Annual Notifications

Asbestos Management Plan

The Greater Johnstown School District submitted its Asbestos management Plan to the New York State Education Department in 1989. In accordance with the EPA Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1987 (40 CFR Part 763), this memo is intended to fulfill annual notification that management plans for this district are on file and can be viewed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, please contact the GJSD Director of Facilities and Operations at (518) 762-4611.

Child Abuse Hotline

Child Abuse Hotline / línea de abuso infantil

Dignity for All Students Act

New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act (“DASA”) was signed into law on September 13, 2010 and took effect on July 1, 2012. Per the New York State Department of Education, the act “seeks to provide the State’s public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school function.”

While the Johnstown School District has several policies in place prohibiting harassment and discrimination, the Board of Education has taken the additional step of adopting Policy #7553 – Dignity for All Students Act (viewable at https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/johnstown/Board.nsf).

Beyond adopting a DASA policy, the Board of Education has also appointed Dignity Act Coordinators in each of our school buildings. These are individuals who have received special training in methods to respond to human relations in the areas of race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender and sex.

The Johnstown School District’s duly appointed Dignity Act Coordinators for the 2023-2024 school year are as follows:

If you are a student who is the target of harassment, hazing or bullying, or if you know of someone who is a target, you are encouraged to speak with a teacher, principal or dignity act coordinator.

Education Law 2-d

Data Security and Privacy Policy

Policy 5676: Privacy and Security for Student Data and Teacher and Principal Data (viewable at https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/johnstown/Board.nsf)

Parents Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security

The Greater Johnstown School District is committed to protecting the privacy and security of student data and teacher and principal data. In accordance with New York Education Law Section 2-d and the implementing regulations, the District  informs the school community of the following:

  1. A student’s personally identifiable information cannot be sold or released for any commercial purposes.
  2. Parents have the right to inspect and review the complete contents of their child’s education record.
  3. State and federal laws, such as NYS Education Law Section 2-d and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 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.
  4. A complete list of all student data elements collected by New York State is available for public review at http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/data-privacy-security/inventory-of-data-elements-collected-by-nysed_0.pdf, and by writing to the Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234.
  5. Parents have the right to have complaints about possible breaches and unauthorized disclosures of student data addressed.
    • Complaints may be submitted to Data Protection Officer Alicia Koster at akoster@johnstownschools.org or 518-762-4611.
    • Complaints may be submitted to NYSED by mail to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234; by email to privacy@nysed.gov, or by telephone at 518-474-0937.
  6. Parents have the right to be notified in accordance with applicable laws and regulations if a breach or unauthorized release of their student’s personally identifiable information occurs.
  7. Educational agency workers that handle personally identifiable information will receive training on applicable state and federal laws, the educational agency’s policies, and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices that protect personally identifiable information.
  8. Education agency contracts with vendors that receive personally identifiable information will address statutory and regulatory data privacy and security requirements.

Supplemental Information Regarding Third-Party Contractors

In the course of complying with its obligations under the law and providing educational services to District residents, the Greater Johnstown School District has entered into agreements with certain third-party contractors. Pursuant to such agreements, third-party contractors may have access to “student data” and/or “teacher or principal data,” as those terms are defined by law and regulation.

Each contract or other written agreement that the District enters into with a third party contractor where the third party contractor receives student data or teacher or principal from the district, the following supplemental information will be included with this bill of rights:

  1. The exclusive purposes for which the student data or teacher or principal data will be used by the third party contractor, as defined in the contract;
  2. How the third party contractor will ensure that the subcontractors, or other authorized persons or entities to whom the third party contractor will disclose the student data or teacher or principal data, if any, will abide by all applicable data protection and security requirements, including but not limited to those outlined in applicable laws and regulations (e.g., FERPA, Education Law Section 2-d);
  3. The duration of the contract, including the contract’s expiration date, and a description of what will happen to the student data or teacher or principal data upon expiration of the contract or other written agreement (e.g., whether, when, and in what format it will be returned to the District, and/or whether, when, and how the data will be destroyed);
  4. If and how a parent, student, eligible student, teacher or principal may challenge the accuracy of the student data or teacher or principal data that is collected; and
  5. Where the student data or teacher or principal data will be stored, described in a manner as to protect data security, and the security protections taken to ensure the data will be protected and data privacy and security risks mitigated; and
  6. Address how the data will be protected using encryption while in motion and at rest.

Approved Third Party Software

Click here for approved software listing.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides certain rights for parents regarding their children’s education records. When a student reaches 18 years of age or attends an institution of postsecondary education at any age, the student becomes an “eligible student,” and all rights under FERPA transfer from the parent to the student. Additional information may be found in the Parent Guide and the Eligible Student Guide available for download at this link: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/node/428

A guidance document regarding Parents’ rights under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and education officials’ obligations in implementing the PPRA is available for download at this link: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources/protection-pupil-rights-amendment-ppra-general-guidance.  The PPRA applies to the programs and activities of a State educational agency (SEA), local educational agency (LEA), or other recipient of funds under any program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. (20 U.S.C. § 1232h, 34 CFR Part 98)

Please also refer to the following policies for information pertaining to the Greater Johnstown School District (policies are viewable at https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/johnstown/Board.nsf):

  • Policy 7240 – Student Records: Access and Challenge
  • Policy 7242 – Student Directory Information
  • Policy 7244 – Student Privacy, Parental Access to Information, and Administration of Certain Physical Examinations to Minors

Medicaid Compliance Program

Notice to Employees

The Greater Johnstown School District requires its employees to be aware of the District’s Medicaid Compliance Program. This awareness includes the responsibility to report suspected Medicaid compliance issues to the Medicaid Compliance Officer.

If you suspect Medicaid fraud, or a lack of compliance with the District’s Medicaid Compliance Policy and Program, as an employee of the District you are encouraged to report those issues. The District provides the following options for such confidential reporting:

By email to: Melissa Baker, Medicaid Compliance Officer: complianceofficer@johnstownschools.org

By mail to:

Medicaid Compliance Officer
Greater Johnstown School District
1 Sir Bills Circle, Suite 101
Johnstown, NY 12095

All information will be strictly confidential. You need not state your name. If you wish, however, you can provide contact information.

The Medicaid Compliance Officer will investigate each issue reported to the District. The result of all investigations will be reported to the Board of Education, and if appropriate, to the office of the Medicaid Inspector General.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

Applicants for admission and employment, students, parents, employees, sources of referral of applicants for admission and employment, and all unions or professional organizations holding collective bargaining or professional agreements with the Greater Johnstown School District are hereby notified that this District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities.

Any person having inquiries concerning the Greater Johnstown School District’s compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title IX, The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), The Age Discrimination Act, or Section 504 is directed to contact the following individuals, who have been designated by the Greater Johnstown School District to coordinate the District’s efforts to comply with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title IX, the ADA, The Age Discrimination Act, and Section 504:

Alicia Koster, Assistant Superintendent
518-762-4611
akoster@johnstownschools.org

Scott Hale, Johnstown High School Principal
518-762-4661
shale@johnstownschools.org

The following non-discrimination policies have been adopted by the district and are viewable at https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/johnstown/Board.nsf:
  • #3420 Non-discrimination and anti-harrassment in the school district
  • #3421 Title IX and Sex Discrimination
  • #6120 Equal Employment Opportunity
  • #6121 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
  • #7550 Complaints and Grievances by Students
  • #7551 Sexual Harassment of Students

Pesticide Notification

Under state law, the Greater Johnstown School District is required to notify you that pesticide products may be used in school buildings throughout the year. Parents, guardians and staff may request 48-hour advance written notification, including the date and place where the pesticide will be used, the name of the pesticide and its EPA registration number and who to contact for more information. To be placed on the list, call the GJSD Director of Facilities and Operations at (518) 762-4611.

Social, Emotional and Academic Learning

SEAL Team Resource Guide for School Staff and Families