Federal and State Mandated Notices

Parents have the right to inspect, upon request, a survey or evaluation created by a third party before the survey/evaluation is administered or distributed by the school to the student. The parent will have access to the survey/evaluation within a reasonable period of time after the request is received by the building principal. 

Parents have the right to inspect, upon request, any instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum of the student. The parent will have access to the instructional material within a reasonable period of time after the request is received by the building principal. The term instructional material means instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of its format, including printed and representational materials, audio-visual materials, and materials in electronic or digital formats (such as materials accessible through the Internet). The term does not include academic tests or assessments. 

More information can be found on the District curriculum page and in Olentangy student handbooks.  

The District shall provide information regarding the College Credit Plus Program to the students currently enrolled in grades six (6) through eleven (11) and to their parents. This information should be provided through multiple and easily accessible resources including, but not limited to, the District's website, student assemblies, written communications to students (either electronically or through hard copy), and joint communication events with institutions of higher education. Male students who are at least 18 years old and are Ohio residents must register with the Selective Service System and provide their Selective Service number to their college within 30 days of their 18th birthday to participate in College Credit Plus (CCP). If a student does not register or provide their number, they will not be considered a CCP participant for that term and will be responsible for all associated costs. More information can be found on the district’s website on the College Credit Plus page and in Olentangy student handbooks. 

 The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students 18 years or older certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. These rights, which are fully explained in Olentangy Board of Education Policy and Guideline 8330-Student Records include: The right to inspect and review the student’s education records.  The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that are believed to be inaccurate and the right to a hearing if the request is not honored.   The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education regarding an alleged violation of FERPA. The right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information within the student’s records, unless disclosure is otherwise authorized by law or unless disclosure is made to school officials with legitimate educational interests.    

The following is designated as directory information, which may be disclosed without prior written consent: a student’s name, mailing address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, height, and weight, if a member of an athletic team, dates of attendance, date of graduation, and awards received. Parents have the right to submit a written request to the Communications Department, preferably within two weeks after the first day the student is enrolled in a school year, directing the district not to release directory information concerning their child to third parties. Examples of third parties include PTOs, Booster organizations and the media. According to Ohio Revised Code, public schools are prohibited from releasing directory information to third parties who intend to use the information for profit-making ventures. Direct the written request or any questions to the Communications Department, Olentangy Local School District, 7840 Graphics Way, Lewis Center, Ohio 43035, (740) 657-4050.  More information can be found in Olentangy student handbooks.  

Olentangy School District directly, or through a technology provider, is electing to generally, monitor all school-issued devices (as this term is defined by R.C. 3319.325).  Monitoring will include these features: location tracking and  student interactions with school issued devices (e.g., keystrokes and web-browsing activity).   

 The District generally monitors these features for the noncommercial education purpose of instruction, technical support, and/or exam proctoring.  Additionally, these features are generally monitored as a necessary precaution for preventing and/or responding to threats to life or safety. This notification serves as the District’s annual notice regarding general monitoring of school-issued devices consistent with Ohio Revised Code Sections 3319.325-.327 

Students and parents may review all technology providers that have access to students’ educational records for the purpose of providing curriculum, testing, or assessment services. A list of technology providers and provider contracts can be found using this link. Questions or concerns regarding these resources can be directed to OLSD_SDP@olsd.us.

Ohio’s new Parents’ Bill of Rights law sets a statewide process for how parents are notified about certain aspects of their child’s education and reaffirms your right to be informed and make decisions about your child’s upbringing, education, and care. Many of these requirements have long been part of Olentangy Schools’ practice. 

Please review the information below. If you have questions, contact your child’s teacher or principal. 

Review of Instructional Materials & Right to Opt-Out 
You have the right to opt-out your student from specific aspects of the educational program. You may receive notifications from your child’s teacher when upcoming classroom instruction includes sexuality content or other content that could be considered controversial. If you wish to opt your child out of specific lessons—such as those containing sexuality content or other potentially controversial topics—you may do so by contacting the teacher and working together to select an alternative assignment aligned to the course of study. House Bill 8 Parent Notification Template 

Age-Appropriate Course Content 

• Grades K–3: No sexuality content in classroom instruction. 
• Grades 4 and higher: Sexuality content must be age- and developmentally appropriate, follow state-approved curriculum, and meet state requirements for certain topics (e.g., STI prevention, sexual violence prevention, abuse prevention). 

You have the right to review any instructional material and opt your child out from specific aspects of the educational program. 

Notice of Changes in Student Services or Monitoring 
You will be notified of any substantial change in your child’s services, including counseling or monitoring related to their mental, emotional, or physical health, well-being, or safety.  

House Bill 8 Parent Notice of Change in Student Services Template 

Health Care Services at School 
You can decide whether the school may provide health care services to your child, including physical, mental, and behavioral health services. 

• Requires Parental Consent: Non-emergency nursing care, counseling, athletic training, and other non-emergency services not required by law. 
• Required by Law: Screenings (vision, hearing, dyslexia), concussion protocols, diabetes care, seizure action plans, threat assessments, mandated counseling (e.g., certain victims of harassment, habitually absent students), and services required by an IEP or Section 504 Plan. 

You may choose to receive these services from outside providers instead. Granting consent does not waive your right to access your child’s records or be notified about substantial changes to services. Please note that there may be differing notifications and opt-out process for health care services. Contact your child's building if you have questions. 

School Counseling Services 
Our counselors support academic, career, and personal development through individual and group counseling, guidance lessons, and responsive services. They do not provide long-term therapy but can connect families with community resources (with parent consent). 

Process for Resolving Concerns 
Submit written concerns to your child’s principal or building administrator. The school will respond within 30 days. If unresolved, you may appeal to the superintendent, and then to the board of education. 

For additional information on the Parents’ Bill of Rights, see Board Policy 5780.01.

Ohio Senate Bill 288, along with Ohio Revised Code 3313.60, outlines prescribed curriculum for health education, including educational requirements related to child sexual abuse and dating/sexual abuse violence prevention.

Grades K-6
Schools are required to provide developmentally appropriate instruction about child sexual abuse prevention for students in grades kindergarten through six. In grades K-5, school counselors deliver these lessons to students. In grade 6, this education is provided by health teachers. Child sexual abuse prevention education is required annually.  
Grades K-5 Parent Notification & Parent Lesson Guide
Grade 6 Parent Notification & Lesson Plan Materials

Grades 7-12
Students enrolled in health classes in grades seven through twelve are provided with developmentally appropriate instruction about dating/sexual violence prevention.
Grades 7-8 & Grades 9-12 Parent Notifications
Lesson Plan Materials

Also known as the SAVE Students Act,  Ohio House Bill 123 requires annual suicide awareness and prevention, violence prevention, and social inclusion education for students in grades six through twelve.  At least one hour of evidence-based programs and curriculums must be delivered to students annually. 

Social Inclusion
Each September, Olentangy Schools participates in Start with Hello week.  Start with Hello is a national program to help prevent social isolation, school violence, and self-harm. Students are educated and empowered to connect with one another, while promoting a sense of belonging.

Suicide Awareness and Prevention
Grade 6
Students in grade six health classes receive programming using materials adopted from Sandy Hook Promises' “Say Something-Suicide Prevention”. 
Grade 6 Parent Notification & Lesson Plan Materials

Grades 7 & 9
Students in grades seven and nine participate in the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program. Olentangy School Social Workers along with Delaware County Helpline prevention educators deliver program materials over two days.  Parents can elect to have their student complete an optional depression screener as part of programming.
Grades 7 & 9 Parent Notification & Optional Screener
Middle School & High School SOS Programming Materials

Grades 8, 10, 11, & 12
District School Social Workers and Mental Health Clinicians meet with eighth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade students for a one hour Signs of Suicide program refresher. Notifications about the program are communicated to parents through building newsletters.

Violence Prevention
Olentangy Schools encourages families to have important conversations about the significance of school safety and preventing violence, and shares Say Something Week, a week of celebrating the importance of trusted adults and upstanders in the school community. Say Something is a national program that teaches students to recognize the warning signs of someone at-risk of harming themselves or others and the importance of taking threats seriously and knowing how to see help or report concerns. Students can report dangerous, violent, threatening, harmful, or potentially harmful activity to a trusted adult such as a parent, teacher, coach, counselor, school resource officer or use the district's Stay Safe.Speak Up!, anonymous reporting program.

Effective April 9, 2025, Ohio Revised Code 3313.474 all high schools in Ohio must provide students with access to the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline through electronic portals like myOLSD. In support of this effort and our commitment to student wellness, students in all Olentangy high schools now see the 988 logo on their myOLSD dashboard. Once clicked, the icon links them to the national 988 website, where they have 24/7 access to free and confidential mental health support and resources.

Ohio schools that serve elementary school students are required to provide and electronic or paper copy of Type 1 diabetes informational materials created by the Ohio Department of Health to each student's parent or guardian upon the student's enrollment in elementary school.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has new guidance for addressing attendance related to religious expression days, school-sponsored extracurricular events, and cocurricular activities.

House Bill 214 created a new section in the Ohio Revised Code regarding guidelines for how schools will accommodate student absences due to sincerely held religious beliefs and practices. This language does not replace existing requirements for students to be excused for religious purposes. It does, however, allow parents to notify schools of up to three days for their child to be excused for religious expression.

Effective Oct. 24, 2024, Olentangy Board of Education Policy and Guideline 5200-Attendance has been revised to include:

Students may be absent for up to three (3) religious expression days each school year to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system or to participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization. Students shall be able to participate in athletic activities or other extracurricular activities on days they are absent due to religious observation.

Students who are absent under this provision shall be provided with alternative accommodations with regard to examinations and other academic requirements missed if, no later than fourteen (14) days from the start of the school year, or the date of enrollment for transfer students, their parent or guardian provides the school principal with written notice of up to three (3) specific dates for which alternative accommodations are requested if a religious observance day conflicts with academic requirements. Questions regarding this policy can be directed to jack_fette@olsd.us.

Ohio school districts have the opportunity to receive federal Medicaid dollars through a program called the Ohio Medicaid School Program (MSP). Through this program, school districts can receive Medicaid dollars for therapy services such as Speech, Audiology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Psychology, Counseling, and Social Work services. In the process of billing Medicaid for these services, billing information must be shared with the Ohio Department of Medicaid. For Medicaid billing purposes, schools must obtain a one-time signed Parental Consent to Share Health Information for the Ohio School Medicaid Program. After this one-time written consent, you will receive an annual notice of this consent.

Schools request this consent for all students who receive therapy services, even students who may not be currently enrolled in Medicaid. Some health information shared is specific to your student, while other information is related to all students within the entire school district. Schools can use this health information to help reduce the costs for services that the district must deliver pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This student specific health information is protected and will be accessed only by people authorized to do so by the school’s Medicaid contract.

Your consent is voluntary. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time (34 CFR Part 99 and Part 300). You are not required to enroll in Medicaid. If your school does bill Medicaid, you will not be required to incur any out-of-pocket expenses such as a deductible or co-pay, decreased lifetime coverage, increased premiums or the discontinuation of benefits, or result in you paying for services.

Regardless of whether you grant consent, refuse consent, or revoke your consent, your child will still be provided with an evaluation and/or the services as identified by the school district at no cost to you.

Please contact Healthcare Billing Services, Inc. at (740) 639-4218, the company that serves as the billing agent for the Olentangy Schools, with questions regarding the MSP Parental Consent.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires health plans and covered health care providers to develop and distribute a notice that provides a clear, user friendly explanation of individuals rights with respect to their personal health information and the privacy practices of health plans and health care providers - 45 CFR §164.520.

Review the Olentangy Schools HIPAA Notices of Privacy Practices (NPP).

As a result of Ohio House Bill 96, Olentangy Schools updated Board Policy 5136 – Personal Communication Devices – to comply with the state’s new legal requirement that prohibits student cell phone use during the instructional day. 

Beginning the 2025-26 school year, students may not use cell phones or wearable devices with two-way communication capabilities during school hours, unless permitted under specific, limited circumstances. Devices must remain silenced and stored in a pocket, locker, bag, or other designated area during the school day. Use of phones or wearable technology for calls or texting is only permitted if: 

• Authorized by a teacher or administrator for instructional purposes; 
• Included in a student’s IEP/504 plan or accompanied by medical documentation of necessity; 
• An active threat or emergency is occurring. 

Outside the instructional day, whether during extracurricular activities, events, or bus rides, use of personal communication devices is at the discretion of the supervising staff. 

In alignment with HB 96, enforcement will occur through the student code of conduct using progressive discipline, starting with verbal reminders. Continued violations will escalate to device confiscation (for the period or day), parent/guardian pick-up, and ultimately, loss of the privilege to carry a device at school. 

Every school has staff that answer school phones and access messages during school hours, and every classroom is equipped with a phone. The best way for parents and/or guardians to get in touch with their child during the school day is to call the school office. 

Cell phones and personal communication devices are a constant presence in our society and, while useful, have been associated with challenges impacting children and adolescents. The law, and Olentangy’s corresponding policy, are designed to support healthy behaviors and promote student well-being, while also reducing distractions and reinforcing responsible use of technology. Personal devices will remain a part of students’ lives, and the intent of this law—and our policy—is to ensure they do not interfere with the learning environment.