Policies & Procedures

Access to Student Records

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents and students over 18 years of age have the right to inspect and review the student‘s records or request an amendment of records believed to be incorrect. They can also withhold consent of disclosure of personally identifiable information, except in cases where the law allows for disclosure without consent.

Please reach out to the district’s Guidance Office to inquire about student records, withhold consent or file a complaint. The Guidance Office can be reach at (518) 872-0945.

Pesticide and Asbestos Notifications

School districts are required to notify parents, guardians, and staff of potential pesticide use, with a 48-hour advance notice available upon request through the District Office. In addition, the Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District maintains an Asbestos Management Plan in compliance with federal law, which is available for review at the District Office during regular business hours.

Asbestos Management Plan

In accordance with the EPA’s Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1987 (40 CFR Part 763), the school district is required to give annual notification stating that the Asbestos Management Plan for each building is available for public review. The plan is currently kept in the Maintenance Supervisor’s Office in the BKW Business Office. These records are available for review during regular school business hours.

In addition, in accordance with this act, a six-month periodic surveillance is conducted in each building that contains asbestos. Before the start of any project, we will make sure all building occupants are properly notified, and all signage will indicate the scope of the project. For more information, please contact the Director of Facilities, Mr. Keith Domermuth, at (518) 872-1293.

Integrated Pest Management

New York State Education Law requires schools to provide written notification to all parents/guardians and staff members regarding the potential use of pesticides periodically throughout the school year. The district maintains a list of all individuals who wish to receive 48-hour prior written notification of certain pesticide applications. If you would like to receive 48-hour notifications of pesticide applications that are scheduled to occur, please contact Keith Domermuth, Director of Facilities, (518) 872-1293.

In the event of an emergency application necessary to protect against an imminent threat to human health, a good faith effort will be made to supply written notification to those on the 48-hour prior notification list. Some pesticide applications are not subject to notification requirements, including anti-microbial products, EPA-designated biopesticides, and exempt materials, and when a school remains unoccupied for a continuous 72-hours following an application. For more information on requirements, please contact the school’s pesticide representative, Keith Domermuth, Director of Facilities, at (518) 872-1293.

Lead Testing

According to state law, school districts and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) are required to test water outlets for lead every three years, unless the state commissioner of health requests individual districts to test sooner. Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, the state’s action level of lead in drinking water was reduced from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 5 parts per billion (ppb). School districts are required to report the results of all water testing to the state Department of Health, the state Education Department, and the local health department, and to post the results—along with remediation plans, if required—on the official district website.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo CSD is up-to-date with New York State lead testing requirements, most recently testing in February of 2024 and retesting in May of 2024.

Our February results are below:

BKW Elementary School Lead Testing Results (via Google Drive)

BKW Secondary School Lead Testing Results (via Google Drive)

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

The Code of Conduct outlines student rights and responsibilities, attendance rules, behavioral expectations, dress and electronic device policies, and disciplinary procedures to ensure a safe, respectful, and orderly learning environment. It also details prohibited conduct, consequences for violations, anti-bullying protections under the Dignity for All Students Act, and guidelines for academics, transportation, and extracurricular participation.

View more information about the BKW Code of Conduct (via Google Drive).

District-Wide School Safety Plan

The plan establishes a comprehensive district-wide safety and emergency response framework under New York’s Project SAVE law, detailing how the district prepares for, responds to, and recovers from hazards such as violence, natural disasters, and other emergencies, including procedures for drills, communication with first responders, and collaboration with building-level teams. It also outlines prevention and intervention strategies, assigns roles (like the Chief Emergency Officer), and describes coordination with law enforcement, staff training requirements, and community communication protocols.

View more information about the District-Wide School Safety Plan (via Google Drive).

Data Privacy

Learn more about the Data Privacy Policy on the Technology Department page.

Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security

Learn more about the Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security on the Technology Department page.

APPENDIX – 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 Berne-Knox-Westerlo School District has entered into agreements with certain third-party contractors. Pursuant to these 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.

For 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 data from the District, the following supplemental information will be included with this Bill of Rights:

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;
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);
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);
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;
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
Address how the data will be protected using encryption while in motion and at rest.

BKW Data Sharing and Confidentiality Agreement (via Google Drive)

District’s Software Inventory

Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

Signed into law in Sept. 2010, the Dignity for All Students Act – or DASA – was established to promote a safe and supportive learning environment in all public schools, free from harassment and discrimination from other students and adults.

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Parental Notifications

Pursuant to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, parents may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers and teaching assistants, including:

Whether state requirements and licensing criteria have been met for the grade level and subject area being taught.
If the teacher is working under an emergency or other provisional status under which state qualification and licensing criteria have been waived.
The teacher’s college major and subsequent advanced degrees.
Qualifications of any teaching assistants providing services to your child.
If an uncertified teacher will be working in a classroom for four or more weeks.

Requests for the above information may be directed to:

Superintendent of Schools
Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District
1738 Helderberg Trail
Berne, NY 12023

Publicity

Students’ names, grade levels, and photos may be published on the BKW website, in school publications, or released to the media to recognize student achievement or depict activities of the BKW school district. Parents who object to the use of their child’s information or image for publicity purposes should notify BOTH the superintendent of schools and their child’s building principal — in writing.

Please note: While the district will honor the request of any parent who has submitted written notification opting their child out of publicity efforts, the district is not responsible for media that covers news happenings, sporting events, or school events.

Release of Information to Military Recruiters

NCLB 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.

Smart Schools Investment Plan

The Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District’s Smart Schools Investment Plan outlines how Smart Schools Bond Act funds will be used to modernize instructional technology, including student and staff devices, interactive classroom equipment, and related infrastructure, to better support teaching and learning. The plan also includes targeted investments in high-tech security systems to enhance school safety while ensuring sustainability, professional development, and equitable access for all students.

Special Needs

Children with special needs may be entitled to additional services from the school district in which they reside. If your child has special needs that are not known to the school administration, please call the district office. New York state education law also requires that each public school district account for the education of all resident minors. Please help BKW comply with this requirement. If your child is home-schooled or attends a private or parochial school and has not previously been registered with the District Office, please call (518) 872-1293.

Student Directory Information

The district releases certain types of student information (name, address, phone number, etc.). Under FERPA, parents may object in writing to the release of that information. That specific information can be found on the U.S. Department of Education website.

Student Health Data – BMI

Because New York State is interested in child health data, schools are required to record students’ height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI). If our district is surveyed by the state, we will only share group data (for instance, the number of second-grade boys whose BMI is below the fifth percentile), not individual data. However, if parents wish their child’s data to be excluded from such group calculations, they may do so by contacting their school nurse.

Student Privacy – Surveys, Activities

The district’s privacy policy offers parents the opportunity to excuse their child from any survey that reveals information on personal behavior or political beliefs. Parents are also notified and offered the chance to exclude their child from activities that gather personal information about students, which can be used for marketing purposes.