We recognize the rights of all parents/guardians to be informed of and involved in their child's education, including those who may be divorced or estranged. 

Parents/guardians who are estranged or divorced may disagree regarding the education of the child and/or may attempt to limit one another's access to their child. 

Despite such estrangement, both parents/guardians are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the child's education, to the extent appropriate.

Parents/guardians are presumed to have joint custody of the student, absent a court order or written agreement between the parents/guardians denying or limiting custody for either parent. 

For the district's purpose, the parent/guardian with whom the student resides is presumed to be the custodial parent. 

If estranged or divorced parents/guardians both claim to be the custodial parent, asserting that the child is residing with both parents/guardians, enrollment records will be examined. The parent who enrolled the student will be presumed to be the custodial parent until a court order or written agreement between the parties, identifying the custodial parent, is provided to the school.

A parent will only be prevented from participating in his/her child   education if a court order (e.g., divorce decree, custody order, or restraining order) specifically denies visitation rights.

If one parent desires the district to comply with such an order, he/she has the obligation to present a copy of the signed order to the building principal.

Additionally, the district may prohibit either parent (regardless of custodial status and the language of the court order) from
entering school, or otherwise participating in school-sponsored activities, if he or she disrupts the educational process or his/her presence is detrimental to morals, health, safety, academic learning, or discipline of the student(s).

We welcome parent/guardian involvement in our schools and district from supporting teachers and engaging in decision making at every level.

Our plan includes district committees including the Superintendent Advisory Council, Policy Advisory Council, and others that may be formed as needs arise.

Each school has a parent advisory council to problem solve how to improve parent and teacher cooperation in areas such as homework, attendance, discipline, and more.

We want all parent/guardian concerns resolved quickly and fairly.

Concerns should begin with the teacher or coach first. If the issue isn't resolved, parents/guardians can reach out to the school administration.

More information on this problem solving process is posted on our website with contact information for school and district leaders. 

Parents also may review:

• Patron Complaint Policy 1012
• Library and Resource Center Materials Policy 650

Our schools welcome parent/guardian visits. Parents/Guardians wanting to observe their students classroom are asked to follow this process:

• Make an appointment with the administrator in person or virtual to review the protocol

• Provide identity information to allow for school staff check the sex offender database. Idaho law protects students by prohibiting sex offenders in schools.

• Follow the direction of the teacher during the visit.

Parents/Guardians of students with disabilities can contact the school administration about a plan for their student. 

Our schools use information about a child's identity that is provided by parents/guardians when they enroll their child in our schools. This information is verified with a copy of a birth certificate which is required by Idaho law 18-4511.

The identity information on the birth certificate is required to be used for all official records such as transcripts, diplomas, etc. This identity information can only be changed with a birth certificate.

For various reasons, families may want their child's day-to-day identity to be something different. The most common is a different name other than the one on the birth certificate.

NAME CHANGES 

Many parents/guardians use different names for their child than what is documented on the birth certificate. For example, a child named John Doe Jr. may be identified and known as "Junior" instead of John.

School staff will use the name on the birth certificate unless another name has been provided by the parents/guardians and recorded in PowerSchool in the “preferred name” field.

Parents can contact the school for information on how to add a preferred name. Schools will not add preferred names without parent permission.

OTHER CHANGES

Parents/guardians who want to change other pieces of their child's identity including pronouns and gender must meet with school administrators to complete a support plan for their student. Students cannot initiate this change. If a student requests this, school staff will contact the parent/guardian.

ALL IDENTITY CHANGES REQUIRE PARENT APPROVAL 

If a student asks a school staff member to be identified differently than what is contained in their official records, school staff will contact the parent/guardian.

Changes in how a student is identified require parents' permission.