It is the policy of the Stratford Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, political party affiliation, or actual or potential parental, family or marital status in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code sections 216.9 and 256.10(2), Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000d and 2000e), the Equal Pay Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 206, et seq.), Title IX (Educational Amendments, 20 U.S.C.§§ 1681 – 1688), Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.). 

If you have questions or complaints related to compliance with this policy by the Iowa Department of Education, please contact Nancy Janney, 1000 Shakespeare IA, 50249, telephone number: 515-838-2208, or the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Citigroup Center, 500 W. Madison Street, Suite 1475, Chicago, IL 60661-4544, telephone number: 312-730-1560, FAX number: 312-730-1576, TDD number: 877-521-2172, email: OCR.Chicago@ed.gov.

Legal Statements

CONTINUOUS NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

It is the policy of the Stratford Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy please contact the District’s Equity Coordinator, Mr. Matt Berninghaus, Stratford Community School District, 820 Des Moines Street, Webster City, IA 50595, Phone: 515-832-9200, email address: mberninghaus@wcschools.org
 

ANNUAL NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

The Stratford Community School District offers career and technical programs in the following areas of study
Agricultural, Food, and Natural Resources
Applied Science, Technology, Engineering, and Manufacturing
Arts, Communication, and Information Systems
Business, Finance, Marketing, and Management
Health Science
Humam Services

It is the policy of the Stratford Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy please contact the District’s Equity Coordinator, Mr. Matt Berninghaus, Stratford Community School District, 820 Des Moines Street, Webster City, IA 50595, Phone: 515-832-9200, email address: mberninghaus@wcschools.org
 

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1)    Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2)    Fax: (202) 690-7442; or

(3)    Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

De conformidad con la Ley Federal de Derechos Civiles y los reglamentos y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los EE. UU. (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés), se prohíbe que el USDA, sus agencias, oficinas, empleados e instituciones que participan o administran programas del USDA discriminen sobre la base de raza, color, nacionalidad, sexo, discapacidad, edad, o en represalia o venganza por actividades previas de derechos civiles en algún programa o actividad realizados o financiados por el USDA.

Las personas con discapacidades que necesiten medios alternativos para la comunicación de la información del programa (por ejemplo, sistema Braille, letras grandes, cintas de audio, lenguaje de señas americano, etc.), deben ponerse en contacto con la agencia (estatal o local) en la que solicitaron los beneficios. Las personas sordas, con dificultades de audición o discapacidades del habla pueden comunicarse con el USDA por medio del Federal Relay Service [Servicio Federal de Retransmisión] al (800) 877-8339. Además, la información del programa se puede proporcionar en otros idiomas.

Para presentar una denuncia de discriminación, complete el Formulario de Denuncia de Discriminación del Programa del USDA, (AD-3027) que está disponible en línea en:http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Spanish_Form_508_Compliant_6_8_12_0.pdf. y en cualquier oficina del USDA, o bien escriba una carta dirigida al USDA e incluya en la carta toda la información solicitada en el formulario. Para solicitar una copia del formulario de denuncia, llame al (866) 632-9992. Haga llegar su formulario lleno o carta al USDA por:

(1)    correo: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

(2)    fax: (202) 690-7442; o

(3)    correo electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov.

Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

Iowa Non-Discrimination Statement

“It is the policy of this CNP provider not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or religion in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code section 216.6, 216.7, and 216.9.  If you have questions or grievances related to compliance with this policy by this CNP Provider, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Grimes State Office building, 400 E. 14th St. Des Moines, IA 50319-1004; phone number 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; website: https://icrc.iowa.gov/.”

Aviso de No Discriminación de Iowa

Es política de este proveedor de CNP no discriminar en base a la raza, credo, color, sexo, orientación sexual, identidad de género, nacionalidad, discapacidad o religión en sus programas, actividades o prácticas de empleo según lo exigen la sección 216.6, 216.7 y 216.9 del Código de Iowa. Si tiene preguntas o reclamos relacionados con el acatamiento de esta política por el Proveedor de CNP, comuníquese con la Comisión de Derechos Civiles de Iowa, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50319-1004; número de teléfono 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; sitio Web: https://icrc.iowa.gov/.
 

If you wish to file a complaint about any child nutrition program, please go to this web address: www.ascr.usda.gov/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer.

Homeless Policy

Every student experiencing homelessness or living in temporary housing situations as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act shall have access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless or experiencing temporary housing situations. This commitment to the educational rights of homeless children, youth, and unaccompanied youth, is applied to all services, programs, and activities provided or made available in Stratford Schools.

A student may be considered eligible for services under law if he or she is presently lacking a fixed, regular or adequate nighttime residence, such as:

1. A child or youth who is sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; is living in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; is living in an emergency or transitional shelter; or is abandoned in a hospital;

2. A child or youth who has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;

3. A child or youth who is living in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or similar setting; or

4. A migratory child or youth who qualifies as homeless because the child or youth is living in circumstances described in paragraphs “1” through “3” above.

Anti-Bullying/Harassment Policy

The Stratford Community School District is committed to providing all students, employees, and volunteers with a safe and civil school environment in which all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect.  Bullying and/or harassing behavior can seriously disrupt the ability of school employees to maintain a safe and civil environment, and the ability of students to learn and succeed.

Bullying and/or harassment of or by student, staff, and volunteers is against federal, state, and local policy and is not tolerated by the board.

Accordingly,  school employees, volunteers, and students shall not engage in bullying or harassing behavior while on school property, while on school-owned or school-operated vehicles, while attending or participating in school-sponsored or sanctioned activities, and while away from school grounds if the conduct materially interferes with the orderly operation of the educational environment or is likely to do so.

Complaints may be filed with the superintendent or superintendent’s designee pursuant to the regulation accompanying this policy.  The superintendent is responsible for implementation of this policy and all accompanying procedures. Complaints will be investigated within a reasonable time frame.  Within 24 hours of receiving a report that a student may have been the victim of conduct that constitutes bullying and/or harassment, the district will notify the parent or guardian of the student.

If as a result of viewing surveillance system data or based on a report from a school district employee, the district determines that a student has suffered bullying or harassment by another student enrolled in the district, a parent or guardian of the student may enroll the student in another attendance center within the district that offers classes at the student’s grade level, subject to the requirements and limitations established in Iowa law related to this topic.

A school employee, volunteer, or student, or a student’s parent or guardian who promptly, reasonably, and in good faith reports an incident of bullying or harassment, in compliance with the procedures in the regulation, to the appropriate school official designated by the school district, shall be immune from civil or criminal liability relating to such report and to participation in any administrative or judicial proceeding resulting from or relating to the report.

Individuals who knowingly file false bullying or harassment complaints and any person who gives false statements in an investigation may be subject to discipline by appropriate measures.

Retaliation Prohibited
Retaliation against any person because the person has filed a bullying or harassment complaint or assisted or participated in an investigation is prohibited.

Any student found to have violated or retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, suspension and expulsion.  Any school employee found to have violated or retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, termination of employment.  Any school volunteer found to have violated or retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, removal from service and exclusion from school grounds.

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, the defined words shall have the following meaning:

• “Electronic” means any communication involving the transmission of information by wire, radio, optic cable, electromagnetic, or other similar means.  “Electronic” includes but is not limited to communication via electronic mail, internet-based communications, pager service, cell phones, and electronic text messaging.

• “Harassment” and “bullying” mean any repeated and targeted electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward an individual that creates an objectively hostile school environment that meets one or more of the following conditions:

  • Places the individual in reasonable fear of harm to the individual's person or property.

  • Has a substantial detrimental effect on the individual's physical or mental health.

  • Has the effect of substantially interfering with a individual's academic or career performance.

  • Has the effect of substantially interfering with the individual's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

• “Volunteer” means an individual who has regular, significant contact with students.