Superintendent

Administration

Schools

Central Office

Central administration offices and the office of the Clerk of the Board of Education are located at 11 Boice Road, Hyde Park, NY . The mailing address is:

PO Box 2033
Hyde Park, NY 12538-0733.

Phone: 845-229-4000
Facsimile: 845-229-4016

Contact information for individual schools can be found here.

Department Directors

Department Supervisors

School Visits

Visitors are always welcome at Hyde Park schools. However, please use the main doors and report directly to the office when entering the building. This will reduce classroom interruptions and also comply with State Law. Classroom visits should be arranged in advance.

School Closings

School closings and delays are posted on the district home page and each of the building pages.

You may call 229-4000 for an update on school closings or visit www.cancellations.com for current cancellations and delays.

Although emergency, school closings most likely occur during winter months due to snow and icy road conditions, school can close in individual buildings at any time. Boiler trouble, lack of water and electrical power failure are among the reasons why district schools have been closed in the past. The Superintendent has the final responsibility for closing a school.

When schools close prior to the opening of the school day, all activities and events for that day and evening are cancelled. When schools are closed during the school day, after-school and evening activities are canceled for the balance of that day. Scheduled athletic events are also cancelled unless otherwise announced.

To ensure that your child will be properly cared for in the event that schools are dismissed early and no one is at home, please make arrangements at the beginning of the school year so your child will be assured of shelter when arriving home. Please be sure to carefully explain all of these arrangements to your child.

A one-hour or two-hour delay in the start of morning classes may be announced if weather reports indicate that early morning snow or ice will change to rain, or that additional time will enable road crews to clear the roads. This information will be announced on the following radio and television stations as early as possible:

Alcohol/Drug Policy

Drinking alcohol and/or the possession of open containers of alcoholic beverages on school district grounds are prohibited by law and will be strictly enforced by the Dutchess County Sheriff's Department and the Hyde Park Police. This also includes the use of, or possession of, unlawful drugs/paraphernalia. The law covers not only hours schools are in session, but also evenings, weekends, and vacation periods. If you see an infraction of this law, please call the police.

All Hyde Park school property has been designated as "Drug Free School Zones." The zones extend 1,000 feet from the property lines surrounding each school. Under a 1986 state law, anyone convicted of making available or selling a controlled substance to a person under age 19 in this area faces stiffer penalties. The law upgrades the crime from a Class C to a Class B felony and boosts the maximum prison sentence from 15 years to 25 years.

Substance Abuse Counseling is available.

Photographs

Throughout the school year, photographs may be taken of students for use in district-produced publications or by the news media. In addition, the local TV stations also videotape students during the school year for telecast on their local news programs.

If you DO NOT wish your child(ren) to be photographed or videotaped, please indicate so, IN WRITING, to each child's school.

Title IX

In compliance with Tide IX, Educational Amendments of 1972, the Hyde Park Central School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, or handicap. This policy, includes the following areas: recruitment and appointment of employees; employment pay and benefits; counseling services for students; access bv students to educational pro.ams, course offerings, and student activties.

The Title IX Coordinator for the District is:

Superintendent of Schools, Carole Pickering
HPCSD Administration Offices 
PO Box 2033
Hyde Park, NY 12538

phone 

This official will provide information, including complaint procedures, to any student or employee who feels that his/her rights under Tide IX may have been violated by the District or its officials.

Respect for Property/Vandalism

Basic to the philosophy of the district is a respect for the rights of others. Students are expected to exercise this respect in regard to school property and the belongings of others.

Vandalism to school property is costly to repair and is directly related to increased school taxes. Pupils and others causing damage to school property shall be subject to disciplinary action and required to pay for repair or replacement. If you see anyone vandalizing any school property, please call the sheriffs department or the Hyde Park Police immediately.

Section 504 Officer

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is the nation's first law to protect the civil rights of handicapped people and provides that:

No otherwise qualified individual...shall solely by reason of his/ her handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Section 504 includes specific prohibitions against discrimination based on handicap in areas related to employment and program accessibility as well as student programs, activities and services.

In the event that a qualified individual with a disability believes that there has been a violation of this Policy, 504 or the regulations (34 CFR 104) affecting his/her rights, such grievance may be placed in writing and investigated by the Pupil Personnel Services Director, who shall report his findings within twenty (20) days to the grievant, referencing a personal interview where appropriate. In the event of a finding of one or more violations, the report will be forwarded to the Board for its consideration and action.

The Section 504 Coordinator, Geoia Liberty, can be reached at 483-3607, for information on rights and procedures under Section 504.

Interpreters for Hearing Impaired Parents

The Board of Education recognizes that those district parents with documented hearing impairments which prevent a meaningful participation in their child's educational program must be afforded an opportunity equal to that afforded other parents to participate in meetings or activities pertaining to the academic and/or disciplinary aspects of their child's education. Accordingly, and pursuant to law, the district will provide an interpreter for hearing-impaired parents for school-initiated academic and/or disciplinary meetings or activities.

The school district will provide an interpreter for the hearingimpaired parent if a written request for the service has been submitted to and received by the district within 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting or activity. If an interpreter is unavailable, the district will then make other reasonable accommodations which are satisfactory to the parents (e.g., notetaker, transcript, decoder, or telecommunication device for the deaf). These services will be made available by the district at no cost to the parents. Contact the Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services, Geoia Liberty, at 483-3607 for additional information.

Taxes, Assessment & School Aid

Public schools in New York State receive their financial support from two principal sources: a tax on the local level and State aid.

State aid is broader and provides assistance to local districts for a variety of programs, such as standard operating aid, transportation, gifted and talented, BOCES aid, and software/library aid. State aid is based on a complicated formula and changes annually based on average daily student attendance, as well as other factors such as the value of the District's taxable property and average income.

The school code for Hyde Park School District residents to enter on their state income tax returns is 293. Residency is determined as of December 31. State distribution of financial aid to school districts is based on school code data reported by taxpayers.

The school tax rate is established by subtracting the estimated receipts from State aid and all other sources from the amount which the Board estimates will be needed for the operation of the schools. A ratio is then computed at which the real estate of the District would have to be taxed to raise the balance.

Each May, qualified voters are asked to authorize the expenditure of funds at the annual election and Budget Vote. Detailed information about these expenditures is mailed to each district home prior to the vote.

Senior Citizen Tax Exemption

The following maximum income eligibility limits for the partial real property tax exemption applicable to qualified taxpayers in the Hyde Park Central School District who are over the age of 65, relative to assessment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or after January 1, 2003 is as follows:

District residents are reminded that they must file an application with their town assessor by March 1 to qualify for the senior citizen properry tax exemptions.

School CEEB Code Number 332-500

Throughout the year, high school students will be filling out college applications, financial aid forms, and standardized testing forms requiring the school CEEB code number. Hyde Park's number is 332-500.

Applications for Working Papers

Young district residents, ages 12-17, who plan to work full or part time, must obtain working papers. Complete information and application forms are available in the Haviland and Roosevelt nurse's offices.

For students 14 or 15 years old, there is the Student Non-factory Employment Certificate. This lets students work in any trade, business or service, but not in a factory, workroom. For students ages 16 or 17, there is the Student General Employment Certificate. This lets students work in a factory or any other trade, business or service, but it is not valid for hazardous employment, such as construction work, operating most power-driven machines and so on.

There are restrictions on the numbers of hours and times of day that students can work at different ages. A brochure is available explaining these restrictions.

Discipline Policies

Discipline in our schools means the preparation of youth for citizenship in a democracy. It is essential for all students to understand and demonstrate respect for proper behavior and demeanor.

Discipline is a shared responsibility of the home and the schools. Problems of home discipline and problems of school discipline are related to each other. Poor scholarship, irregular attendance and social adjustment and problems are matters of concern for both parents and the school which merit the combined efforts and attention of both. Parents and teachers play a significant role in guiding children toward self-discipline and helping them understand that their behavior must be in accord with their own best interests as well as the welfare of others.

Teachers and staff members will work to support proper discipline habits for children and are anxious to work cooperatively with parents in this effort.

Policies 5310 and 5320 are the school and bus discipline policies in effect in the school district. Each school has a discipline policy for that particular age group. All students abide by the same bus discipline policy. Copies of these policies will be brought home by the students.

Copies of all policies are also available in each school for those residents who do not have children enrolled in the public schools, or whose children fail to bring home the copy.

Suspension from School Bus

Principals have the authority to suspend a student from school, from transportation or extra-curricular activities for up to five days. Suspension may occur if a student is insubordinate, disorderly or endangers the health, safety, or morals of themselves or of others. Long-term suspensions may occur as a result of a suspension hearing.

Off Road Vehicles

Motorcycles, go-carts, trail bikes, snowmobiles and similar offroad vehicles are prohibited on school property since they create a hazard to students and to others using the grounds for athletic purposes. If you see or hear anyone using these prohibited vehicles, please call the sheriffs office or Hyde Park Police.

Student Records

The district keeps a cumulative file on your child on a confidential basis. The file contains a transcript of secondary school grades, final grades for each subject, SAT and ACT test results, competency and other standardized test scores, an attendance record, family background information, health information, basic data (date of birth, height, weight) and verified reports of serious or recurrent behavior patterns.

Records are housed at your child's current school. All parents, legal guardians, and students over eighteen, have the legal right to inspect and review any official school records, files and data which constitute a student's cumulative record folder. Anyone wishing to review the records should make this request in writing to the building principal.

After reviewing the records, parents and students of age may request a hearing to 1) challenge the content of records to insure they are not inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the rights of students and 2) provide an opportunity to correct or delete inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate data contained in the records.

Student records and any material contained therein which is personally identifiable are confidential and may not be re[eased or made available to persons other than the parent or the student without the written consent of the parent or the student. Exceptions to this rule include school employees and officials and certain State and Federal officials who have a legitimate educational need for access to records.

The Confidential Student Records officer for the district is

Geoia Liberty
Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services
HPCSD Administration Offices
PO Box 2033
Hyde Park, NY 12538
Phone: 483-3607

This office will provide information regarding rights and procedures.

Homebound Instructional Services

Pupils who are unable to attend school for an extended period of time due to illness or accident are eligible for limited home instruction by a teacher provided by the district. A doctor's statement is required for this service stating the child is unable to return to school.

Parents wishing to apply for such home instruction should secure the necessary information from the Principal's office or from the office of the Pupil Personnel Services Director, 483-3607.

Speech/Language Services

Speech/language services are provided to handicapped students as determined by the Committee on Special Education. Limited services of diagnosis and treatment are available for non-handicapped students as caseloads permit.

Substance Abuse Counselors

Student Assistance Counselors work directly with students, either on a referral basis from an administrator or by a student requesting an appointment. This service is available at Roosevelt High School.

Banana Splits

"Banana Splits," an established program being used in many schools throughout the U.S., Germany, Canada, England and Japan, is available in Ralph Smith, Netherwood, Violet Avenue and North Park elementary schools. The non-therapy program provides ongoing peer support for upper grade children who come from homes where there has been divorce, separation, remarriage, or death of a parent.

The goal of the program is to have each child feel better about his or herself. Within a peer support setting, the children begin to realize they share similar problems. They help each other cope and deal more effectively with daily "jolts." The children volunteer to participate in the program with parent permission. Contact the building principal for additional information.

Alternate Education

The Alternate Education Program is for high school students who are considered potential dropouts. The purpose is to motivate these students to stay in school by offering them a curriculum that integrates academic subjects with a workoriented component. The program operates at Roosevelt and Dutchess BOCES sites.

School Hours

Admission to School

Children who will reach the age of five years on or before December 1 are eligible for kindergarten admission.

Children transferring from other districts will be placed in the grade in accordance with their prior school records and the judgment of the principal of their new school.

All new students are required to submit proof of age (birth certificate or passport) and residence (certified deed to the property, an official apartment lease, or a similar document that verifies residence in the Hyde Park School District).

Also, as required by law, each child entering school must bring proof of immunization against polio, measles, rubella, diphtheria, and mumps. The only exceptions to this law are a physician's statement that immunization may be detrimental to his/her heakh or unless the parents testify in writing that they are members ora recognized religious group whose teaching prohibit immunization.

Kindergarten

During the first week of school it is helpful if you (or the babysitter) stand in front of your house and wait with your child until he/she is picked up. It is also helpful if you wait out front for your child to be dropped off. This helps the bus drivers, as well as children, to identify the stops.

Kindergarten registration will be held during the second week of April, 2002. Resident children who will be five years old on or before December 1 will be eligible to attend kindergarten. One evening registration will be held on April 10. See the district for more information.

Reporting to Parents

Report cards at Haviland and Roosevelt are issued four times each year at 10 week intervals. In addition to the four scheduled reports, teachers are expected to notify you if your child is failing to complete assigned study, or is showing the he/she is not working up to his/her level of ability.

Formal progress reports are also issued at mid-term intervals; i.e., five weeks after each 10-week term begins. If your child is failing a class, you must receive a progress report; however, many teachers issue them each term for many students.

Elementary reports to parents are issued four times a year, with the first parent-teacher conference scheduled for November, and the second conference in April.

You are encouraged to contact teachers any time you have a question about your child's progress. In grades 7-12, guidance counselors also welcome the opportunity to confer with parents. Too much emphasis cannot be placed on the dual responsibility of the home and the school in the education of the students. By working closely together, you and the teacher(s) increase the likelihood that your child will reach his/her highest possible level of achievement.

Attendance

Regular daily attendance is essential for all students. Children whose attendance is irregular lose the important continuity of instruction and are hindered in learning. It is vital for you, as parents, to establish with your children the habit of consistent attendance and punctuality.

It is also expected that family vacations will be scheduled during school recesses so that the students will not miss regularly scheduled school days.

When students are truly ill, however, please keep them at home so that other students and teachers will not be infected. When a child returns to school following an absence, he or she must bring a dated, written excuse from a parent or guardian, giving the specific reason for the absence.

Early Dismissal Excuse

If a student must be excused early from school, a written, signed request from his/her parent or guardian must be presented to his/her classroom or homeroom teacher or school secretary before school begins.

At the time of departure, high school students must sign out in the attendance office before leaving the building. Haviland students must sign out in the office. Parents of elementary students must go into the main office to sign out their child.

The Spotlight

The Spotlight is the official publication of the Board of Education and is mailed periodically to all residents of the district. A detailed budget issue is mailed each year prior to the annual district budget vote. Parents are also kept informed on school matters through PTA newsletters at each elementary school and Haviland. Timely information is also sent to the local daily and weekly newspapers. Contact the Superintendents' Office, at .

To request information be included in it or to request the District submit information to the local newspapers for publication, contact the Administration Offices at .