The resources below can help answer many of the questions you have:

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance in school allows the best learning environment and is vital to academic mastery. State law requires that all children between the ages of 6 and 16 in proper physical and mental condition receive full-time instruction. State aid to our district is based on each child's attendance.

Jr.-Sr. High school students who miss more than 30 days for a full year or 15 days for a half-year course may not receive credit for the course. All absences, legal and illegal, count as a missed day.

Legal absences from school include illness, death in the family, required court appearances, approved college visits, armed forces testing, medical appointments, or other reasons as approved by the Commissioner of Education. By law, some reasons are considered illegal, truant, or unlawful detention. Truancy is when parents expect the child to be in school and the child does not attend. Unlawful detention is when a student does not attend classes with the knowledge and consent of a parent for other than legal reasons.

If your child is absent, please call the office of your child's building. This allows school personnel to know that the child is safe at home and that the parent is aware of their absence. Often, school personnel will call your home or workplace to attempt to confirm a child's absence. When a child returns to school, parents must send a note listing the reason for their absence. We cannot accept a telephone call as a legal excuse.

Accessing School Records

Often parents, students, and other community members may want to have specific information about the schools in this district. Interested persons may inspect and/or copy school district records at the Office of the Records Access Officer (Business Administrator in the District Office) during regular business hours on any business day. This does not apply to records covered by privacy acts.

Requests to inspect or make copies of records must be submitted in writing to the Records Access Officer who will provide information regarding fees and the number of copies available.

Application for Public Access to Records

Child Abuse Hotline

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. 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 available online at http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/cps/.

Complaints and Grievances

Port Byron staff members and administrators take your concerns seriously. If you have an issue you would like to discuss, please take the following steps:

1. Discuss the issue first with teachers or staff members.
2. If you have further concerns, please contact the building principal.
3. If, after speaking with the building principal, you feel your issue still has not been adequately addressed, contact the superintendent.
4. If you feel your grievance remains unresolved after you have followed the first three steps, please bring it to the attention of the Board of Education

Volunteering

Our Volunteer Program is an important component of our school. Volunteers are always needed to assist with a variety of classroom and non-classroom-related activities. We encourage grandparents and community volunteers, as well as parents. Please contact any school office for more information.