Code No. 100 School District
Code No. 101.1 Legal Status of the School District
Iowa law authorizes the creation of a Common Schools System. As part of this Common Schools System, this school district is a school corporation created and organized under Iowa law. This school district shall be known as the Interstate 35 Community School District.
This school corporation is located in Madison County, and its affairs are conducted by elected school officials, the Interstate 35 Community School District Board of Directors. This school corporation has exclusive jurisdiction over school matters in the territory of the school district.
Approved: September 15, 1997
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No. 101.2 Educational Philosophy
The purpose of the Interstate 35 Community School District is to develop within each student the greatest degree of human potential and to prepare each student for a responsible role in society.
The Board recognizes that learning is a developmental process and that the District’s learners are varied in their needs and abilities. The Board believes in offering a positive, challenging learning environment that addresses individual needs. Within this environment, the Board will strive to offer a wide range of educational experiences that will prepare students to be life-long learners and responsible, successful, productive citizens.
Approved: September 15, 1997
Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No. 101.3 Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination
The Board and the District will not discriminate in educational activities on the basis of: race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability.
The Board and the District will not discriminate in employment opportunities on the basis of age, race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information.
The Board and the District require all persons, agencies, vendors, contractors and other persons and organizations doing business with or performing services for the District to subscribe to all applicable federal and state laws, executive orders, rules and regulations pertaining to contract compliance and equal opportunity.
Inquiries or grievances related to this policy may be directed to the District Director of Curriculum at the District Administrative Office; to the Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 400 East 14th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, (800) 457-4416; to the Office for Civil Rights Chicago Office, United States Department of Education, Citigroup Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1475, Chicago, Illinois 60661, (312) 730-1560; or to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chicago Office, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60661 (800) 669-4000. Inquiries may also be directed to the Director, Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, 400 East 14th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.
Approved: September 15, 1997
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No. 101.3R1 Grievance Procedure Regulations
Students, parents of students, employees, and applicants for employment in the District will have the right to file a formal complaint alleging discrimination under federal and/or state laws, rules, and regulations requiring non-discrimination in programs and employment.
Level One - Principal, Immediate Supervisor or
Personnel Contact Person
(Informal and Optional - may be bypassed by the grievant)
Employees with a complaint of discrimination based upon their age, race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information are encouraged to first discuss it with their immediate supervisor, with the objective of resolving the matter informally. An applicant for employment with a complaint of discrimination based upon their age, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability are encouraged to first discuss it with the personnel contact person. This paragraph is for employees and “marital status” is not a protected class for employees.
A student, or a parent of a student, with a complaint of discrimination based upon their race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability are encouraged to discuss it with the instructor, counselor, supervisor, building administrator, program administrator or the personnel contact person directly involved.
Level Two - Compliance Officer
If the grievance is not resolved at Level One and the grievant wishes to pursue the grievance, the grievant may formalize it by filing a complaint in writing on a Grievance Filing Form, which may be obtained from the Compliance Officer. The complaint will state the nature of the grievance and the remedy requested. The filing of the formal, written complaint at Level Two must be within fifteen (15) working days from the date of the event giving rise to the grievance or from the date the grievant could reasonably become aware of such occurrence. The grievant may request that a meeting concerning the complaint be held with the Compliance Officer. A minor student may be accompanied at that meeting by a parent or guardian. The Compliance Officer will investigate the complaint and attempt to resolve it. A written report from the Compliance Officer regarding action taken will be sent to the involved parties within a reasonable time after receipt of the complaint.
Level Three - Superintendent/Administrator
If the complaint is not resolved at Level Two, the grievant may appeal it to Level Three by presenting a written appeal to the Superintendent. Within five (5) working days after the grievant receives the report from the Compliance Officer, the grievant may request a meeting with the Superintendent. The Superintendent may request a meeting with the grievant to discuss the appeal. A decision will be rendered by the Superintendent within a reasonable time after the receipt of the written appeal. If, in cases of disability grievances at the elementary and secondary level, the issue is not resolved through the grievance process, the parents have a right to an impartial hearing to resolve the issue.
This procedure in no way denies the right of the grievant to file formal complaints with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or Office of Special Education Programs, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Iowa Department of Education for mediation or rectification of civil rights grievances or to seek private counsel for complaints alleging discrimination.
Level Four - Appeal to Board
If the grievant is not satisfied with the Superintendent's decision, the grievant can file an appeal with the Board within five (5) working days of the decision. It is within the discretion of the Board to determine whether it will hear the appeal.
The Compliance Officer is:
Name ___________________________________________________________
Office Address ____________________________________________________
Phone Number ____________________________________________________
Office Hours______________________________________________________
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No. 101.3E1 Notice of Non-Discrimination
Students, parents, employees, and others doing business with or performing services for the District are hereby notified that this District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national/ethnic origin, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, marital status, or disability in admission or access to or treatment in its programs and activities.
Students, parents, employees, and others doing business with or performing services for the Interstate 35 Community School District are hereby notified that this District does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information in admission or access to or treatment in its hiring and employment practices.
Any person having inquiries concerning the District's compliance with federal and/or state non-discrimination law is directed to contact:
(Title) Superintendent _______________________________
(where located) I-35 District Office
(telephone number) 641-765-4291
This individual has been designated by the District to coordinate the District's efforts to comply with federal and/or state non-discrimination laws.
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No. 101.3E2 Grievance Form For Complaint of Discrimination or Non-Compliance with Federal or State Regulations Requiring Non-Discrimination
Grievance Form for Complaints of Discrimination or Non-Compliance with Federal or State Regulations Requiring Non-Discrimination
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I, , am filing this grievance because |
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Describe incident or occurrence as accurately as possible:
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Attendance center |
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Name of Individual Alleging Discrimination or Non-Compliance
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Name |
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Grievance Date |
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State the nature of the complaint and the remedy requested.
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Indicate Principal's or Supervisor's response or action to above complaint.
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Signature of Principal or Supervisor |
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Approved: October 22, 2012
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No. 102.1 Long-Range Needs Assessment
Long-range needs assessment enables the District to analyze assessment data, get feedback from the community about its expectations of students and determines how well students are meeting student-learning goals. The Board shall conduct ongoing and in-depth needs assessment, soliciting information from business, labor, industry, higher education and community members, regarding their expectations for adequate student preparation as responsible citizens and successful wage earners.
In conjunction with the in-depth needs assessment of the District, the Board shall authorize the appointment of a committee, representing administrators, employees, parents, students and community members, to make recommendations and assist the Board in determining the priorities of the District in addition to the basic skills areas of the education program.
The District will, at least on a bi-annual basis, conduct community meetings for local input and feedback.
It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to ensure the District community is informed of students’ progress on state and locally determined indicators. The Superintendent shall report annually to the Board about the means used to keep the community informed.
As a result of the Board and committee’s work, the Board shall determine major educational needs and rank them in priority order; develop long-range goals and plans to meet the needs; establish and implement short-range and intermediate-range plans to meet the goals and to attain the desired levels of student performance; evaluate progress toward meeting the goals and maintain a record of progress under the plan that includes reports of student performance and results of school improvement projects; and annually report the District’s progress made under the plan to the committee, community and Iowa Department of Education.
Approved: September 18, 2000
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No. 103.1 Annual Notice of Non-Discrimination
The District offers career and technical programs in the following areas of study:
- Agricultural, Food, and Natural Resources
- Applied sciences, technology, engineering, and manufacturing, including transportation, distribution, logistics, architecture, and construction
- Family Consumer Science
- Business, Finance, Marketing and Management.
The Board and the District will not discriminate in educational programs on the basis of: race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability, socioeconomic status or marital status.
The Board and the District will not discriminate in employment opportunities on the basis of age, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, or disability.
There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. Any person having inquiries concerning the District's compliance with federal and/or state non-discrimination law is directed to contact:
Mr. Adam Beckel, Secondary Principal
Interstate 35 High School
405 East North Street
Truro, IA 50257
641-765-4818
Email: abeckel@i-35.k12.ia.us
This individual has been designated by the District to coordinate the District's efforts to comply with federal and/or state non-discrimination law.
Approved: August 24, 2016
Revised/Reviewed: June 7, 2023
Code No. 103.1a Continuous Notice of Non-Discrimination
The Board and the District will not discriminate in educational programs on the basis of: race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability, socioeconomic status or marital status.
The Board and the District will not discriminate in employment opportunities on the basis of age, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information.
There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. Any person having inquiries concerning the District's compliance with federal and/or state non-discrimination law is directed to contact:
Mr. Adam Beckel, Secondary Principal
Interstate 35 High School
405 East North Street
Truro, IA 50257
641-765-4818
Email: abeckel@i-35.k12.ia.us
This individual has been designated by the District to coordinate the District's efforts to comply with federal and/or state non-discrimination laws.
Approved: August 23, 2016
Revised/Reviewed: June 7, 2023
Code No.103.1b Grievance Form for Complaints of Discrimination or Non-Compliance with Federal or State Regulations Requiring Non-Discrimination
Grievance Form for Complaints of Discrimination or Non-Compliance with Federal or State Regulations Requiring Non-Discrimination
I, , am filing this grievance because
(Attach additional sheets if necessary)
Describe incident or occurrence as accurately as possible:
(Attach additional sheets if necessary)
Signature
Address
Phone Number
If student, name
Grade Level
Attendance center
Name of Individual Alleging Discrimination or Non-Compliance
Name
Grievance Date
State the nature of the complaint and the remedy requested.
Indicate Principal's or Supervisor's response or action to above complaint.
Signature of Principal or Supervisor
Approved: August 23, 2016
Revised/Reviewed: February 27, 2023
Code No.104 Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy
Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy
The Interstate 35 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 students, employees, 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 is 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.
Retaliation Prohibited
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.
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 or potentially repeated electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or other ongoing conduct toward an individual based on any trait or characteristic of the individual which 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 the 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.
- “Trait or characteristic of the individual” includes but is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.
- “Volunteer” means an individual who has regular, significant contact with students.
Publication of Policy
The board will annually publish this policy. The policy may be publicized by the following means:
Inclusion in the student handbook.
Inclusion in the employee handbook
Inclusion in registration materials
Inclusion on the school or school district’s website
Approved: April 22, 2024
Revised/Reviewed:
Code No. 104 R1 Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy—Investigation Procedure
Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy—Investigation Procedure
Filing a Complaint
An individual who believes that the individual has been harassed or bullied may file a complaint with the superintendent or superintendent’s designee. The complaint form is available in the District Office. If the complainant is a school employee, after filing the complaint with the superintendent or superintendent’s designee, the employee may separately notify the parent or guardian of the student alleged to have been harassed or bullied.
An alternate investigator will be designated in the event it is claimed that the superintendent or superintendent’s designee committed the alleged bullying or harassment or some other conflict of interest exists. Complaints shall be filed within [state number of days - 180] of the event giving rise to the complaint or from the date the Complainant could reasonably become aware of such occurrence. The Complainant will state the nature of the complaint and the remedy requested. The Complainant shall receive assistance as needed.
Investigation
The school district will promptly and reasonably investigate allegations of bullying or harassment upon receipt of a written complaint. The Superintendent/ Superintendent Designee hereinafter “Investigator”) will be responsible for handling all complaints alleging bullying or harassment.
The investigation may include, but is not limited to the following:
- Interviews with the Complainant and the individual names in the complaint (“Respondent")
- A request for the Complainant to provide a written statement regarding the nature of the complaint.
- A request for the Respondent to provide a written statement;
- Interviews with witnesses identified during the course of investigation;
- A request for witnesses identified during the course of the investigation to provide a written statement; and
- Review and collection of documentation or information deemed relevant to the investigation.
The Investigator shall consider the totality of circumstances presented in determining whether conduct objectively constitutes bullying or harassment as defined in Board policy. Upon completion of the investigation, the Investigator shall issue a report with respect to the findings, and provide a copy of the report to the appropriate building principal or Superintendent if the investigation involved the building principal
The complaint and identity of the Complainant, Respondent, or witnesses will only be disclosed as reasonably necessary in connection with the investigation or as required by law or policy. Similarly, evidence uncovered in the investigation shall be kept confidential to the extent reasonably possible.
Additional suggestions for administrative procedures regarding this policy include:
- Organizing training programs for students, school employees, and volunteers regarding how to recognize bullying and harassing behavior and what to do if this behavior is witnessed; and
- Developing a process for evaluating the effectiveness of this policy in reducing bullying and harassing behavior.
Decision
The investigator, building principal or superintendent, depending on the individuals involved, shall inform the Complainant and the accused about the outcome of the investigation. If, after an investigation, a student is found to be in violation of the policy, the student shall be disciplined by appropriate measures, which may include suspension and expulsion. If after an investigation a school employee is found to be in violation of this policy, the employee shall be disciplined by appropriate measures, which may include termination. If after an investigation a school volunteer is found to be in violation of this policy, the volunteer shall be subject to appropriate measures, which may include exclusion from school grounds.
Individuals who knowingly file false bullying and/or harassment complaints and any person who gives false statements in an investigation may be subject to discipline by appropriate measures, as shall any person who is found to have retaliated against another in violation of this policy. Any student found to have retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, suspension and expulsion. Any school employee found to have retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, termination of employment. Any school volunteer found to have retaliated in violation of this policy shall be subject to measures up to, and including, exclusion from school grounds.