5145.1
Policy
Students
Pre-K-12 Students
Student Welfare
Civil and Legal Rights
and Responsibilities
Custodial/Non-Custodial
Parent Information
Unless provided legal
documentary evidence to the contrary, the school will assume that the parents
have joint custody. For the purposes
of notifying parents about students, the district shall assume that notifying
either parent with custodial rights shall be the same as providing notice to
both parents unless either parent makes a written request to the contrary. The
custodial parent, not the non-custodial parent, has the right to make
educational decisions for affected children unless extraordinary and highly
unusual circumstances present themselves or a court order grants such rights in
full or in part to the non-custodial parent. If joint custody has been awarded,
each parent will have equal rights unless restricted by a court order or other
legal document.
Unless a court order or
other legal document prohibits the following actions and the school has been
provided with a copy of the order/document, the non-custodial parent may:
a.
review his/her
child’s educational records;
b.
attend regular
parent-teacher conferences and may arrange for additional conferences;
c.
visit the school
as custodial parents do unless such visits are judged by school officials as
disruptive to the school routine; and
d.
request general school information such as district
newsletters and lunch menus.
The school will not release
a child to a non-custodial parent or other individual prior to the end of the
school day unless the custodial parent has granted permission. If custody
has not been decided, a child may be released to either parent unless a court
order or other legal document prohibits such release. The district may require
an individual to show identification when picking up a child if the individual
is unfamiliar to the staff.
The school will use the
legal surname of each child on all official school records. Use of another
surname on official school records will require a court order or other legal
document evidencing a legal name change.
Custodial and non-custodial
parents are responsible for providing the school with copies of all relevant
court orders and legal documents. The school will not go beyond what is called
for by a court order or other legal document.
Disagreements between family
members are not the responsibility of the school district. The school district
will not take the "side" of one family member over another in a
disagreement about custody or parental rights.
This policy does not prohibit an employee from listening to a student's
problems and concerns.
Legal Reference:
Adopted: Student Handbook,
July 16, 2001
Revised:
March 19, 2002.