Annual Notices

The Reading Community City School District seeks to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with a disability, from infants to age 21, based upon IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) eligibility, regardless of the severity of their disability, and who are in need of special education and related services. Students are identified, located, and evaluated in accordance with all federal regulations and state guidelines. This includes children attending private or parochial schools whose parents reside within the Reading Community City School District enrollment area.

 

For children, birth through age two, a disability means that a child has a deficit in one or more of the following areas: behavior, cognition, communication, physical development, sensory development, or social/emotional development. For children ages three through five years of age, a disability means the child has a documented deficit in one or more of the following areas: communication skills, hearing abilities, motor functioning, cognitive abilities, social-emotional/behavior functioning, or vision abilities.

 

For school-age students, a disability means a student has one or more disabilities such as autism, impairments related to hearing (deafness or hearing impaired), vision (blindness or visually impaired), orthopedic impairment, emotional/behavior impairment, specific learning disability, traumatic brain injury, or speech and language impairment.

 

Additionally, it is the intent of the district to ensure that students who are disabled within the definition of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are evaluated, identified, and served. Section 504 disabilities are mental or physical impairments, or a history of such impairments, that “substantially limit one or more major life activities.”

 

If you know of a child with a suspected disability, please contact the Director of Student Services at Reading Community City Schools, 810 E. Columbia Avenue, Reading Ohio, 45215, 513-842-5105.

 

School districts are required to develop, publish and implement written policies to govern the use of emergency safety interventions (physical restraint and seclusion) in all of their schools. It is the policy of Reading Community City Schools to only use restraint or seclusion when there is an immediate risk of physical harm to the student or others. Every use of restraint and/or seclusion shall be documented and reported in accordance with Board Policy 5630.01. 

 

As of September 2021, Ohio law requires school districts to provide yearly notice to parents about their procedures related to the requirements of positive behavior intervention and supports (PBIS) and the emergency use of physical restraint and seclusion, including the local complaint process. Part of this law requires that parents in Ohio’s public schools must be given the following information at least one time per year.

 

What is the purpose of this law? The purpose of this law is for Ohio school districts to provide behavior supports and training to reduce and eliminate the need for emergency physical restraint and seclusion. The law requires that Ohio school districts:

Harassment, intimidation, or bullying toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 3313.666, Reading Community City Schools Board of Education has developed an Anti-bullying Policy (5517.01). This policy applies to all activities in the District, including activities on school property, while en route to or from school, and those occurring off school property if the student or employee is at any school-sponsored, school-approved or school-related activity or function, such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the school’s control, in a school vehicle, or where an employee is engaged in school business. Harassment, intimidation, or bullying includes any intentional written, verbal, electronic (i.e., internet, e-mail, cellular telephone, or wireless hand-held device), graphic, or physical act that a student or group of students exhibits toward another particular student(s) and the behavior both causes mental or physical harm to the other student(s) and is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student(s). The link below takes you to an online reporting system (or call 1-866-listen2me). The system is for students and parents to report concerns that may affect the peace of mind of students or jeopardize the safety of people or school facilities. Concerns may include but are not limited to, bullying, abuse, bomb threats, cyber crimes, discrimination, drugs, health concerns, suspicious behavior, vandalism, fighting, & weapons. Helpline information helps us maintain school environments that are safe and conducive for learning. Stay Safe, Speak Up Link

 

Upon request, the district will provide the following information to parents:

The Reading Community City Schools Public Notice Education Rights of Homeless Children and Youth It is the responsibility of Reading Community Schools to ensure homeless children and youths receive the services and support they need. The Homeless Liaison will ensure that