Chapter 12 - Parental Right Notifications

Parents/guardians may request information about the qualifications of their child’s teachers and paraprofessionals, including:

• Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;
• Whether the teacher is teaching under an emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification and licensing criteria have been waived;
• Whether the teacher is teaching in a field of discipline of the teacher’s certification; and
• Whether any instructional aides or paraprofessionals provide services to your student and, if so, their qualifications.

If you would like to receive any of this information, please contact the school office.

Students and parents/guardians should be aware that students in grades K-8 will take standardized tests on physical fitness, academic readiness, and, if applicable, English proficiency.  

Parents are encouraged to cooperate in preparing students for the standardized testing, because the quality of the education the school can provide is partially dependent upon the school’s ability to continue to prove its success in the state’s standardized tests. Parents can assist their child achieve their best performance by doing the following:

1. Encourage their child to work hard and study throughout the year;
2. Ensure their child get a good night’s sleep the night before exams;
3. Ensure their child eats well the morning of the exam, particularly ensuring they eat sufficient protein;
4. Remind and emphasize for their child the importance of good performance on standardized testing;
5. Ensure their child is on time and prepared for tests, with appropriate materials;
6. Teach their child the importance of honesty and ethics during the performance of these and other tests;
7. Encourage their child to relax on testing day.

When a child loses permanent housing and becomes a homeless person as defined at law, or when a homeless child changes his or her temporary living arrangements, the parent/guardian of the homeless child has the option of either:

1. continuing the child's education in the school of origin for as long as the child remains homeless or, if the child becomes permanently housed, until the end of the academic year during which the housing is acquired; or
2. enrolling the child in any school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend.

Assistance and support for homeless families includes:

• Educational organizations and schools:
  • District 47 and its schools 
  • McHenry and Lake County Regional Offices of Education-Homeless Liaisons
• Food bank and meal programs:
  • Crystal Lake Food Pantry
• Local service organizations: 
  • Salvation Army
  • GoodWill
  • Local churches, etc.
• Family shelters:
  • Home of the Sparrow
  • PADS
• Medical services:
  • McHenry County Department of Health
  • Crystal Lake Lions Club for vision services
• Other support:
  • Depending on the needs of the family; school social workers connect with various agencies in Crystal Lake and the surrounding area to provide assistance to support homeless families.

Complaints About Curriculum, Instructional Materials, and Programs, Request to Examine Materials, and Statutory Opt-Outs

Complaints About Curriculum, Instructional Materials, and Programs

Parents/guardians have the right to inspect any instructional material used as part of their child’s educational curriculum. 

A parent/guardian may request that his/her child be exempt from using a particular instructional material or program by completing a Curriculum Objection - Request for Reconsideration Form.

Request to Examine Family Life and National Sex Ed Standards Materials 

A sample of the District’s instructional materials and course outline for family life instructional materials are available from the classroom teacher for parent/guardian inspection.

The scope and sequence of instructional materials for the National Sex Ed Standards (NSES) is posted on the District’s Internet website, along with the name and contact information, including an email address, of staff members who can respond to your inquiries. 

You may request to examine the above instructional materials by completing the “Request to Examine Materials and Statutory Opt-Outs” form.

Parent or Guardian Opt-Outs 

No student is required to take or participate in the following classes or courses, and no disciplinary or academic penalty exists for refusing to take or participate in such a course or program.

• Family life (emotional, psychological, physiological, hygienic and social responsibilities, including evidence-based and medically accurate information regarding sexual abstinence).

• AIDS, including in grades 6 through 12, its prevention, transmission and spread.

• Comprehensive Personal Health and Safety and Sexual Health Education Program NSES Standards.

• CPR, including training on how to properly administer CPR in accordance with standards of the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or another nationally recognized certifying organization.

• How to use an AED.

 If you do not want your child to participate in these classes or courses, please complete the “Request to Examine Materials and Statutory Opt-Outs” form.

The school offers opportunities for resident English Learners to develop high levels in academic subjects and to meet the same challenging State standards that all students are expected to attain.

Parents/guardians of English Learners will be informed how they can: (1) be involved in the education of their children, (2) be active participants in assisting their children to attain English proficiency, achieve at high levels within a well-rounded education, and meet the challenging State academic standards expected to all students; and (3) participate and serve on the District’s Transitional Bilingual Education Programs Parent Advisory Committee. 

For questions related to this program or to express input in the school’s English Learners program, contact the Director of Multilingual Programming at (815) 788-5000.

The School Visitation Rights Act permits employed parents/guardians, who are unable to meet with educators because of a work conflict, the right to time off from work under certain conditions to attend necessary school functions such as parent/teacher conferences, academic meetings, and behavioral meetings. Letters verifying participation in this program are available from the school office upon request.

The District maintains a registry of parents/guardians of students who have registered to receive written or telephone notification prior to the application of pesticides to school grounds. To be added to the list, please contact:

Student Information Services
300 Commerce Drive
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
(815) 788-5000

Notification will be given before application of the pesticide. Prior notice is not required if there is imminent threat to health or property.

In  compliance  with  AHERA  (Asbestos  Hazard  Emergency  Response  Act),  we  are pleased to inform you that the asbestos present in all of our schools is in good repair and none of it poses any health hazard to students, staff or visitors. 

The inspection reports and management plans are available for your review by contacting:

Dave Schuh, Director of Operations
221 Liberty Road
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
(815) 788-5000

All school personnel, including teachers and administrators, are required by law to immediately report any and all suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

The unsafe school choice option allows students to transfer to another District school or to a public charter school within the District. The unsafe school choice option is available to: (1) All students attending a persistently dangerous school, as defined by State law and identified by the Illinois State Board of Education; and (2) Any student who is a victim of a violent criminal offense that occurred on school grounds during regular school hours or during a school-sponsored event.

The District has adopted and uses several policies and procedures regarding student privacy, parental access to information and administration of certain physical examinations to students. Copies of these policies are available upon request.

State law prohibits a convicted child sex offender from being present on school property when children under the age of 18 are present, except for in the following circumstances as they relate to the individual’s child(ren):

1. To attend a conference at the school with school personnel to discuss the progress of their child.
2. To participate in a conference in which evaluation and placement decisions may be made with respect to their child’s special education services.
3. To attend conferences to discuss issues concerning their child, such as retention or promotion.

In all other cases, convicted child sex offenders are prohibited from being present on school property unless they obtain written permission from the superintendent or school board.

Anytime that a convicted child sex offender is present on school property for any reason – including the three reasons above – he/she is responsible for notifying the principal’s office upon arrival on school property and upon departure from school property. It is the responsibility of the convicted child sex offender to remain under the direct supervision of a school official at all times he/she is in the presence or vicinity of children.

A violation of this law is a Class 4 felony.

Information about sex offenders or violent offenders against youth is available to the public on the Illinois State Police (ISP) website. The ISP website contains the following:

• Illinois Sex Offender Registry
• Illinois Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry
• Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Sex Offenders

1. Teacher Qualifications - A parent/guardian may request, and the District will provide in a timely manner, the professional qualifications of your student’s classroom teachers, including, at a minimum, whether:
   1. The teacher has met the State qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
   2. The teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status.
   3. The teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.
   4. Paraprofessionals provide services to the student and, if so, their qualifications.
2. Testing Transparency - The State and District requires students to take certain standardized tests.
   A parent/guardian may request, and the District will provide in a timely manner, information regarding student participation in any assessments mandated by law or District policy, which shall include information on any applicable right you may have to opt your student out of such assessment.
3. Annual Report Card - Each year, the District is required to disseminate an annual report card that includes information on the District as a whole and each school served by the District, with aggregate and disaggregated information for each required subgroup of students including: student achievement on academic assessments (designated by category), graduation rates, district performance, teacher qualifications, and certain other information required by federal law. When available, this information will be placed on the District’s website.
4. Parent & Family Engagement Compact
5. Unsafe School Choice Option - The unsafe school choice option allows students to transfer to another District school or to a public charter school within the District under certain circumstances. For additional information, see handbook section on Unsafe School Choice Option. 
6. Student Privacy - Students have certain privacy protections under federal law. For additional information, see handbook section on Student Privacy.
7. English Learners - The school offers opportunities for resident English Learners to achieve at high levels in academic subjects and to meet the same challenging State standards that all children are expected to meet. For additional information, see the handbook section on English Learners.  
8. Homeless Students - For information on supports and services available to homeless students, see handbook section on Homeless Child’s Right to Education.

For further information on any of the above matters, please contact the building principal.

To celebrate student success, District 47 wants to be able to share news of notable achievements with the various communities it serves. As such, the District reserves the right to use and/or produce photographs, video, movies and voice recordings of any student in any legal manner for the internal and external promotional and informational activities of the District. Photos and/or video may be published on the District websites, newsletter and social media sites, as well as shared with media outlets (both print and online). If you do not want your child photographed or videotaped for District 47 use, please send a signed statement to this effect in writing to the Director of Communications and Public Engagement, Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, 300 Commerce Dr., Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Note: This opt-out statement must be filed annually with the District.