The Greater Amsterdam School District > About Us > Required Notifications

Required Notifications

The Greater Amsterdam School District is required to provide the following notifications to parents on an annual basis. They have been posted for your convenience.

Reporting Suspect Child Abuse and Neglect

If you suspect a child is being abused or maltreated (neglected), report it by calling 1-800-342-3720, 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. Information about reporting child abuse and maltreatment (neglect) is available online at http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/cps/.

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Annual Fire Inspection

Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection for 2017 of The Greater Amsterdam School District for fire hazards that might endanger the lives of students, teachers, employees therein, has been completed and the report is available at the District Office of the Greater Amsterdam School District, located at 140 Saratoga Ave.  in Amsterdam for inspection by all interested persons.

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Annual Go Home Early Drill

Each November, Amsterdam Schools sends its students home 15 minutes early to test its Emergency Management Plan. The “Go Home Early Drill” is required once a year by the New York State Education Department. Families are notified in advance of the drill date. The purpose of the early dismissal drill is to test the effectiveness of the transportation and communications systems in the event of an emergency. Copies of the Emergency Management Plan are located in the Principal’s Office of each school, and at the District Office, 140 Saratoga Ave., Amsterdam.

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Annual Professional Performance Review

APPR stands for Annual Professional Performance Review, and it is the process by which teachers and principals are evaluated in New York state. The purpose of APPR is to empower educators to improve the quality of instruction in schools and, in turn, to improve students’ performance and readiness for colleges and careers. APPR plans must meet strict state guidelines and are negotiated with local unions. Under state guidelines, APPR takes into account classroom observations, student test scores, and a variety of achievement and assessment measures – many of which are decided at the local level. Teachers and principals across New York ultimately receive a number grade every year, which equates to an effectiveness rating.

Current Greater Amsterdam School District APPR plan

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Asbestos Notification

As required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Greater Amsterdam School District maintains asbestos management plans for district buildings. The Asbestos Management Plan for the district is kept on file at the Buildings & Grounds Office and are available for review during normal business hours. As required, periodic surveillances are conducted every six months. The next three-year re-inspection is required to be performed by summer of 2019. Currently, abatement projects have been conducted in conjunction with the building construction. Specific notifications are posted in the buildings where projects are done prior to the start of the abatement work.

For more information, contact the Office of Buildings and Grounds at 518-843-3180 x 2802.

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Body Mass Index

New York state requires schools to track each student’s body mass index (BMI) and weight status category as part of school health examinations. Every year, the New York State Department of Health surveys some schools for the number of students in each of six possible weight status categories. If the Greater Amsterdam School District is surveyed by the state, the district will share summary group data only and will not share individual names or information. Parents/guardians who wish to exclude their child’s data from the summary group calculations must contact their school nurse.

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Building Use Requests

School facilities may be used by district residents if approved by the Board of Education. Fees are charged for certain kinds of activities and/or for extra services which the district has to provide. If you wish to use school facilities, contact 843-3180 x 7101. Insurance coverage is required.

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Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child is being abused or maltreated (neglected), report it by calling 1-800-342-3720, 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. Information about reporting child abuse and maltreatment (neglect) is available online at http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/cps/.

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Disclosure to the Military

NCLB also requires that school districts disclose to military recruiters and institutions of higher learning, upon request, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of our high school students. However, parents or students may request, in writing, that the district NOT release such information. Parents, or students who are at least 18 years old, may exercise the option to withhold their consent to release this information by contacting the high school principal’s office.

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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Statement of Rights

Parent(s) or guardian(s) and eligible students have the following rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA):

  • The right to inspect and review the student’s record.
  • The right to be provided, on request, with a copy of all or part of the student’s education record.
  • The right to exercise a limited control over other people’s access to the student’s education record.
  • The right to designate a representative who will inspect, review, or copy such records.
  • The right to request and receive from the district a reasonable explanation of information contained in the education record of the student.
  • The right to seek to correct the student’s education record, at a hearing if necessary.
  • The right to report violations of FERPA to the Department of Education.
  • The right to be informed about FERPA rights.

All rights and protections held by a student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) under FERPA shall vest with the student when he or she reaches the age of 18, or enrolls in a post-secondary school. For purposes of federal law, the student shall then become an “eligible student.” Additionally, on application of the parent(s) or guardian(s), a school record shall be issued promptly to a minor who presents a certificate of physical fitness and meets the specified age requirement.

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Free & Reduced-Price Lunch

All students in grades K-12 in the Greater Amsterdam School District receive free breakfast and lunch at school.

Read more about the program here.

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Grade Promotion & Placement Policy

Decisions about student promotion and placement are at the discretion of Building Principals. These decisions are guided by recommendations of teachers and staff members, past academic performance, and parent/guardian input. Past academic performance refers to a variety of indicators of student achievement and growth. Promotion and placement decisions are not based solely on student performance on New York state assessments in grades 3-8 English language arts or mathematics. The district’s promotion and placement policy was adopted by the board of education following a review by the district administration.

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Health Information Privacy

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Get a copy of your health and claims records
  • Correct your health and claims records
  • Request confidential communication
  • Ask us to limit the information we share
  • Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your information
  • Get a copy of this privacy notice
  • Choose someone to act for you
  • File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

Your Choices

You have some choices in the way that we use and share information as we:

  • Answer coverage questions from your family and friends
  • Provide disaster relief
  • Market our services and sell your information

Our Uses and Disclosures

We may use and share your information as we:

  • Help manage the health care treatment you receive
  • Run our organization
  • Pay for your health services
  • Administer your health plan
  • Help with public health and safety issues
  • Do research
  • Comply with the law
  • Respond to organ and tissue donation requests and work with a medical examiner or funeral director
  • Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
  • Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

  • Get a copy of health and claims records
  • You can ask to see or get a copy of your health and claims records and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.
  • We will provide a copy or a summary of your health and claims records, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Ask us to correct health and claims records

  • You can ask us to correct your health and claims records if you think they are incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.
  • We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

  • You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
  • We will consider all reasonable requests, and must say “yes” if you tell us you would be in danger if we do not.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations.
  • We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.

Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information

  • You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
  • We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Get a copy of this privacy notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

  • If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
  • We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

  • You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the information on page 1.
  • You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

  • Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in payment for your care
  • Share information in a disaster relief situation

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

In these cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

  • Marketing purposes
  • Sale of your information

Our Uses and Disclosures

How do we typically use or share your health information?

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.

Help manage the health care treatment you receive

We can use your health information and share it with professionals who are treating you.

Example: A doctor sends us information about your diagnosis and treatment plan so we can arrange additional services.

Run our organization

  • We can use and disclose your information to run our organization and contact you when necessary.
  • We are not allowed to use genetic information to decide whether we will give you coverage and the price of that coverage. This does not apply to long-term care plans.

Example: We use health information about you to develop better services for you.

Pay for your health services

We can use and disclose your health information as we pay for your health services.

Example: We share information about you with your dental plan to coordinate payment for your dental work.

Administer your plan

We may disclose your health information to your health plan sponsor for plan administration.

Example: Your company contracts with us to provide a health plan, and we provide your company with certain statistics to explain the premiums we charge.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Help with public health and safety issues

We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:

  • Preventing disease
  • Helping with product recalls
  • Reporting adverse reactions to medications
  • Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
  • Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety

Do research

We can use or share your information for health research.

Comply with the law

We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests and work with a medical examiner or funeral director

  • We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.
  • We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests

We can use or share health information about you:

  • For workers’ compensation claims
  • For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
  • With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
  • For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Our Responsibilities

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
  • We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.

Changes to the Terms of this Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, on our website, and we will mail a copy to you.

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McKinney Vento Student Policy

The New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYS-TEACHS) provides materials on its website that schools can use to provide information about educational services for homeless students:

For more information, contact the district’s McKenney-Vento Coordinator Sandra Polikowski at spolikowski@gasd.org. .

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Idling School Buses on School Grounds

State law requires school districts to take steps to minimize the idling of the engines of school buses and other school vehicles on school grounds. While students are boarding and departing school buses, the engine should be turned off. Students should be instructed about the importance of getting on and off buses in an orderly and efficient fashion to minimize loading and offloading time. Bus engines should also be off while parked at sporting events and other school activities. Exceptions to this “no idling” policy can be made in cases of emergency, mechanical issues or for necessary heating.

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Water testing results

Lead-free, as defined by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, is based on the lead content of plumbing materials. Federal laws enacted in 1986, and updated in 2011, limit the amount of lead that can be used in new plumbing and fixtures. A building can be deemed lead-free if it was built after Jan. 4, 2014, or a New York State licensed Professional Engineer or Architect certifies it to be lead-free.

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New York State Report Card

New York State Education Law requires school district to make report card and accountability report information available on district websites. Click to view the report card.

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Nondiscrimination Policy/Equal Opportunity Policy

The Greater Amsterdam School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, military status, or any other protected status in its educational programs, employment or any other activities*. Further, it is unlawful for an employer to retaliate against any individual because that person filed a complaint, opposed any unlawful practice, or testified or assisted in an investigation or proceeding. Any inquiries and complaints regarding non-discrimination in the district may be referred to: GASD Student/DASA Complaint: Sandra Polikowski, District DASA Coordinator at spolokowski@gasd.org. GASD Staff Members: Erik J. A. Morrison, MBA, HR Supervisor, Title IX & Civil Rights Compliance Officer .

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Meal Charging and Prohibition Against Meal Shaming

It is the District’s goal to provide students with access to nutritious no- or low cost meals each school day and to ensure that a student whose parent/guardian has unpaid meal charges is not shamed or treated differently than a student whose parent/guardian does not have unpaid meal charges.
Unpaid meal charges place a large financial burden on the District. The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with federal requirements for the USDA Child Nutrition Program and to provide oversight and accountability for the collection of outstanding student meal balances to ensure that the student is not stigmatized, distressed, or embarrassed.

The intent of this policy is to establish procedures to address unpaid meal charges throughout the District in a way that does not stigmatize, distress, or embarrass students. The provisions of this policy pertain to regular priced reimbursable school breakfast, lunch and snack meals only. Charging of items outside of the reimbursable meals (a la carte items, adult meals, etc.) is expressly prohibited.

Access to Meals

  • Free meal benefit eligible students will be allowed to receive a free breakfast and lunch meal of their choice each day. A la carte items or other similar items must be paid/prepaid.
  • Reduced meal benefit eligible students will be allowed to receive a breakfast of their choice for $.25 and lunch of their choice for $.25 each day. The charge meals offered to students will be reimbursable meals available to all students, unless the student’s parent or guardian has specifically provided written permission to the District to withhold a meal. A la carte items or other similar items must be paid/prepaid.
  • Full pay students will pay for meals at the District’s published paid meal rate each day. The charge meals offered to students will be reimbursable meals available to all students, unless the student’s parent or guardian has specifically provided written permission to the District to withhold a meal. A la carte items or other similar items must be paid/prepaid.

Ongoing Staff Training

  • Staff will be trained annually and throughout the year as needed on the procedures for managing meal charges using the State Education Department (SED) Webinar or the District’s training program
  • Staff training will include ongoing eligibility certification for free or reduced price meals.

Parent Notification

Parents/guardians will be notified that a student’s meal card or account balance is exhausted and has accrued unpaid meal charges within 2 days of the charge and then every 3 days thereafter.

Parent Outreach

  • Staff will communicate with parents/guardians with five or more unpaid meal charges to determine eligibility for free or reduced price meals.
  • Staff will make two documented attempts to reach out to parents/guardians to complete a meal application in addition to the application and instructions provided in the school enrollment packet.
  • Staff will contact the parent/guardian to offer assistance with completion of meal application to determine if there are other issues within the household causing the student to have insufficient funds, offering any other assistance that is appropriate.

Minimizing Student Distress

  • Staff will not publicly identify or stigmatize any student in line for a meal or discuss any outstanding meal debt in the presence of any other students.
  • Students with unpaid meal charges will not be required to wear a wristband or handstamp, or to do chores or other work to pay for meals.
  • Staff will not throw away a meal after it has been served because of the student’s inability to pay for the meal or because of previous unpaid meal charges.
  • Staff will not take any action directed at a student to collect unpaid meal charges.
  • Staff will deal directly with parents/guardians regarding unpaid meal charges.

Ongoing Eligibility Certification

  • Staff will conduct direct certification through the New York Student Identification System (NYSSIS) or using SED Roster Upload at least monthly to maximize free eligibility. Staff will provide parents/guardians with free and reduced price application and instructions at the beginning of each school year in the school enrollment packet.
  • If the District uses an electronic meal application, it will provide an explanation of the process in the school enrollment packet and instructions on how to request a paper application at no cost.
  • The District will provide at least two additional free and reduced price applications throughout the school year to families identified as owing meal charges.
  • The District will use its administrative prerogative to complete an application on a student’s behalf judiciously, and only after using exhaustive efforts to obtain a completed application from the student’s parent/guardian. The District will complete the application using only available information on family size and income that falls within approvable guidelines.
  • The District will coordinate with the foster, homeless, migrant, and runaway coordinators at least monthly to certify eligible students.

Prepaid Accounts

Students/Parents/Guardians may pay for meals in advance via www.myschoolbucks.com or with a check payable to Amsterdam City School District. Further details are available on the District’s web page. Funds should be maintained in accounts to minimize the possibility that a student may be without meal money on any given day. Any remaining funds for a particular student will be carried over to the next school year.

To obtain a refund for a withdrawn or graduating student, a written or e-mailed request for a refund of any money remaining in the student’s account must be submitted. Students who are graduating at the end of the year will be given the option to transfer any remaining money to a sibling’s account through a written request.

Unclaimed funds must be requested within one school year. Unclaimed funds will then become the property of the District Food Service Program.

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Military Recruiters and Institutes of Higher Education Access to High School Student Information

Pursuant to federal law, the Greater Amsterdam School District must provide to military recruiters and institutions of higher education, upon request, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of high school students. Parents/guardians or students age 18 or older who do not want this information released to military recruiters and/or institutes of higher education should notify the building principal in writing by September 30 or within 30 days of enrollment. 

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Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security

The Greater Amsterdam School District is committed to ensuring student privacy in accordance with local, state and federal regulations and district policies. To this end and pursuant to U.S. Department of Education (DOE) regulations (Education Law §2-d), the district is providing the following Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security:

    • A student’s personally identifiable information cannot be sold or released for any commercial or marketing purposes.
    • Parents/guardians have the right to inspect and review the complete contents of their child’s education record, including any student data maintained by the Greater Amsterdam School District.
    • State and federal laws protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices, including but not limited to, encryption, firewalls and password protection, must be in place when data is stored or transferred.
    • A complete list of all student data elements collected by the state is available for public review in an Excel file at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/sirs/documentation/NYSEDstudentData.xlsx.
    • Parents/guardians may also obtain a copy of this list by writing to the Office of Information and Reporting Services, New York State Education Department, Room 863 EBA, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234.
    • Parents have the right to have complaints about possible breaches ad unauthorized disclosures of student data. Complaints may be submitted by mail to Chief Security Office, Greater Amsterdam School District, 140 Saratoga Ave., Amsterdam NY 12010; by email to dataprivacy@gasd.org.  Complaints may be submitted to NYSED online at www.nysed.gov/data-privacy-security or by mail to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Ave., Albany NY 12234, by mail by privacy@nysed.gov or by telephone at 518-474-0937.
    • The district’s policy regarding Ed Law 2D is detailed in Policy 5676

Data Privacy

New York State Education Law Section 2-d requires that all school districts introduce an inventory of programs used in the school environment on their websites and make such a document publicly available. Schools must also provide a clear description of the various data elements collected by the programs and applications including student, teacher and administrator Personally Identifiable Information (PII). To that end, we are pleased to introduce just such an inventory which is listed at the link below. In addition to the required information, more resources such as legal or regulatory documentation may be added to this public resource further outlining the reasons particular data elements are collected as well as the intended uses. Below you will find the district Data Privacy Inventory and a description of the programs currently in use in our schools with links to each company’s privacy policies. This public portal will be continuously updated as new security information is received or as new technological applications are integrated into the school environment.

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Pesticide Notification

New York State Education Law Section 409-H, effective July 1, 2001, requires all public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools to provide written notification to all persons in parental relation, faculty, and staff regarding the potential use of pesticides periodically throughout the school year.

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Safety Plan

As per New York State regulations, the district is required to post its safety plan on the district website. Click here to review a copy of the plan.

School Budget Documents

New York State Education Law requires the Greater Amsterdam School District to provide detailed statement of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for school purposes, specifying the several purposes and the amount for each.  Click here to review the required documents. 

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School Funding Transparency

Click here to view documents submitted as part of the district’s School Funding Transparency Report.

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Student Directory Information

The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows schools to disclose, without prior parental consent, certain “directory information” such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, participation in athletics, honors and awards, photograph and dates of attendance, unless parents have advised the district to the contrary.

From time to time, student directory information, including photo or video, is published on the Greater Amsterdam School District website or social media, in school publications or released to the media or other third parties to recognize student achievement or depict activities within the Greater Amsterdam School District. Parents who object to the disclosure of their child’s directory information must affirm an ‘Opt-Out’ of such disclosure by notifying their child’s building principal in writing on or before September 30 of each school year or within 30 days of enrollment .

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Student Records Information

In accordance with federal and state laws and regulations regarding the maintenance of student records, the Greater Amsterdam School District Board of Education recognizes the legal requirement to protect the confidentiality of student records. The Superintendent of Schools shall ensure that the procedures for the confidentiality of student records shall be consistent with federal and state law pursuant to the authority of the Commissioner of Education. It is the intent of the Greater Amsterdam School District to limit the disclosure of information contained in a student’s education records except by prior consent of the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) or the eligible student, unless otherwise provided by law.

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Student Privacy (Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment)

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment provides parents/guardians with certain rights regarding the conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams.  In particular, if a survey is funded in whole or part by the U.S. Department of Education, parents/guardians have the right to consent before students are required to complete a survey that asks about any of the following protected areas:

  • Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parents/guardians;
  • Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
  • Sexual behavior or attitudes;
  • Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
  • Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
  • Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
  • Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; or
  • Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

Parents/guardians will also receive a notice and an opportunity to opt students out of the following:

  • Any other survey that asks about the above protected areas;
  • Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attending school or school functions, with the exception of physical exams or screenings required or permitted by state law (e.g. hearing, vision, or scoliosis); and
  • Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

Parents/guardians have the right to inspect any surveys that ask about the above protected areas, as well as surveys created by third parties that are used to collect personal information from students for marketing purposes, and instructional materials used as part of the curriculum.

The school district will directly notify parents/guardians of its student privacy policy at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. Parents/guardians will also be provided with reasonable notification of specific activities or surveys covered by this policy and the ability to opt their child out of such activities.

These rights transfer from the parents/guardians to a child who is at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor.

Anyone who believes their rights have been violated may file a complaint with: Family Policy Compliance Office; U.S. Department of Education; 400 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, D.C.  20202.

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Student Rights

All students have the right to:

  • The best education possible with the opportunity for continuous progress intellectually and emotionally.
  • An educational environment that is stable, healthy and safe.
  • Ask questions and express opinions at the appropriate time and place.
  • Input decisions affecting the student population through elected or selected representatives.
  • Counseling and confidentiality of records.
  • Freedom from discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion or national origin.
  • Equal educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
  • Participate in extracurricular activities.
  • Due process as it applies to enforcement of school rules and regulations.

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Teacher Qualifications

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, parents/guardians have the right to know the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers, including:

  • Whether a teacher has state certification for the grade levels and subjects he or she is teaching;
  • The teacher’s baccalaureate degree major and any other certifications or degrees; and
  • Whether their child receives services from paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

Parents/guardians may request their child’s classroom teacher’s professional qualifications by contacting HR Supervisor, Human Resource Specialist Karen Belli at kbelli@gasd.org.

ESSA Parent Complaint Procedure

New York State Education Department has created a process for resolving complaints alleging that a local educational agency (LEA), grantee or NYSED has violated a law, rule, or regulation in the administration of any “covered Federal program” under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

These procedures offer parents and other stakeholders a process to file complaints and allow for the timely resolution of such complaints. A complainant may include any of the following: parents, public agencies, and other individuals or organizations.

To learn more about these procedures and how to file a complaint, please visit the NYSED website.

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Testing Transparency

Based on the concerns conveyed to the commissioner surrounding the use of assessments, and in accordance with Section 1 of Subpart F of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2014, the commissioner directed the Office of Teacher and Leader Effectiveness to review each district’s and BOCES’ APPR plan to identify opportunities for local action to ensure the minimum assessments necessary are used to inform effective decision making. The department encourages leaders to use the Testing Transparency Report to help review their currently approved APPR plan to identify modifications that would be approvable by the department and result in less testing for students. The department has consistently communicated that the amount of testing should be the minimum necessary to inform effective decision-making at the classroom, school, district and BOCES level. Guidance from the NY State Education Dept. on the approved regulatory amendments to APPR to help reduce local testing.

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Title IX and Section 504 Notice

The Greater Amsterdam School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, handicap or age. Inquiries concerning this policy of equal opportunity should be directed as follows:

Erik J. A. Morrison, MBA, emorrison@gasd.org, HR Supervisor, 140 Saratoga Ave., Amsterdam, NY 12010

Civil Rights Compliance Officers

Erik J. A. Morrison, MBA, emorrison@gasd.org, HR Supervisor, 140 Saratoga Ave., Amsterdam, NY 12010

Christine Smith, cssmith@gasd.org, Director of Student Support Services & Special Education, 140 Saratoga Ave., Amsterdam, NY 12010

Section 504

Christine Smith, cssmith@gasd.org, Director of Student Support Services & Special Education, 140 Saratoga Ave., Amsterdam, NY 12010

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