Annual Notifications and Forms

Annual Notifications

DCS is required by law to distribute this information each year.

FERPA

Annual Notification Regarding Student Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") affords parents and students over eighteen (18) years of age ("adult students" or "eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. On June 19, 2017, the Board of Education adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of education records and the rights of parents and students to access education records. Copies of this policy and related guidelines are located in all school buildings and individual copies are available from the District's Records Officer ("DRO"). The DRO is responsible for the supervision of student records in the school and his/her office is located at Creekside School or s/he can be reached by calling 734-424-4160 ext. 6353.

Each student's records will be kept in a confidential file located at the student's school office. The information in a student's record file will be available for review only by the parents or legal guardian of a student, an adult student and those authorized by State and Federal law and Board policy/guidelines.

State and Federal law permits access by school officials who have a legitimate educational purpose. School officials for purpose of the Board's policy include a person employed by the Board as an administrator, supervisor, teacher/instructor (including substitutes), or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the Board; a person or company with whom the Board has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, insurance carrier, medical consultant, or an online educational service provider/vendor); a contractor, consultant, volunteer or other party to whom the Board had outsourced a service otherwise performed by Board employees (e.g. a therapist, information technology (IT) staff); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks (including volunteers). An individual will have a "legitimate educational purpose" if the record is necessary in order for the school official/employee to perform an administrative, supervisory, or instructional task, or to perform a service or benefit for the student or the student's family.

In addition to school officials with a legitimate educational purpose, the Board may disclose personally identifiable information from the education records of a student without obtaining prior written consent of the parents or the eligible student:

A. to officials of another school, school system, or institution of postsecondary education where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of 34 C.F.R. 99.34.
B. to authorized representatives of the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as the Michigan Department of Education. Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of 34 C.F.R. 99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of personally identifiable information to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf.
C. in connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
D. to organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (1) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (2) administer student aid programs; or (3) improve instruction.
E. to accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
F. to parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.
G. to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
H. to State and local officials or authorities in the juvenile justice system as it pertains to the system’s ability to effectively serve, prior to adjudication, the student whose records were released, upon certification that the information will not be unlawfully released to third parties.
I. to appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency.
J. information the school has designated as “directory information,” as defined below, and subject to the restrictions explained below.
K. to an agency caseworker or other representative of a state or local child welfare agency, or tribal organization as defined in Federal law, who has the right to access a student’s case plan as determined by the agency or organization, when such agency or organization is legally responsible for the care and protection of the student provided the education records and personally identifiable information will not be unlawfully released to third parties. The agency or organization may release the education records and personally identifiable information to an individual or entity engaged in addressing the student’s education needs and authorized by the agency or organization to receive such disclosure and such disclosure is consistent with state or tribal laws applicable to protecting the confidentiality of a student’s education records.
L. to comply with a court order when a parent is a party to a court proceeding involving child abuse and neglect (as defined in section 3 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act) or dependency matters, and the order is issued in the context of that proceeding.

A parent or adult student has the right to:

A. inspect and review the student's education records within forty-five (45) days after the School receives a request for access or within such shorter period as may be applicable to students with disabilities. The School has a form that can be used to submit such a request. The Custodian of Records ("COR") (building principal) will notify the parent or adult student of the time and place where the records can be inspected. Parents and adult students are not permitted to inspect and review the education records of other students. If there is a valid reason why a parent or adult student cannot personally inspect and review a student's education records, or if the parent or adult student specifically requests copies of education records, the COR may arrange for copies of the requested records to be delivered to the parent or adult student directly. The Board may charge a reasonable fee for the copying of records, which may be waived under circumstances of unusual hardship.
B. request the amendment of the student's education records if the parent or adult student believes the record is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights. Parents or adult students who believe that a change is necessary should ask the COR to correct the record. Such a request should be made in writing and should identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the record is not changed to the parent's or adult student's satisfaction or if the COR informs the parent or adult student that the record does not appear to be misleading, inaccurate, or in violation of any privacy right, the parent or adult student will be informed of his/her right to request a hearing. The parent or adult student may submit a written request for a hearing. The hearing will be conducted by a hearing officer who will submit his/her findings to the Superintendent. The Superintendent will make the final decision concerning whether to change the record. A parent or student who remains dissatisfied with the final decision of the Superintendent may request that an explanatory statement be placed in the student's file explaining the basis for the disagreement. The school has a form that may be used to identify which information in the record the parent or adult student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or a violation of the student's privacy rights, and to specify why it is inappropriate.
C. consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that Federal and/or State law authorizes disclosure without consent (e.g. disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests). The school's AG 8330 describes those exceptions and is available upon request. Upon request, the School discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
D. challenge the Board's noncompliance with a parent's request to amend the records through a hearing. If the Custodian of Records decides not to amend the record, the parent or adult student will be so notified and provided the opportunity for a hearing. Additional information concerning the hearing will be provided when the individual is notified of the opportunity for a hearing. (See Paragraph B above).
E. obtain a copy of the District's policy and administrative guideline on student records (Policy 8330 and AG 8330).

Both FERPA and M.C.L.A. 380.1135, require that the Board, with certain exceptions, obtain a parent or adult student's written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information about a student. However, the Board may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without written consent, unless the parent or adult student advises the Board to the contrary in accordance with District procedures for opting-out of such disclosures. See, Form 8330 F17. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Board to include this type of information in certain school publications. Examples include: a playbill, showing a student's role in a drama/musical production; the annual yearbook; honor roll or other recognition lists; graduation programs and sports activity sheets (e.g. showing weight and height of team members). Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent's or adult student's prior written consent. In addition, two (2) Federal laws require the District to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three (3) directory information categories, names, addresses, and telephone listings – unless parents or adult students have advised the District that they do not want their student's information disclosed without their prior written consent. The District has designated the following information about each student as "directory information"

Each year the District will provide public notice to students and their parents of its intent to make available, upon request, certain information known as "directory information". The Board designates as student "directory information" a student's name; address; telephone number; 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; awards received; honor rolls; scholarships; telephone numbers only for inclusion in school or PTO directories; school-assigned email addresses only to register for online educational service providers, including mobile apps, as utilized by the student for educational purposes.

The Board will make the above information available upon a legitimate request unless a parent, guardian, or adult student has opted-out of provision of this information in some or all circumstances by filling out, signing and returning the Opt-Out Form, Form 8330 F17 or notifies the School in writing within ten (10) days from the date of this notification that s/he will not permit distribution of any or all such information. Directory information and other personally identifiable information that is part of a student’s education records will not be sold or provided to any organization for any profit-making purpose, except as otherwise permitted in Policy 8330.

Parents or eligible students who choose to prohibit the Board from disclosing any or all such directory information may not prevent the Board from requiring a student to wear, publicly display, or disclose a student ID card or badge that exhibits directory information. Students enrolled in online courses or programs sponsored or conducted by the Board must disclose or permit the disclosure of the student’s name, identifier, or school email address in a class in which the student is enrolled.

SPECIFIC EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment ("PPRA") requires the Board to notify parents and eligible students and obtain consent to allow parents or eligible students to opt the student out of participating in certain school activities. These activities include a student survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one (1) or more of the following eight (8) areas ("protected information surveys"):

political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student's parent;
mental or psychological problems of the student or the student's family;
sex behavior or attitudes;
illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
critical appraisals of other with whom respondents have close family relationship;
legally recognized privileged relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers;
religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or the student's parent; and/or;
income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

This requirement also applies to the collection, disclosure or use of student information for marketing purposes ("marketing surveys") that may be allowed consistent with the prohibition against selling or otherwise providing personally identifiable information to for-profit business entities, and certain physical exams and screenings.

Following is a schedule of activities requiring parental notice and consent or opt-out for the upcoming school year. This list is not exhaustive and, for surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, the Board will provide parents, within a reasonable period prior to the administration of the surveys and activities, notification of the surveys and activities and be provided an opportunity to opt their child out, as well as an opportunity to review the surveys. (Please note that this notice and consent/opt-out transfers from parents to adult students or an emancipated minor under State law.) No surveys, including third party surveys, that include one or more of the above delineated items are currently scheduled. Parents have the right to inspect upon request a survey created by a third party before the survey is administered or distributed by the school to its students. See Board Policy 2416 concerning the procedures for making such a request. Parents have the right to inspect upon request any instrument used in the collection of personal information from students for the purpose of marketing or selling that information (or otherwise providing that information to others for that purpose) that may be allowed consistent with the prohibition against selling or otherwise providing personally identifiable information to for-profit business entities before the instrument is administered or distributed to the students. See Board Policy 2416 concerning the procedures for making such a request. The following such activities are scheduled or expected to be scheduled:

Name of Activities	Specific or Approximate Date
PSAT, grades 8, 9 & 10	April
MSTEP, grades 3-8, 11	April & May
SAT, ACT, WorkKeys, grade 11	April
Schoolinks, grades 5-6	varies
Schoolinks, grades 9-12	varies and annually; EDP Senior Year
MiPHY, grades 7, 9, 11	April & May

Parents may opt their child out of participation in any activity described above other than state-mandated testing.

Parents have the right to inspect upon request any instructional material used as a part of the educational curriculum for their student. See Board Policy 2416 for the procedures for making such a request. Any parent or student who believes that the School District has failed to comply with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") or the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment ("PPRA"), may file a complaint directly with the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-8520.

This Notice will be transmitted to disabled parents and students or to non-English speaking parents and students in a format designed to accommodate their disability or in their native language. Call the Office of the Superintendent at 734-424-4101 for assistance and information.

Safe Storage Law

Michigan Districts are required to send information home to parents and caregivers on the safe storage of firearms. This is in accordance with the “Safe Storage Laws,” MCL 28.429, MCL 380.1313a, and MCL 380.1313b. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services provided this information to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for distribution.

Specific resources required to be sent home to parents and caregivers include:

Mi PATHFINDER CAREER EXPLORATION

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has partnered with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) to enhance the Pathfinder Resources page with organized resources that will help students and their families review college information, find financial aid information, get a job, serve their community or country, assess their skills if unsure of their path, and explore opportunities to earn college credit or receive training in high school. To comply with MCL 380.1293, a district, intermediate school district, public school academy, and nonpublic school shall disseminate the Pathfinder information directly to pupils in grades 8-12 by October 1 of each school year.

flyer with a link for students and families to explore MDE's career planning resources website.

Annual Forms

Each fall, returning students' parents and guardians must review their contact information, give permission for things such as walking field trips, and acknowledge receipt of important policies. This process is done directly in PowerSchool. If you don't remember your parent PowerSchool account login information, please contact a secretary at the building your student attends. If you have any difficulty with the forms, here are very detailed directions: Annual Student Info Review.

The following policies and forms are referenced during new student registration and/or during the annual back-to-school forms review.

2025-2026 Student Surveys

MiPHY (Grades 7, 9, 11)

Students in Grades 7, 9, and 11 will participate in the Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth Survey supported by the Michigan Department of Education during the last few weeks of April. The research survey will ask about the health behaviors of 7th, 9th, & 11th-grade students. You can preview the questions for the MiPHY Survey here:

BAck to School Forms and Student Info Updates

Back-to-School Info Review and Forms FAQ

Each year, parents and guardians of all must complete an information review and acknowledge receipt of the handbook and district policies. Emails with instructions to complete back-to-school paperwork online are typically sent to families in mid-August. It is important that you complete this process as soon as possible. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.

What if I didn't get an account email to review my student's information? Check your spam folder and then contact your child's school office for further assistance. (School offices open mid-August each year.)

The formatting looks weird on my phone, how can I fix this? We have found that it is difficult to complete these forms on a phone. We suggest you use a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. You can do this at the library or school offices if you don't have access to those devices at home, just let us know and we will have a device ready for you.

How do I know when I am done? When you click on Forms on the left side of your screen, then click on the All Forms tab in the window that opens, check that all the items in the Annual Forms list (and Student Info Update list, if needed) have either a green leaf (submitted) or a yellow leaf (submitted but awaiting approval). If there's a blue leaf (empty), the form still needs your attention. We will send reminders out to families who do not complete all the forms.

How can I update student contact information? How can I update student health information? You can use the Student Info Update forms in PowerSchool. On the All Forms tab, go to Section 4 to find the change of address, contact info update, and health info update forms.

How can I upload supporting documents? I am having trouble doing it in the system. If you have difficulty uploading documents directly into your parent account, you can email them to registrar@dexterschools.org, send them directly to your building secretary, or bring them in to your school office. Changes of address can't be processed without supporting documents.

How long will it take for pending forms to be approved? It may take a few days during the busy season. Please contact your school office if you have urgent information that you want to make sure is up-to-date.

Where can I get my student's PowerSchool ID Number to pay for school lunch, etc.? Your class placement letter will have it or your school building can provide it.

Why can't I list myself as emergency contact or pickup person for my own kid?! Parents and guardians are by default the first people we contact for those issues (unless there is legal paperwork indicating otherwise.) Emergency contacts and school pickups are permissions for people OTHER THAN PARENTS AND GUARDIANS to be able to be back-up for students. You may see old indications of yourself as an emergency contact for one kid or not another - we are working to clean up this data. When parents are listed as emergency contacts, it can interfere with the system's ability to send confidential information because we don't send that to emergency contacts.

Child Custody

Required Notification Regarding Child Custody

As per State and Federal Law (MCL 722.30 & FERPA), please be advised, Dexter Community Schools recognizes the equal rights of parents and guardians as indicated on a certified birth certificate or legal court order.

In cases where parents/guardians are legally separated, divorced, and/or those parents who simply have ongoing custody issues between them, the parental rights of both parties will be equally recognized by your child's school, unless and until a parent/guardian has a legal court order that specifically restricts or denies the non-custodial parent's access to the child at school, the child's school records, or other protective order.

To accommodate a custodial parent's request to deny a non-custodial parent's rights to access or information on a child, the school must have a copy of the most recent court order or file that indicates one parent's access and information rights are inhibited. Otherwise either parent with proper identification may have access to the child at school, request and receive information, and be included in the child's educational process.

Parents receive this notification during the enrollment process and sign off to indicate they have read and understand it.

Student Acceptable Use Policy

STUDENT ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT

Parents and must complete the Student Network and Internet Acceptable Use Agreement annually in PowerSchool as part of the back-to-school forms.

The Dexter Community School District’s technology resources are provided for educational purposes only. Use of the internet and technology resources is a privilege, not a right, and may be revoked at any time. Misuse of District technology resources may result in loss of access to the resources and potential disciplinary action. The District does not guarantee that the District’s technology resources will be error free or uninterrupted.

Privacy: A user has no expectation of privacy when using District technology resources. District technology resources use may be monitored by the District and that the use may be subject to FOIA or disclosure in litigation.

Misuse of Technology Resources: District technology resources may not be used to bully, harass, or intimidate others. All users must report any material that is threatening, harassing, or bullying. The following list includes, but is not limited to, some other examples of misuse of District technology resources:

Using someone else’s username and password to access technology resources;
Violating copyright laws;
Accessing pornography;
Communicating inappropriately with students or staff;
Accessing confidential information;
Accessing or downloading unauthorized software or programs.

Protections: The Dexter Community School District has implemented technology protection measures which block/filter Internet access to visual displays that are obscene, child pornography or harmful to minors. The District also monitors online activity of students in an effort to restrict access to child pornography and other material that is obscene, objectionable, inappropriate and/or harmful to minors. Nevertheless, parents/guardians are advised that determined users may be able to gain access to information, communication and/or services on the Internet which the Dexter Community School District has not authorized for educational purposes and/or which they and/or their parents/guardians may find inappropriate, offensive, objectionable or controversial. Parents/Guardians assume this risk by consenting to allow their students to participate in the use of the Internet. Students accessing the Internet through the school's computers assume personal responsibility and liability, both civil and criminal, for unauthorized or inappropriate use of the Internet.

The Dexter Community School District has the right to monitor, review and inspect any directories, files and/or messages residing on or sent using Dexter Community Schools’ computers/networks. This also encompasses the District’s Google Apps for Education on and off the Dexter Community Schools’ computers/networks. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Please review Board Policy 3116 for additional information on this topic.

Transportation Rules

Dexter Community Schools codes of conduct and all school rules apply to all students using DCS transportation. You can review these in the Parent-Student Handbook. In addition, the following rules apply to students who are being bused, waiting for a bus, or being dropped off at a bus stop. [Click here for a printable copy of these rules.]

Each student shall ride designated buses ONLY. We cannot accommodate changes for playdates, babysitting, etc.
Each student shall be at the designated bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled time and ready to board the bus. At drop off time a responsible person must be there to receive students in grades Y5 – K-2. The driver is responsible for the maintenance of this schedule and cannot wait for tardy pupils.
Students shall remain at least 10-20 feet well back from the roadway while waiting for the bus.
Students who must cross the street at a bus stop shall not do so until they receive a signal from the bus driver. When crossing a street is necessary, it shall always be done at least 10 feet in front of the bus so that the driver may adequately observe them. This means that the student/parent should be able to see the face of the bus driver. The driver shall hold the bus with warning lights flashing (red lights) and stop sign out until the crossing has been completed.
Students shall enter the bus in an orderly fashion, go directly to their seats and remain seated until the destination is reached (bottoms on seats, feet in front of you on the floor, not in the aisle).
All students will have assigned seats. The bus driver may move students as needed.
Students shall keep their hands, arms, and heads inside the bus in their own personal space.
All articles such as athletic equipment, books, laptops, musical instruments, etc., must be kept out of aisles.
Students shall observe all behavior rules related to safety and the well-being/respect of others.
Students are not to touch other student's belongings or other student's body parts in any way.
There shall be NO eating on the school bus. Students may drink water.
There shall be NO shouting, roughhousing or throwing things on the bus or at the bus stop.
Personal audio devices including cell phones must have headphones to listen to music/videos.
There shall be NO taking of pictures or video by students on the school bus at any time.
Students must identify themselves to the bus driver when requested.
Students shall remain seated until the bus has come to a complete stop before attempting to get off the bus.
Students may leave the bus only at the consent of the driver.
The emergency exits must be used for emergencies only. Students are not to touch safety equipment on the bus unless directed by the driver to do so.
Students must comply with driver and monitor directions at all times. If a parent/ student has a concern about transportation policies, it should be addressed with the Transportation Department.

Safety is our number one priority. Disruptive or otherwise inappropriate behavior during busing may lead to discipline such as verbal and/or written correction up to and including suspension for up to ten days or revocation of bus privileges for the remainder of the school year.

PERMISSION TO SHARE IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION

Consent for Disclosure of Immunization Information to Local and State Health Departments

Immunizations are an important part of keeping our children healthy. Schools and State and Local health departments must monitor immunization levels to ensure that all communities are protected from potentially life-threatening diseases and, if necessary, respond promptly to an emerging public health threat. It is important that disease threats be minimized through the monitoring of students being immunized. Sharing immunization and personally identifiable information including the students name, Date of Birth, gender, and address with local and state health departments will help to keep your child safe from vaccine preventable diseases. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, requires written parental consent before personally identifiable information from your child’s education records is disclosed to the health department. If your child is 18 or over, he or she is an “eligible student” and must provide consent for disclosures of information from his or her education records. You may withdraw your consent to share this information in writing at any time.

As part of the DCS Annual Acknowledgements form completion, parents and guardians indicate their preference regarding release of this information to MDHHS. Alternatively, you may complete this form to opt in at any time.

Athletics Handbook & Concussion Protocol

Change of Address

You can change your student's home address using the Student Address Change Form in PowerSchool. In order for this to be processed, you will need to provide proof of residence at the new address. In PowerSchool, you will need to sign in again to upload documents, using your full email on the account and your account password. If you have any difficulty attaching the documents within PowerSchool, you can email them to registrar@dexterschools.org or bring them to the school office in person. (In summer, bring to Bates attn. Superintendent's Office).

list of documents that can be used to establish residency