The following special services are available to students at SHSCS:

• Speech therapy
• Hearing and vision screening
• Counseling
• Special education resources and services
• Dental screenings
• Occupational/physical therapy
• Intervention services

At some time during the school year, it may be beneficial for teachers and parents to request the help of these specially trained people.  Written permission from a parent or guardian is needed for some of these services.

Student Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's educational records.  These are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the District receives a request for access.
   Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal [or appropriate school official] a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect.  The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
   Parents or eligible students may ask SHSCS to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading.  If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the School will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.  Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. 
   One exception, which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure of school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is a person employed by the District as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the District has contracted to perform a special task serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.
   A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
   [Optional] Upon request, the District discloses educational records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.  [NOTE: FERPA requires a school district to make a reasonable attempt to notify the student of the records request unless it states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request.]

4. The right to file a complaint with U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: 

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue SW
Washington DC 20202-4605

Child Find

Federal law requires schools to find and identify children who have learning problems or are gifted. At Sylvan Heights, there are steps that are in place for the child find process.

• Pre-referral- The classroom teacher tries to adaptations and modifications in the classroom. If these are not successful, the regular education teacher and the special education teacher meet, to determine if there are other strategies which can be implemented.

• Referral- If the pre-referral strategies were not successful, the regular education teacher completes a referral packet. This packet details what the concerns are and what has been tried. There is also a comprehensive academic/behavior rating scale which must be completed. The special education teacher scores the rating check list, and plots the information on the accompanying sheet. 
  Permission to evaluate is obtained from the parent/guardian. 
  The referral packet is forwarded to the school psychologist, and the child is tested. 
  The multi-disciplinary team meets to review the results of the testing, to determine if a child has a disability or is gifted. 
  If a student is deemed eligible for services, a follow-up IEP meeting is scheduled.