The district will provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the academic and activities program without discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. The district will provide equal access to school facilities to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. District programs will be free from sexual harassment.

Yelm Community Schools will also take steps to assure that national origin persons who lack English language skills can participate in all education programs, services and activities. For information regarding bilingual education, contact the Assistant Director of Student Support at 360.458.1900.

Conduct against any student that is based on one of the categories listed above that is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive as to limit or deny the student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the district’s course offerings; educational programming or any activity will not be tolerated.  When a district employee knows, or reasonably should know, that such discriminatory harassment is occurring or has occurred, the district will take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the harassment, prevent its recurrence and remedy its effects.

The district’s nondiscrimination statement will be included in all written announcements, notices, recruitment materials, employment applications, and other publications made available to all students, parents, or employees.  The statement will include: 1) notice that the district will not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of any of the above-listed categories; 2) the name and contact information of the district’s compliance officer designated to ensure compliance with this policy; and 3) the names and contact information of the district’s Section 504 and Title IX compliance officers.

The district will annually publish notices reasonably calculated to inform students, students’ parents/guardians (in a language that they can understand, which may require language assistance), and employees of the district’s discrimination complaint procedure.

The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights: Dee Dee Buckingham, 360-458-1900, doyla_buckingham@ycs.wednet.edu
Title IX Coordinator: Lisa Cadero-Smith, 360-458-6120, lisa_cadero-smith@ycs.wednet.edu
504 Coordinator: Shannon Powell, 360-458-6124, shannon_powell@ycs.wednet.edu
HIB Coordinator: Brittany LaPalm, 360.458.6124, brittany_lapalm@ycs.wednet.edu  

The district will provide training to administrators and certificated and classroom personnel regarding their responsibilities under this policy and to raise awareness of and eliminate bias and discrimination based on the protected classes identified in this policy. (Policy 3210)