Under state law, school districts and BOCES are required to conduct an Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) for each teacher and principal, resulting in a rating of “highly effective,” “effective,” “developing” or “ineffective.”

All parents/guardians have the right to obtain the APPR score for their child’s teacher(s) and principal(s) once the rating scores are officially available.

To request a teacher/principal(s) rating, contact the appropriate individual:

Special Education

Susan McNulty, Assistant to the Superintendent (Special Education/ Curriculum & Instruction)
516-396-2287
smcnulty@nasboces.org

Regional Schools and Instructional Programs

Thomas McGrath, Assistant to the Superintendent (Human Resources/RSIP)
516-396-2358
tmcgrath@nasboces.org

View Nassau BOCES’ APPR Plan➚

In accordance with Asbestos Hazards Emergency Response Act (AHERA), all Nassau BOCES school buildings have been inspected by an accredited inspector that identified accessible assumed or confirmed asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM). The findings of this inspection are located within the asbestos management plan. The management plan, as well as the most recent re-inspection, surveillance and response action clearance reports, are maintained in the office of each school building. A complete set is available at the Department of Facilities Services.

Managing bed bugs can be a major challenge for schools nationwide.

Bed Bugs in Schools Guidance for Parents (epa.gov)  

If you suspect a child is being abused or maltreated (neglected), report it by calling 1-800-342-3720, a toll-free 24-hour hotline operated by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services➚ (TDD/TTY: 1-800-638-5163). If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department. Information about reporting child abuse and maltreatment (neglect) is also available online at http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/cps/.

Mandated reporters must also file, within 48 hours of an oral report, a signed, written report, Report of Suspected Child Abuse or Maltreatment (LDSS-2221A)➚. This written report is to be filed with the appropriate local CPS.[ST1] 

The Nassau BOCES Board of Education is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment that is based on the principles of civility, mutual respect, citizenship, character, acceptance, honesty and integrity.

Board Policy – Code of Conduct (Policy #5300)➚.

New York state requires school districts to develop a continuity of operations plan and make it available. Nassau BOCES is providing the following plan so stakeholders are aware of the district's plans in the event of an ongoing public health emergency involving communicable disease. View Nassau BOCES' District-wide Safety Plan: Protocols for a State Disaster Emergency Involving a Communicable Disease➚

Nassau BOCES is committed to providing a safe, supportive environment free from harassment, bullying and discrimination for all students. The agency encourages the involvement of staff, students, parents and community members in the implementation and reinforcement of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). If you believe you, or someone else, has been the target of harassment, bullying, cyber-bullying, and/or discrimination, please complete a DASA Incident Reporting Form (PDF) and return it to a school administrator or Dignity Act Coordinator. All complaints will be treated in a confidential manner. Anonymous reports may limit the district's ability to respond to the complaint. A prompt and thorough investigation will be conducted for all incident reports.

Note: PDF forms can be printed and completed by hand, or filled in electronically and printed or emailed to the Dignity Act coordinator.

For more information, contact the Dignity Act Coordinator in your child’s school. The names, designated school and contact information for each school building’s Dignity Act Coordinators are provided below:

New York State Education Law 2-d gives parents/guardians the right to information about how Nassau BOCES BOCES is safeguarding student and staff data. Learn more about Data Privacy and Security and access our online complaint form.

The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides parents/guardians and students who are 18 years of age or older (known as “eligible students“) with certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. Parents/guardians and eligible students have the right to:

• Inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day a request for access is received by the school. These requests should be submitted to the school principal;
• Request a hearing to challenge information in the student’s education records that the parent/guardian or eligible student believes is inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student;
• Provide written consent before the school discloses education records or personally identifiable information contained therein, unless such release is authorized by FERPA, or the information released is directory information. Directory information includes the following information relating to a student: the student’s name; address (except information about a homeless student's living situation); major course of study; participation in school activities; dates of attendance; awards received; most recent school attended; grade level; home district; and post-secondary enrollment status.
• File a complaint with the USDOE concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC  20202.

Learn more about federal laws that protect student privacy.

Board Policy – Student Records (Policy #5500)➚.

Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection for the 2022-2023 of the administrative and school buildings of Nassau BOCES for fire hazards, which might endanger the lives of students, teachers and employees therein, has been completed and the report thereof will be available at the office of the Safety Coordinator, 71 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530 for inspection by all interested persons.

Each year, schools are required by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) to share information with students/families and staff about influenza, or the “flu.” Influenza/flu is a contagious illness caused by flu viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs.

Learn how you can protect your family from the flu.

Aprenda cómo puede proteger a su familia de la gripe.

Under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), individuals may request existing public records from the public agencies responsible for maintaining those records. Nassau BOCES has a designated Records Access Officer who is responsible for accepting and responding to FOIL requests.

To make a request for existing public records, please select from the following options:

Electronic FOIL requests: Enter your request using our online form.

When you submit this form, FOIL allows Nassau BOCES five business days to make the record(s) available, deny access to the record(s), or acknowledge receipt of your request and inform you of the time frame required to respond to your request.

Nassau BOCES Records Access Officer
Communications Office
George Farber Administrative Center
71 Clinton Road, P.O. Box 9195
Garden City, NY 11530-9195

Click here to make a request for existing public records.

Throughout the school year, different media groups (television stations, local newspapers, school production classes, district communications staff, etc.) will produce stories, videos and photographs about activities and events happening in the Nassau BOCES schools. These articles, photographs and videos may be posted on the internet, aired on television and cable stations, or used in Nassau BOCES promotional materials and on its website and social media sites.

Parents who DO NOT want their child(ren) to be photographed or videotaped for news media or school publicity purposes should complete the “Media Opt-Out Form.” Completed forms should be returned to your school’s front office so the school has a record of your request.

Nassau BOCES photographers will make every reasonable effort to identify the primary subjects in photographs and to not publish photos containing students on the opt-out list. The “Media Opt-Out Form” will be in effect for the current school year and must be renewed annually.

This notification relates to classroom activities or events that occur during the school day that are not already open to the public. Public events such as athletic competitions, theatre productions, and those activities occurring outside the school day are considered open to the public and newsworthy and are therefore not subject to the parental opt-out.

Please feel free to contact the Nassau BOCES Communications Office at 516-396-2207 should you have any questions.

Note: This only applies to non-special education students in Nassau BOCES’ programs.

Forms

• Media Opt-Out Form
• Media Opt-Out Form (Spanish)

The Associate Director of Technology Services (Director) is responsible for establishing controls over Nassau BOCES’ network user accounts. Nassau BOCES' Technology Services Department staff, including the Executive Manager, monitor and service the network under the supervision of the Director.

View the Report of Examination (2022M-77) issued September 9, 2022, by the New York State Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Local Government and School Accountability➚

The Nassau BOCES advises students, parents, employees and the general public that it offers employment and educational opportunities without regard to age, color, creed, disability, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, predisposing genetic characteristics, race, religion (including religious practice and/or expression), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation or victim of domestic violence status. The Nassau BOCES shall provide equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The Nassau BOCES shall not discriminate or take any retaliatory action against an employee with respect to compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment because of the employee’s or dependent’s reproductive health decision-making.

Information and grievance procedures are available by contacting the following individuals at 71 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530: Thomas McGrath, Assistant to the Superintendent - Human Resources & Regional Schools and Instructional Programs at 516-396-2358, tmcgrath@nasboces.org, and/or Selma Stoddard, Esq., Attorney (Employee Relations), Department of Human Resources at 516-396-2360, sstoddard@nasboces.org. For further information, please see Policies 0100 Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination; 0110 Sexual Harassment and 0115 Dignity for All Students Act. The entire policy manual is available on the Nassau BOCES website: www.nassauboces.org.

Inquiries concerning the application of regulations prohibiting discrimination may be referred to the above-mentioned individuals or to the following:

• Office for Civil Rights at NY Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 32 Old Slip, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005-2500 or call 646-428-3900, or fax 646-428-3843, or TDD 800-877-8339 or email OCR.NewYork@ed.gov or file form at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html.
• The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may be reached at 33 Whitehall Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004 or call 1-800-669-4000, or 1-800-669-6820 (TTY), or fax 212-336-3790 or email info@eeoc.gov.
• The New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR) may be reached at One Fordham Plaza, 4th Floor, Bronx, NY 10458 or call 1-888-392-3644 or 718-741-8300 (TDD/TTY) or email info@dhr.ny.gov, complaint forms may be sent directly to complaint@dhr.ny.gov or faxed to 718-741-8322.

The Nassau BOCES is committed to protecting the privacy and security of each student's data. Learn more about Data Privacy and Security and access our online complaint form.

Board Policy – Parents' Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security (Policy #5500-E.1)➚.

This New York State Department of Education publication provides information for parents, guardians and other family members about laws, regulations and policies affecting special education programs and services. It is available in English and Spanish language versions.

New York State Education Law Section 409-H requires all schools to inform staff, parents and guardians that there is a potential for pesticides to be used periodically throughout the school year. Nassau BOCES is required to maintain a list in each school of staff or parents who wish to receive 48-hour prior written notification of non-exempt pesticide applications in that school. If you would like to receive 48-hour prior notification of pesticide applications that are scheduled to occur in your school, when notification is required, please contact your school’s principal. If you have any questions regarding the pesticide notification requirements, you may contact the Nassau BOCES Safety Coordinator. Additional information may be obtained by calling the National Pesticide Information Center, 1-800-858-7378, or the New York State Department of Health’s Center for Environmental Health Info Line, 1-800-458-1158.

From time to time, student directory information is published on the Nassau BOCES website, in school publications, social media and/or released to the media to recognize student achievement or depict educational activities of the Nassau BOCES. Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can be disclosed to outside organizations, by law, without a parent or guardian's prior consent.

Directory information includes:

• Student’s name
• Nassau BOCES student
• Address (except information about a homeless student’s living situation)
• Major course of study
• Participation in school activities
• Dates of attendance
• Awards received
• Most recent school attended
• Grade level 
• Home District
• Post-Secondary Enrollment Status

The Nassau BOCES by law will disclose directory information, including students’ names, addresses, and telephone listings, to military recruiters upon request.

Once the proper FERPA notification is provided by the Nassau BOCES, parents/guardians or eligible students have 14 days to notify the Nassau BOCES of any objections they have to any of the directory information designations and to opt out.

To opt-out, send written notification to the BOCES principal or program supervisor for the program your child attends. 

Board Policy – Student Records (Policy #5500)➚.

Nassau BOCES has announced an amendment to its policy for serving meals for children served under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program for the 2023-24 school year, which would allow for all children at all schools/sites to be served meals at no charge.

For additional information please contact:

Timothy Holahan, Program Manager
Nassau BOCES School Lunch Program
Phone: 516-396-2925
Email: tholahan@nasboces.org 

Under the Protection of the Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), parents have the right to inspect and opt their child out of any student survey that reveals information about personal attitudes, behaviors or beliefs. Parents also have the right to receive notice of and opt their child out of any activities that involve the collection, disclosure or use of a student’s personal information for marketing purposes and out of any non-emergency, physical exam or screening, except for hearing, vision and scoliosis screenings or as permitted or required by state law.

Learn more about federal laws that protect student privacy.➚

The Nassau BOCES is committed to providing a positive school environment that promotes and protects students' health, well-being and the ability to learn. 

Read the complete Student Wellness Policy (#5405)➚.

Wellness Committee

The Wellness Committee will assess current activities, programs and policies available in the Nassau BOCES; identify specific areas of need within the Nassau BOCES; and will provide mechanisms for implementation, evaluation, revision and updating of the policy. The Wellness Committee recommends goals relating to nutrition education, physical activity, and other Nassau BOCES-based activities to establish a school environment that presents consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity for all.

Contact:

Dr. Jeffrey Diebold, Supervisor 1
Chief Psychologist
(516) 396-2294
Fax: (516) 396-2227
jdiebold@nasboces.org

Nassau BOCES is committed to protecting the health and well-being of our students, teachers and staff. In July 2021, we performed an updated inventory of all water outlets in the agency and another round of sampling of all applicable water outlets in compliance with the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) regulation titled Lead Testing in School Drinking Water (10 NYCRR Subpart 67- 4). These water outlets were previously tested in 2016.

Sampling of potable water outlets (water outlets used for cooking or drinking) was performed by our environmental consulting and testing firm. In an abundance of caution, the agency also sampled non-potable outlets (water outlets not designated for cooking or drinking) throughout the agency’s buildings. While not typically used as drinking water, it was decided that the sampling of these non-potable outlets be performed in the rare instance that a child might use them for drinking. Any outlet which revealed concentrations of lead above the New York State’s action level of 15 parts per billion has been removed from service or otherwise restricted until a proper action and/or remediation is performed.

Detailed information about the agency’s lead testing program, including copies of all laboratory results, is available below. As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact the office of the Nassau BOCES Safety Coordinator at (516) 396-2401.

___

Attachments:

• Final report regarding testing and remediation, July 13, 2021 (7.8 MB, PDF)➚
• Letter from the Nassau BOCES District Superintendent, July 15, 2021 (0.2 MB, PDF)➚
• Final report regarding testing at the George Farber Administrative Center, October 24, 2023 (2.1 MB, PDF)➚