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Legal Notices and Disclaimers



Student Non-Discrimination Policy and Complaint Procedure


See Board Policy Descriptor Code: JAA
Equal Educational Opportunities, Student Non-Discrimination Policy and Complaint Procedure
Board Policy Website

A.  Non-Discrimination Policy

The Rockdale County Board of Education (“Board”) prohibits unlawful discrimination against students because of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected group status or activity (e.g. opposition to prohibited discrimination or participation in the statutory complaint process) in its programs and activities or employment in its programs or activities. In keeping with this commitment, the Board will not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or other unlawful treatment of its students. It is the policy of the Board to comply fully with the requirements of Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and all accompanying regulations. As set forth herein, the Board designates the following employee of Rockdale County Public Schools (“District”) to handle inquiries regarding the District's non-discrimination policies:

Chief Human Resources Officer (or designee)
Rockdale County Public Schools
960 Pine Street NE
Conyers, GA 30012
Phone: (770) 483-4713
www.rockdaleschools.org


See Board Policy Descriptor Code: JAA
Equal Educational Opportunities, Student Non-Discrimination Policy and Complaint Procedure
Board Policy Website


Click here for letter to parents   (PDF)




Rockdale County Public Schools offers Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) career pathways in the following career clusters for all students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected group status or activity:

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources.
Architecture and Construction.
Arts, AV/Technology, and Communications.
Business, Management, and Administration.
Education and Training.
Finance.
Government and Public Administration.
Health Science.
Hospitality and Tourism.
Human Services.
Information Technology.
Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security.
Manufacturing.
Marketing.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics. 

For more information concerning the Career and Technical Education offerings and specific pre-requisite criteria contact:

Dionne Johnigan, Director – CTAE,
1064 Culpepper Drive, Conyers, Georgia 30094.
Phone: (770) 388-5721.
Email: [email protected]






USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1.    mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2.    fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3.    email:
[email protected]
 
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.





Equal Opportunity Employment


The School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, or sex in its employment practices. It is the policy of the Board of Education to comply fully with the requirements of Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and all accompanying regulations.

Any employee, applicant for employment, or other person who believes he or she has been discriminated against or harassed in violation of this policy must make a complaint in accordance with the procedures outlined below.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Complaints made to the School District regarding alleged discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color or national origin in violation of Title VI; religion or sex in violation of Title VII; sex in violation of Title IX; disability in violation of Section 504 or the ADA, or on the basis of age in violation of the ADEA, will be processed in accordance with the following procedure:

1. Any employee, applicant for employment, or other person with a complaint alleging a violation as described above shall promptly notify, in writing or orally, either the principal for his/her school or the appropriate coordinator designated from time to time by the Board of Education. If the complaint is oral, either the coordinator or school principal to whom the complaint is made shall promptly prepare a memorandum or written statement of the complaint as made to him or her by the complainant and shall have the complainant read and sign the memorandum or statement if it accurately reflects the complaint made. If the complaint is made to a school principal, he or she shall be responsible for notifying the appropriate coordinator of the complaint.

2. If the alleged offending individual is the coordinator designated by the Board of Education, the complaint shall either be made by the complainant to the Superintendent or, if the complaint is initially made to the school principal, reported by the principal to the Superintendent. If the alleged offending individual is the Superintendent, the complaint shall be made to the designated coordinator, who shall, without further investigation, report the complaint to the Board chairperson.

3. The coordinator or his or her designee shall have fifteen work days to gather all information relevant to the complaint made, review the information, determine the facts relating to the complaint, review the action requested by the complainant, and attempt to resolve the complaint with the complainant and any other persons involved. The coordinator or designee shall prepare a written response to the complaint detailing any action to be taken in response to the complaint and the time frame in which such action will be taken and copies of this response shall be furnished to the complainant, the appropriate coordinator and the Superintendent or his or her designee.

4. If the complaint is not resolved at the conclusion of this fifteen-day period or if the complainant is not satisfied with the resolution of the complaint, the complainant shall have the right, within five work days of receiving a copy of the written response, to have the complaint referred to the Superintendent of Schools. If the alleged offending individual is the Superintendent, the complainant may have the complaint referred to the Board of Education, rather than the Superintendent.

5. The Superintendent shall have fifteen work days to review the complaint and the response of the coordinator or designee and attempt to resolve the complaint. The Superintendent shall furnish to the complainant a written response setting forth either his or her approval of the action recommended by the coordinator or designee or the action to be taken by the School District in response to the complaint in lieu of that recommended by the coordinator or designee and the time frame in which such action shall be taken.

6. If the complainant is dissatisfied with the response of the Superintendent, then the complainant shall have the right, within fifteen work days of the receipt of the written response of the Superintendent, to have the complaint referred to the Board of Education. In order to have the Board review the Superintendent's decision, the complainant must file with the Superintendent a written statement setting forth the reasons he or she disagrees with the response of the Superintendent and the action the complainant is requesting the School District to take. The complainant shall also include in the written response a request that his or her complaint be referred to the Board of Education.

7. Within thirty work days of receipt of the written request of the complainant, the Superintendent shall present the matter to the Board of Education at its regular meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose. The Board shall review the original complaint, the response of the coordinator or designee, the response of the Superintendent, and the response of the complainant. In addition, the Board may, but is not required to, hear directly from any individuals with knowledge of any relevant facts relating to the complaint.

8. The Board of Education will either uphold the recommendation of the Superintendent or require the School District to take some other action in response to the complaint. A copy of the action of the Board will be furnished to the complainant, either as a part of the minutes of the Board of Education or as a separate written statement. The Board shall be the final reviewing authority within the School District.

9. This policy is not intended to deprive any employee of any right they may have to file a grievance pursuant to any other policy of the local Board of Education, specifically the policy designed to implement Official Code of Georgia Annotated 20-2-989.5, where appropriate. This policy is not intended to provide an alternative process for resolving evaluation and employment disputes where there already exists a due process procedure mandated by state law or State Department of Education regulations, specifically including, but not limited to, hearings to be conducted pursuant to the Fair Dismissal Act of Georgia. The complainant retains at all times the right to contact the Office of Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other appropriate state or federal agency with regard to any allegations that the system has violated the statutes described above.

10. The School District shall be responsible for distributing and disseminating information relevant to this policy and procedure to employees through appropriate procedures.

11. No reprisal shall occur as a result of reporting unlawful discrimination or harassment under this policy, and any attempt to retaliate against a complainant shall be disciplined as is appropriate.

12. The confidentiality of any individual making a complaint or report in accordance with this policy, to the extent it is reasonably possible and in compliance with law, shall be protected, although the discovery of the truth and the elimination of unlawful harassment shall be the overriding consideration.

Click here for Board Policy GAAA




Public Notice: Title IX

Click here for Title IX information and RCPS Title IX Coordinators.




Website Accessibility

As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Rockdale County Public Schools is committed to providing all students, parents, and community members, including those with disabilities, with equal access to web-based information and services. Auxiliary aids, alternative formats, and language services may be available at no charge upon request. Please contact the Chief of Strategy and Innovation at 770-483-4713 or [email protected] or 960 Pine Street NE, Conyers, Georgia 30012 if you need assistance with or have concerns or a complaint about web-based information and services. Please include the web address or URL along with a detailed description of the problems you have encountered. Again that email address is r c p s i n f o @ rockdale dot K 12 dot G A dot U S 

Website Accessibility Tools

Introduction to Web Accessibility

NVDA Free Screen Reader

Learn how to use NVDA Screen Reader

JAWS Screen Reader (Free Trial)

JAWS Quick Start and Keystrokes Guide

 
Windows Screen Magnifier 

Free Screen Magnifier Software for All Platforms


High Contrast Mode on Windows Platforms

Accessibility Options on Mac





Public Notice: Website Legal Disclaimers


a. Copyright
Unless otherwise indicated, the materials (“Materials”) displayed on the Website and individual school Webpages of Rockdale County Public Schools (“District”) are the property of the District and are protected by United States and international copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, the compilation, selection, arrangement and presentation of all Materials (including information in the public domain), the overall design of District Web site, and the computer programs that create the Web page displays.

Any visitor to the District Website is hereby granted permission to access and print Materials from this website for personal, non-commercial purposes only. Any other copying, distribution, modification, transmission or dissemination of the Materials displayed at the District’s website by means now known or hereafter developed, is strictly prohibited without the express prior written permission of the District.

b. Trademarks
Unless otherwise indicated, Rockdale County Public Schools (“District”) logos and approved wordmarks, including but not limited to individual school names, school shield designs, school athletics identities, and school mottos are trademarks or service marks of the District and may not be used or displayed in any manner without the express prior written permission of the District. All other trademark or service marks that appear on the District Website are the property of their respective owners.

c. Links to External Sites
The Rockdale County Public Schools (“District”) Website or some of its Webpages may provide links to other Internet Websites or resources not hosted on the District Web server (“External Sites”). As a visitor to the District Website, you agree and acknowledge that the District:

     (i) Has provided these links to External Sites for your convenience only;

     (ii) Has no control over these External Sites;

     (iii) Is not responsible for the availability of these External Sites; and

     (iv) Does not endorse nor is responsible or liable for any content, advertisements, products, or other materials on or made available from these External Sites.

Further, you acknowledge and agree the District shall not be responsible or liable, either directly or indirectly, for any error, damage or loss caused by or in connection with use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services available on or through these External Sites.

d. Limitations of Liability
Visitors and users agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the members of the Rockdale County Board of Education, Rockdale County Public Schools, its officers, employees, agents, successors and assignees (the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any and all liabilities, claims, demands, actions, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees), regardless of outcome, caused by, arising out of, or otherwise sustained as the result of the use of Rockdale County Public Schools’  technology.

e. Disclaimer
ROCKDALE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. FURTHER, ROCKDALE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAKES NO WARRANTIES THAT THE FUNCTIONS, SERVICES, OR INFORMATION PROVIDED BY, THROUGH, OR RELATED TO ROCKDALE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TECHNOLOGY WILL BE ERROR FREE OR WITHOUT DEFECT. IN NO EVENT SHALL ROCKDALE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, AS A RESULT OF, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, EQUIPMENT DOWN-TIME, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF DATA, LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, LOSS OF INFORMATION, OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR DAMAGES, WHETHER OR NOT FORESEEABLE AND WHETHER OR NOT THE ROCKDALE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. ROCKDALE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXPLICITLY DENIES RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS THAT MAY ARISE THROUGH THE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF ITS TECHNOLOGY.

f. Copyright Infringement Complaints
Rockdale County Public Schools (“District”) respects the intellectual property of others. If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please follow the instructions provided under Contact Information and provide the District's Chief of Innovation and Strategy with the written information specified:

     (i) An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner;

     (ii) A description of the copyrighted work allegedly infringed upon;

     (iii) A description of where the alleged infringing material is located on the District Web site;

     (iv) Your e-mail and postal address, as well as your telephone number;

     (v) A statement by you that you have a good-faith belief that the use of the alleged  infringing material is unauthorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and

     (vi) A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are either the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.

g. Contact Information
If you wish to contact Rockdale County Public Schools to request permission to use any Materials you may send a letter delivered by first class U.S. Mail, postage prepaid to the following addresses:

Chief of Strategy and Innovation
960 Pine Street NE
Conyers, Georgia 30012
Phone: 770-483-4713




Open Records Requests

Open Records Requests (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71) should be made to Chief of Strategy and Innovation Cindy Ball. Please send written requests by email to [email protected] or by mail to Rockdale County Public Schools, Attention: Chief of Strategy and Innovation, 960 Pine Street NE, Conyers, Georgia 30012. Please keep in mind an agency may charge a fee for the copying of records or data, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71.




Georgia School Grades Report Cards

Click here for Governor's Office of School Achievement (GOSA) Georgia School Grades Reports website to look up Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) and RCPS schools or go to schoolgrades.georgia.gov and type the name of the school or system.

Click here for RCPS GOSA Georgia School Grades Reports links.

Click here for explanation of GOSA Georgia School Grades Report Cards content.





Board of Education Meetings

The Rockdale County Board of Education meets in work session on the second Thursday of each month and regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month, with exceptions listed on the Board of Education information page. These meetings, which begin at 6 p.m. for work sessions and 7 p.m. for regular meetings, are open to the public and are held at the Administrative Offices, 960 Pine Street NE, Conyers, Georgia (Please note, during the COVID-19 pandemic, board meetings are held live online through June 2021 and are open to the public. Meetings will be held in-person starting July 2021). Notices of all meetings are posted at the main entrances of the Central Office and also appear in the local newspaper. Click here for Board Meeting Schedule and information.





Public Notice: Rockdale County Public Schools High School Diploma Petition Form

(PDF) Click here for Diploma Petition Form

 House Bill 91, which was signed into law on March 30, 2015, states that on or after the effective date of this law, students shall no longer be required to earn a passing score on the graduation tests to earn a high school diploma if the student has otherwise met all state and local graduation requirements.

You may complete and submit this form if you completed all coursework required to receive a diploma for your year of graduation from Rockdale County Public Schools. Previous graduation requirements included passing the Georgia High School Graduation Tests, Georgia High School Writing Test, and Basic Skills Test. 

Submit this completed, signed form and a copy of your government issued photo identification (driver’s license, state issued ID, etc.) by mail or in person to the high school that you last attended / graduated. Incomplete information and/or documentation may delay processing.

For assistance in accessing the Diploma Petition Form, contact the high school you last attended. Rockdale County High School's front desk phone number is 770-483-8754. Heritage High School's front desk phone number is 770-483-5428. Salem High School's front desk phone number is 770-929-0176. Or click here for Directory of RCPS schools.

(PDF) Click here for Diploma Petition Form






Social Media Behavioral Guidelines

The Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages are provided for the community by the RCPS Community Relations department. All comments posted on these pages are at the discretion of the page administrators. People making comments on these pages are requested to show respect for their fellow users by ensuring the discussion remains civil. Comments are also subject to Facebook’s, Instagram's, and Twitter's Terms of Use and Code of Conduct. Remember that your name and photo will be seen next to your comment, visible to anyone who visits the page. Participants must post under their real name. Posts by pseudonyms, group names and fake profiles will be removed.

We welcome your thoughts and comments and look forward to what you have to say. However, we will not leave postings that:

• Contain abusive, discriminatory or inappropriate language or statements. This includes remarks that contain obscenities or are sexually explicit.
• Easily identify students and/or staff in defamatory, abusive, or generally negative terms. If you disagree with the content, we ask that you refrain from personal attacks or being disrespectful of others.
• Do not show proper consideration for others’ privacy or are considered likely to offend or provoke others – i.e. don’t pick fights or goad others into inflammatory debates. Malicious intent and or participation not in the spirit of civil conversation will be excluded.
• Are off-topic – We will exclude comments not related to the subject of the conversation. If you have a question to ask on a different topic, please contact us via email. It is always best to start with the person most involved with your topic (classroom teacher, building principal, etc.).
• Are spam – i.e. repeatedly posting the same comment or comments that are simply advertising/promoting a service or product.
• Break the law or encourage others to do so. This includes respecting copyright and fair use laws. If you are talking about somebody else’s work, reference this or the person, and where possible include a link.

The page administrators reserve the right to not post or remove any comments at any time, for any reason. Repeat offenders will be blocked from posting. If you have feedback or would like to report an inappropriate comment for us to review, send an email to [email protected]

All statements and viewpoints expressed in the comments are strictly those of the commenter alone and do not constitute an official position of RCPS unless they are posted by the original author (who is an authorized representative of the District) or by a subject matter expert responding on behalf of the District.

Thank you for stopping by and/or being a fan of Rockdale County Public Schools!





RCPS Annual Budget

Click here for the summary of the proposed and adopted annual budget for Rockdale County Public Schools




School System Financial Information (HB 139)

Click here for School System Financial Information (HB 139).




Title I Parents' Right to Know Professional Qualifications of Teachers and Paraprofessionals

Click here for the Parents' Right to Know Professional Qualifications of Teachers and Paraprofessionals information page.




Title I Parent and Family Engagement Policy

Click here for the Title I RCPS Parent and Family Engagement Policy page.




Public Notice: HB 251

Click here for information on House Bill 251 and Strategic Waiver School System for RCPS.




Public Notice: SB 42

Click here for information on Senate Bill 42 and Student Discipline and Placement.




Public Notice: Waiver of Title I, Part A Limitation on Carryover

Waiver of Title I, Part A Limitation on Carryover – Section 1127(a) (unspent Title I, Part A FY2023 funds carried over to FY2024 if approved). This waiver, if approved, will allow all unspent Title I, Part A funds from school year 2022-23 to return to the school district this 2023-24 school year. After reviewing this waiver request, please contact our Federal Programs Department, 770-860-4240, with any feedback or direct questions.