FERPA

Notice for Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Henry County Public Schools, with certain exceptions, obtain a parent’s or legal guardian’s written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from their child’s education records. However, Henry County Public Schools may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless parents or guardians have advised the school division to the contrary in accordance with procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow Henry County Public Schools to include this type of information from students’ education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

• A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production
• The annual yearbook
• Honor roll or other recognition lists
• Graduation programs
• Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members 

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised Henry County Public Schools that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent.¹ If parents do not want Henry County Public Schools to disclose directory information from their child’s education records without their prior written consent, they must notify the school division in writing. Henry County Public Schools has designated the following information as directory information:

• Student’s name
• Address
• Telephone listing

¹These laws are:  Section 9528 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7908) as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110), the education bill, and 10 U.S.C. 503, as amended by section 544, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (P.L. 107-107), the legislation that provides funding for the Nation’s armed forces.

 AHERA Notification Concerning Asbestos Materials in School Buildings 

All Henry County Public Schools have been inspected for presence of asbestos containing materials. The results of these inspections have been compiled into a management plan for each school.  These management plans are available in the main office of each school for inspection.  Any individual who wishes may review these plans.  Each six months, a specified maintenance technician inspects the building and assesses any building materials still containing asbestos.  The technician verifies that the materials have not been damaged, deteriorated, or become friable by any other means causing a hazard to the occupants of the building.  Should any situation be detected, it would be dealt with quickly by a trained and licensed abatement professional. Additionally, each three years, an independent contractor, who is trained and licensed in asbestos inspections and abatement, is employed to inspect each school to ensure the asbestos containment and that the removal plans are being followed.  Also, this contractor reports any building materials containing asbestos that might become a hazard.