Table of Contents
- Asbestos Notification
- Attendance Policy
- Board of Education Policies
- Child Abuse Hotline
- Code of Conduct
- Data Privacy & Security – Education Law 2d
- Districtwide School Safety Plan
- Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
- Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
- McKinney-Vento / Homeless Liaison
- Notice of Non-discrimination / Title IX / Equal Opportunity
- Smart Schools Investment Plan
- Title I / Parents’ Right to Know
Asbestos Notification
In accordance with the Federal EPA Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), all public and private K-12 schools in the United States are required to inspect their facilities for asbestos. An additional requirement of the regulations is that parents and staff are to be informed that the inspection was done.
The Potsdam Central School District has been inspected for both friable (crumbles easily) and nonfriable materials that contain asbestos. Samples were taken for analysis from a wide variety of materials throughout the district’s buildings.
Friable and nonfriable asbestos materials were found in various areas in each school district building. These areas are inaccessible to students and to most staff members. All areas are posted to warn not to disturb the material. The situation does not pose a health risk at this time and we are carrying on periodic inspections, and have instituted an operations and maintenance program to ensure that there is no release of asbestos fibers.
The record of the inspection and drawings showing the locations of the friable and nonfriable materials and a copy of the management plan are housed in the main office of each school building and are available for your inspection.
Attendance Policy
The Potsdam Central School Board of Education recognizes that regular school attendance is a major component of academic success. To be successful in this endeavor, it is imperative that all members of the school community are aware of this policy, its purpose, procedures and the consequences of noncompliance.
View Policy 5100: Attendance Policy.
Board of Education Policies
View all Potsdam Central School District Board of Education Policies.
Child Abuse Hotline Notification
If you suspect a child is being abused or maltreated (neglected), report it by calling (800) 342-3720, a toll-free 24-hour hotline operated by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department.
Learn more about reporting child abuse and maltreatment/neglect (via NYS Child Protective Services).
Code of Conduct
To achieve our mission, students need to be supported and engaged in school in order to promote strong character and appropriate conduct. It is also essential that students are able to take age-appropriate responsibility for their own behavior.
View the District Code of Conduct.
Data Privacy & Security – Education Law 2d
In early 2020, The New York State Department of Education adopted a new law focused on the privacy and security of student and staff personally identifiable information (PII).
The Educational Law Section 2d, known amongst NY schools as Education Law 2d, provides “guidance to educational agencies and their third-party contractors on ways to strengthen data privacy and security to protect student data and annual professional performance review data.”
Learn more about Data Privacy & Security – Education Law 2d.
Report Possible Breaches and/or Unauthorized Disclosures of Student Data (via Google Forms).
Districtwide School Safety Plan
The St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, in conjunction with the Potsdam Central School District, supports SAVE Legislation and facilitates the planning process. The District-wide School Safety Plan is developed by the District Safety Committee. The Superintendent of Schools encourages and advocates on-going district-wide cooperation and support of Project SAVE.
View the Districtwide School Safety Plan.
Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
The Board of Education is committed to providing an educational and working environment that promotes respect, dignity and equality. The Board recognizes that discrimination, such as harassment, hazing and bullying, are detrimental to student learning and achievement. These behaviors interfere with the mission of the district to educate its students and disrupt the operation of the schools. Such behavior affects not only the students who are its targets but also those individuals who participate and witness such acts.
To this end, the Board condemns and strictly prohibits all forms of discrimination, such as harassment, hazing and bullying on school grounds, school buses and at all school-sponsored activities, programs and events.
Discrimination, harassment, hazing or bullying that takes place at locations outside of school grounds, such as cyberbullying, which creates or can be reasonably expected to create a material and substantial interference with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school or impinge on the rights of other students are prohibited, and may be subject to disciplinary consequences.
Dignity for All Students Act Coordinator: Daniel Cook
Dignity for All Students Act Associates: Jennifer McKinley & Kristin Towne
View Policy 0115: Student Harassment & Bullying Prevention & Intervention.
View Regulation-0115-R: Student Harassment & Bullying Prevention & Intervention.
View the Harassment and/or Bullying Complaint Form (Exhibit-0115).
Federal Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
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.
McKinney-Vento / Homeless Liaison
The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility under federal (McKinney-Vento) and state laws and regulations to identify homeless children within the district, encourage their enrollment and eliminate existing barriers to their identification, enrollment, attendance, or success in school which may exist in district practices. The Board will provide homeless children attending the district’s schools with access to the same free and appropriate public education and other school programs and activities, including publicly funded preschool education, as other children.
View Policy 5151: Homeless Children.
Notice of Non-discrimination / Title IX / Equal Opportunity
The Potsdam CSD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability or predisposing genetic characteristic in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions; and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Laura Hart, Business Manager
Phone: (315) 265-2000 x36721
29 Leroy Street, Potsdam, NY 13676
Inquiries concerning the application of the Potsdam Central School District’s non-discrimination policies may also be referred to by telephone at (646) 428-3800 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (TTY) or by mailing:
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
32 Old Slip, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Smart Schools Investment Plan
The Potsdam Central School District’s Smart Schools Investment Plan was produced in accordance with the New York State Smart Schools Bond Act, approved in 2017.
View the Final Smart Schools Bond Act Investment Plan – Supplemental 2025.
Title I / Parents’ Right to Know
As per the new Title I legislation, ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), previously titled NCLB (No Child Left Behind), you may request information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher(s) and paraprofessionals staff.