical, mental health, dental, and other appropriate services
• Receive assistance in acquiring school supplies, standard dress or uniforms, backpacks, and other provisions needed to succeed in school

For more information, visit Homeless Services

When an illness is serious enough to warrant the administration of medication, the parent or guardian should attempt to administer the medication before or after school hours. However, the District recognizes that there are extenuating circumstances that make it necessary for certain students to receive prescribed and/or nonprescription medication during the school day. In this event, parents should contact the school nurse about the medication required. The school nurse will provide information concerning authorization forms and procedures for administration. Please note that authorization forms and contact with the school nurse is also necessary in order to allow students to carry their own asthma inhalers for self-administration.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Parkland School District, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, Parkland School District 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 Parkland 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
• 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 Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories – 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.

If you do not want Parkland 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 October 15 of the current school year and by submitting a note to your child's school principal.

The possession or use of a weapon on the premises and/or property of the Parkland School District, or at any school-sponsored activity, and in any public conveyance providing transportation to school or a school-sponsored activity or while the student is coming to or from school, is prohibited both by policy and state law (Act 26 of 1995). A violation of the weapons policy and Act 26 may result in expulsion from the Parkland School District for a period of not less than one year.

It is imperative that parents discuss this information with their children. All the following are considered weapons, but not limited to, any knife, cutting instrument, cutting tool, nunchaku stick, brass or metal knuckles, firearm, shotgun, rifle, bb or pellet gun, look-alike gun, chemical agent, explosive device and/or any other tool, instrument or implement that is not a firearm, which impels a pellet of any kind with a force that can reasonably be expected to cause bodily harm or any instrument that is capable of inflicting serious bodily injury.

Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding

• Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law.
• Activities involving collection, disclosure or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

Parents and residents are encouraged to report known or rumored incidents of drug or alcohol abuse by school-age children, particularly incidents known or rumored to occur during school hours. Contact the appropriate school principal who is responsible for investigating the reported incidents. Student Assistance Programs are in operation in all schools in the District.

Safety while riding the school bus is a responsibility that must be shared by all concerned parents, students and school officials as it is always our top concern. The Parkland School District has more than 2,500 bus stops, many of which are along roadways with a high volume of traffic. Therefore, we urge all students who must cross the roadway to board the bus, not to cross until the bus arrives, is completely stopped and red lights are flashing. Students should check both directions to be sure all traffic is stopped before crossing the roadway.

Parents must reinforce with their children the need to be at the bus stop 10 minutes before the assigned bus time and to obey the rules. The complete policy and regulations are available on the District Website. Buses are equipped with cameras capable of audio and visual recording. Bus Rules & Regulations can be found on the District’s website.

Violation of any of the regulations of the Parkland School District bus policy may result in suspension of transportation privileges and/or other disciplinary action for a period of time to be determined by the seriousness of the offense at the discretion of the administration.

Suspension of school bus privileges does not relieve either the student or the parents of their responsibilities insofar as the compulsory attendance laws apply. Absence from school for the above reason will be considered an unexcused absence.

In the event of serious or repeated violation of bus regulations, the District may file a summary offense, misdemeanor, or felony complaint with the local magistrate.

In compliance with state and federal law, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and PA Code Chapter 15, the Parkland School District will provide to eligible student with a disability, without discrimination or cost to the student or family, those related aids, services or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and co- and non-curricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities. To qualify, the child must be of school age with a physical or mental disability, which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to some aspect of the school program.

These services are distinct from those applicable to all eligible or exceptional students enrolled (or seeking enrollment) in special education programs.

For further information on the evaluation procedures and provision of services under Section 504 and PA Code Chapter 15, contact the Director of Student Services at 610-351-5555.

If you believe that your school age child may be in need of special education and related services or gifted education, please contact the Director of Student Services or the Director of Special Education. Screening and evaluation processes designed to assess the needs of the child and his/her eligibility are available to you at no cost upon written request. Early intervention services are available for young children age 3 to school age through the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit. (If you know a child with a disability in this age group who is not attending school, is attending a non-public school, or if you are concerned about a preschool child’s development in walking, talking, hearing, seeing, or learning, contact the Director of Student Services or the Director of Special Education.) You may request screening and evaluation at any time, whether or not your child is enrolled in the District’s public school program. Requests for screening and evaluation should be made in writing to the Director of Student Services, 1210 Springhouse Road, Allentown, PA 18104. Parkland students will be screened for vision impairments in all grade levels. Hearing screening, as state mandated, is conducted in Kindergarten and grades 1, 2, 3, 7, and 11 upon referral.

The District does not have insurance coverage for expenses resulting from accidental injuries to students during the course of the school day.

Medical expenses resulting from an accident to a student is the personal responsibility of the parent or guardian and should be immediately reported to the parent or guardian’s insurance company as their insurance is “primary coverage.

The District does offer an optional medical insurance plan to all students, however the insurance coverage of the parent or guardian is still “primary” insurance coverage, if such coverage exists, with the optional plan providing secondary insurance coverage.  Applications for the optional student accident insurance is provided to students at the beginning of the school year.

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

THESE RIGHTS ARE:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the building principal or Director of Student Services a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent of the eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
• The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the school principal or Director of Student Services and clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.  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 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.
• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent the 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); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the school has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his/her professional responsibility. Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. The results from a psychological assessment will be provided in an evaluation report. The protocols and forms used during the course of an evaluation are not considered to be a part of the student record and will be destroyed.

Parents have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school district to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Dept. of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.

The records of each student with an exceptionality (special education) are reviewed at the end of each school year. Information the District no longer deems necessary to provide appropriate programming is discarded. Parents may claim discarded records by contacting the Director of Student Services, at 610-351-5555, prior to June 1 each school year. Copies are available at a cost of 25 cents per page.

The Parkland Board of School Directors has approved a District-wide testing program designed to provide information concerning the academic proficiency and learning aptitude of all students in the District. Students in grade 1 will participate in the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). Students in grades 3 – 8 will participate in the PSSA Mathematics and Language Arts assessment. Students in grades 5 and 8 will participate in the PSSA Science assessment. Students completing courses in Algebra I, Biology and Grade 10 Literature will participate in the Keystone Exams as well as students needing to retest. College entrance examinations and advanced placement examinations are also available and optional for high school students. The specific dates for many of these assessments are listed in the District Activities Calendar.

The School Board adopted Policy 222 that prohibits the possession, use, purchase, sale of tobacco products including nicotine on school property, on school district transportation vehicles and at any school sponsored activity.   Policy 222 is available for review during school hours at the School District’s administrative offices and at any time on the School District’s website.  The Student Handbook provides a summary of Policy 222, but the full text of the Policy should be read by parents/guardians and students.  Under Policy 222 students are prohibited from possession, use, purchase, or sale of tobacco and vaping products.  The prohibition regarding tobacco products applies at any time when a student is in a school building; in any vehicle being used for school transportation; on any property owned, leased or controlled by the School District; or at school-sponsored activity that is held off school property.  The Policy has a definition for “tobacco product”.  The definition is broadly defined to encompass not only tobacco but also vaping devices. The definition includes any product made or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption, whether smoked, heated, chewed, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed or ingested by any other means, including, but not limited to, a cigarette, cigar, little cigar, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, snuff and snus. The definition includes any electronic device that delivers a tobacco product or other substance to a person inhaling from the device, including, but not limited to, electronic nicotine delivery systems, an electronic cigarette, a cigar, a pipe and a hookah. The Policy prohibitions include a lighted or unlighted cigarette, cigar and pipe; other lighted smoking product; smokeless tobacco in any form; “smokeless” cigarettes, vapes or vape cartridges, or E-smoking devices. Under the Guidelines of Policy 222, the prohibition of tobacco products includes student possession or use of products marketed and sold as tobacco cessation products or for other therapeutic purposes, (except as authorized in the Board’s Medication policy) and the possession of any form of medical marijuana. Policy 222 authorizes the confiscation and disposal of products prohibited under the Policy. A student also violates Policy 222 if the student tampers with devices installed to detect use of tobacco or vaping products. A student who violates Policy 222 may be disciplined as follows:

• First Offense: One-day exclusion (in school or out of school).
• Second Offense: Three-day exclusion (in school or out of school).
• Third Offense and Subsequent Offenses: Further exclusions (in school or out of school), the duration of which will be based on administrative discretion.

All discipline may include a prosecution before a Magistrate Judge in accordance with Pennsylvania law and Policy 222. Under Pennsylvania law and Policy 222, a student who commits an offense related to a tobacco product is subject to prosecution initiated by the School District or by local law enforcement including the District’s School Resource Officer. If convicted, the student may be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $50 and to pay court costs. Instead of paying a fine, the Court has discretion to admit the student to an adjudication alternative. The offense is classified as a summary under Pennsylvania law, but shall not constitute a criminal offense of record or is it reportable as a criminal act. However, the School District will report the offense under its annual report to the PA Department of Education without disclosure of personal identifiable information, unless disclosure is otherwise required by law. Parents/Guardians will be notified of any violation of the Policy and the District’s decision to initiate a prosecution or refer the matter to local law enforcement.

The Pennsylvania legislature has amended the Crimes Code to classify as a felony the entrance onto a school bus by any person not authorized by the school district. This legislative change has been enacted to limit disruption or interference of bus operation and to guarantee the safety of student riders.

THREATS

The Parkland School District recognizes the importance and responsibility of providing an environment safe from threatening and violent behavior. To this end, any student who makes threats orally, electronically, or in writing against any other member of the school community may be suspended from school and a threat assessment may be completed.