The Cambridge Central School District is required to adopt policies related to school operations and state and federal law, and make them accessible to the public.
Board of Education Policies
Code of Conduct
Academic Accountability
Annual Professional Performance Review
The Annual Professional Performance Review, or APPR, is a state-governed process that determines the standards and the process for assessing teachers’ and leaders’ effectiveness. It aims to provide standardized, objective evaluation results, which can be used to better focus professional development for teachers and principals.
The APPR-based rating for a student’s current teacher(s) and school principal are released to that student’s parents only upon request and verification of identity. Parents and legal guardians of students may request the final quality rating and composite effectiveness score for each of the teachers and/or principal of the school building their child is attending in late September. To make a request, email Ken Facin, interim superintendent of schools, at ken.facin@cambridgecsd.org or call 518-677-8527, ext. 1010.
Grade Promotion and Placement Policy
Decisions about student promotion and placement are at the discretion of the building principal. These decisions are guided by recommendations of teachers and staff members, past academic performance, and parent/guardian input. Past academic performance refers to a variety of indicators of student achievement and growth. Promotion and placement decisions are not based solely on student performance on New York state assessments in grades 3-8 English language arts or mathematics. The district’s promotion and placement policy was adopted by the board of education following a review by the district administration.
New York State Report Cards
The New York state report card provides information on school districts’ enrollment and staff, student performance and other measures of school district performance.
Financial Reporting
Fiscal Transparency Documents
The school district posts copies of audits and school-level spending reports for the public to review.
- View the fiscal transparency documents
- View the annual financial statements
- View the latest ESSA transparency report
Smart Schools Investment Plan
Health, Safety, Privacy and Security
Annual Fire Inspection
In accordance with Educational Law Section 807-5 (b) and (c), notice is hereby given that the annual fire inspection of the Cambridge Central School District, including: the main building, district office and the Bus Garage, for fire hazards which might endanger the lives of students, teachers and employees therein, has been completed and the report is available at the District Office for inspection of all interested persons. The annual visual inspection was also completed and is on file in the District Office.
Body Mass Index Notification
New York state requires schools to track each student’s body mass index (BMI) and weight status category as part of school health examinations. Every year, the New York State Department of Health surveys some schools for the number of students in each of six possible weight status categories. If Cambridge Central School District is surveyed by the state, the district will share summary group data only and will not share individual names or information. Parents/guardians who wish to exclude their child’s data from the summary group calculations must contact their child’s school nurse.
Child Abuse Hotline Notification
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. View more information about reporting child abuse and maltreatment (neglect).
Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act) took effect on July 1, 2012. Just as with the district’s Code of Conduct, the new law seeks to provide the state’s public school students and staff with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school function. The Dignity Act includes, but is not limited to, acts of discrimination and harassment based on a student’s race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (defined to include gender identity or expression), or sex. Some of the law requirements include: establishing anti-harassment and discrimination policies, creating school training programs and including a course in civility, citizenship and character education in the curriculum for every grade level.
If you would like to file a student harassment incident, please complete the Student Harassment and Nondiscrimination Incident Form (policy 0115.1-E) and return it to your building principal, assistant principal or school counselor. Individuals can also review Board policy 0115 related to student harassment and bullying prevention.
DASA Coordinators
Elementary School
Melissa Johnson
melissa.johnson@cambridgecsd.org
518-677-8527, ext. 1448
Jr./Sr. High School
Aydin O’Hearn
aydin.ohearn@cambridgecsd.org
518-677-8527, ext. 1423
Districtwide School Safety Plan
The Cambridge Central School District revised its district-wide school safety plan in compliance with Project SAVE (Safe Schools Against Violence Education) Commissioner’s Regulation 155.17. This regulation requires school districts to develop a safety plan to prevent or minimize the effects of serious violent incidents and natural/manmade disasters and to facilitate the coordination of state, local and county resources in the event of such incidents or emergencies.
The plan is currently under a 30-day public comment period beginning July 6, 2023. If you have any questions or comments on the plan, please contact the district clerk or a Board of Education member.
Please note that this district-wide plan is not the same as the building-level safety plan designed for each school. While linked to the district-wide school safety plan, building-level safety plans shall be confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure under Article 6 of the Public Officers Law or any other provision of law, in accordance with New York State Education Law Section 2801-a. The confidentiality of these plans is to ensure their ability to work successfully in the event of an emergency.
FERPA
The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides parents/guardians and students who are 18 years of age or older (known as “eligible students”) with certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.
Other Notifications
Freedom of Information Law
The Cambridge Central School District adheres to the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) as administered by the New York State Committee on Open Government, an agency that is part of the New York State Department of State. Under the Freedom of Information Law, citizens may request review of certain school district records. Not all information held by a school district is open for public inspection. View Board of Education policy 1120 (School District Records) for more information about Freedom of Information Law requests.
Idling School Buses
State law requires school districts to take steps to minimize the idling of the engines of school buses and other school vehicles on school grounds. While students are boarding and departing school buses, the engine should be turned off. Students should be instructed about the importance of getting on and off buses in an orderly and efficient fashion to minimize loading and unloading time. Bus engines should also be off while parked at sporting events and other school activities. Exceptions to this “no idling” policy can be made in cases of emergency, mechanical issues or for necessary heating.
NYS Education Law 2-d Public Portal
The Cambridge Central School District collaborates with WSWHE BOCES to utilize technology software that is Ed Law 2-d compliant. View a list of compliant vendors and agreements.
Title I: Parents Right to Know
In accordance with ESEA, Section 1111 (h)(6), Parents Right to Know, the Cambridge Central School District is notifying every parent of a student in a Title I school that you have the right and may request information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher. This information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teachers can include the following:
- Whether the teacher has met the NYS qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
- Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which NYS qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.
- The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.
- Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualification.
At the present time, all faculty members employed by the Cambridge Central School District within the Title I programs meet the qualifications of “highly qualified,” as defined by the federal government.
Title VI, Title IX and Section 504
The Cambridge Central School District is in compliance with the provisions of Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. The Cambridge Central School District does not discriminate due to race, national origin, sex, age or disability.