Page 25 - Atlanta Public Schools 2022/2023 Student Handbook + Planner

school nurses require a referral and parental/guardian consent for individualized screenings (e.g. vision, hearing, dental). Referrals of individuals with health problems or suspected health problems are accepted from parents/guardians, school personnel, students, and health care providers in the community and may be submitted to the school-based health services professional or central health office personnel. For additional information contact Comprehensive Health Services Manager, Dr. Valencia Hildreth, 130 Trinity Avenue SW, 6th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Phone 404-802-2674.
Medicine
Atlanta Public Schools is committed to the health and safety of its students. Medication and/or medical procedures required by students should be administered by a parent/legal guardian at home. Under exceptional circumstances, prescribed medication and/or medical, health-related procedures may be administered by the school principal, their designee, the school nurse, or self-administered by the student per written physician’s orders and written parent/guardian authorization. The parent/guardian must complete and sign the Administration of Medication/Medical Procedure form to acknowledge that the school assumes no responsibility for medications or procedures that are self-administered.
School nurses or other employees may administer auto-injectable epinephrine to students upon the occurrence of an actual or perceived anaphylactic adverse (allergic) reaction by the student, whether or not such student has a prescription for epinephrine. School nurses or other employees may administer levalbuterol sulfate to students upon the occurrence of an actual or perceived respiratory distress, whether or not such student has a prescription for levalbuterol sulfate. Any school employee who in good faith administers or chooses not to administer these medications to a student in such circumstances shall be immune from civil liability, pursuant to Georgia statute. See Policy JGCD.
School Social Workers
Students who have been identified to be in need of mental health support may receive services from one of the many community mental health wraparound providers that partner with each school. For more information on the mental health service providers who are currently in partnership with APS, please visit https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/ Page/45966. If you are interested in your child receiving mental health support at school from the school mental health wraparound provider, please contact your school social worker or the Coordinator of Social Work Services, Dr. Jacquelyn Anthony, 130 Trinity Ave, SW, 6th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Phone 404-802-2247, Fax 404-802-1205.
School Nutrition Information
The primary goal of the Nutrition Department is to provide all students with healthy school meals that meet their daily nutritional needs and support optimal academic performance at school for student success. For more information visit http://www.atlantapublicschoolsnutrition.us.
Child Find
The purpose of Child Find is to identify, locate, and evaluate children and youth, birth to age 21, who are suspected of, or have a disability or developmental delay, in order to provide free and appropriate Special Education services. Child Find at APS offers comprehensive special education services to eligible students ages three through 21. Parents/ guardians of students, who suspect their child may have a disability, should contact the teacher, principal, or the RTI Point of Contact. All referrals are considered confidential, and services are provided at no cost. The parent/legal guardian retains the right to refuse services and is provided other procedural safeguards under federal and state law.
Public school services include screening in areas of suspected disabilities, such as vision, hearing, autism, motor skills, speech, language, and general development. Evaluations in the schools are provided for several areas of suspected disabilities, including learning disabilities, speech and language development, orthopedic impairments, vision or hearing problems, intellectual disabilities, emotional behavior disorders, autism spectrum disorders, health impairments, traumatic brain injuries, and significant developmental delay. For more information concerning eligibility criteria and referral procedures, contact the Department of Special Education at 404-802-1602 or visit the District’s website at www.atlantapublicschools.us.
Section 504 Rights And Procedural Safeguards
Notice of Rights of Students and Parents Under Section 504:
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, commonly referred to
as “Section 504,” is a nondiscrimination statute enacted by the United States Congress. The purpose of Section 504 is to prohibit discrimination and to assure that disabled students have educational opportunities and benefits equal to those provided to non-disabled students.
Any student or parent or guardian (“grievant”) may request an impartial hearing due to the Atlanta Public Schools’ actions or inactions regarding a child’s identification, evaluation, or educational placement under Section 504. Requests for an impartial hearing must be in writing to the APS Section 504 Coordinator; however, a grievant’s failure to request
a hearing in writing does not alleviate APS’ obligation to provide an impartial hearing if the grievant orally requests an impartial hearing through the Section 504 Coordinator. The APS Section 504 Coordinator will assist the grievant in completing the written Request for Hearing.
Hearing Request (must include the following):
• The name of the student.
• The address of the residence of the student.
School social workers serve as liaisons between the home, school, and community. They work to ensure that students remain in school and graduate, reach their fullest academic potential, and grow socially and emotionally. As part of the educational team, social workers support students’ thriving in schools by removing barriers that interfere with
their academic performance. They are professionally trained to provide services to students who face serious challenges to school success; including, but not limited to, mental health and behavior difficulties, school adjustment issues, poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, bullying, divorce of parents/guardians, and loss of a loved one. School social workers are available to provide support when needed. For additional information, contact your school social worker or the Coordinator of Social Work Services, Dr. Jacquelyn Anthony, 130 Trinity Avenue SW, 6th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Phone 404-802-2247, Fax 404-802-1205.
Mental Health Support
Atlanta Public Schools prioritizes care of the Whole Child as a means
to ensure that the comprehensive needs of students are identified and supported. As part of the Whole Child initiative, schools will implement
a universal social, emotional, behavior screener twice per school year (Fall and Spring administration) to determine strengths and areas of growth relative to social, emotional, and behavioral well-being. The screener is a starting point for next steps in determining the best course of action to support students identified as being at-risk for developing a variety of behavior and emotional disorders that can lead to adjustment problems. For more information about APS and the implementation of universal social, emotional, behavior screeners please visit https://www. atlantapublicschools.us/Page/67035.
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