Safe Environments

Shoreline School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. 

The District complies with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations in all district programs, courses, activities, including extracurricular activities, services, access to facilities, etc. 

The Shoreline School District offers classes in many Career and Technical Education (CTE) program areas under its open admissions policy. Specifically, the Shoreline School District offers admissions based on selective criteria (such as Advanced Placement CTE programs that require a prerequisite) through a separate application process that is non-discriminatory. For more information about the application process and particular course offerings, contact the admissions office at Shorecrest High School (206.393.4286) or Shorewood High School (206.393.4372). 

English language proficiency is not an element of the admissions and participation requirements for career and technical education classes. This notification can be provided in the appropriate language for communities of national origin by contacting 206.393.4365. The following employee(s) have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination and to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: 

Title IX Officer and Compliance Coordinator for State Law (RCW 28A.640/28A.642) with overall responsibility for Adult HIB (Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying):

Treena Sterk

Executive Director of Human Resources

18560 1st Ave. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155

206-393-4216

treena.sterk@ssd412.org

Compliance Coordinator for State Law (RCW 28A.640/28A.642) with overall responsibility for Student HIB (Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying): 

Don Dalziel

Director of Athletics

18560 1st Ave. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155

206-393-4770

don.dalziel@ssd412.org

ADA Compliance Officer and Section 504 Compliance Officer:

Trish Rodgers

Executive Director of Student Services

18560 1st Ave. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155

206.393.4239

trish.rodgers@ssd412.org

You can report discrimination and discriminatory harassment to any school staff member or to the district's Civil Rights Coordinator, listed above. You also have the right to file a complaint. For a copy of Shoreline School District’s nondiscrimination policy and procedure, contact your school or district office, or see Policy #3210 and Procedure #3210P.

Shoreline School District provides equal employment opportunity and treatment for all applicants and staff in recruitment, hiring, retention, assignment, transfer, promotion, and training. Such equal employment opportunity shall be provided without discrimination with respect to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, creed, religion, age, veteran or military 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.

5010 and 5010P - Nondiscrimination

The Shoreline School District prohibits harassment, intimidation and bullying.

The Shoreline School District is committed to a safe, civil learning environment where all students, employees, volunteers, parents and patrons work, learn and participate in an environment free from harassment, intimidation, and bullying/cyberbullying.

Any student or employee who believes they have been the target of unresolved, severe, or persistent harassment, intimidation, or bullying/cyberbullying, or any other person in the school community who observes or receives notice that a student has or may have been the target of unresolved, severe, or persistent harassment, intimidation, or bullying/cyberbullying, may report incidents verbally or in writing to any staff member or directly to the HIB compliance officer.

Within two (2) school days after receiving the Incident Reporting Form, the school designee will notify the families of the students involved that a complaint was received and direct the families to the district’s policy and procedure on harassment, intimidation, and bullying/cyberbullying.

Within two (2) school days after receiving the Incident Reporting Form, the HIB compliance officer will notify the staff members involved that a complaint was received and direct the employees to the district’s policy and procedure on harassment, intimidation, and bullying/cyberbullying.

No later than two (2) school days after the investigation has been completed, written notification shall be provided to the complainant and the respondent stating:

1. The results of the investigation;
2. Whether the allegations were found to be factual;
3. Whether there was a violation of the district policy; and
4. The process for the complainant to file an appeal if the complainant disagrees with the results of the investigation.

Board Policies & Incident Reporting Form

• 5308 - Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying/Cyberbulling
• 3308 and 3308P - Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying

Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying (HIB) Incident Reporting Form

 

Inquiries or complaints regarding HIB may be addressed to:

Don Dalziel, Student HIB Compliance Officer

206-393-4770

don.dalziel@ssd412.org

Treena Sterk, HIB Compliance Officer

206-393-4216

treena.sterk@ssd412.org

Shoreline Public Schools prohibits sexual harassment of students, employees, and others involved in or attempting to participate in district educational activities.  Sexual harassment is prohibited under both state and federal law.  Washington schools must ensure that they are meeting both state and federal requirements to investigate and respond to sexual harassment.

When on notice of possible sexual harassment, Shoreline Public Schools shall take prompt and appropriate action to investigate and take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end harassment, eliminate the hostile environment, prevent its recurrence, and as appropriate, remedy its effects.  This applies whether or not a formal Title IX complaint has been filed.

Anyone may use the informal complaint procedure to report and resolve complaints of sexual harassment.  Informal reports may be made to any staff member, although staff will always notify complainants of their right to file a formal complaint and the process.  Staff will also direct potential complainants to the Title IX Coordinator who can explain the informal and formal complaint process.

Informal resolution may be offered if both parties give voluntary, informed, written consent. Informal remedies include:

• An opportunity for the complainant to explain to the alleged harasser that his/her/their conduct is unwelcome, offensive or inappropriate, either in writing or face-to-face;
• A statement from a staff member to the alleged harasser that the alleged conduct is not appropriate and could lead to discipline if proven or repeated; or
• A general public statement from an administrator reviewing the district sexual harassment policy without identifying the complainant.

Any time prior to agreeing to a resolution, any party has the right to withdraw from informal resolution and resume the grievance process with respect to a formal complaint.  Informal resolution is not available where it is alleged that an employee has sexually harassed a student.

What is Title IX?

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as Title IX, is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities.  Title IX includes a major focus on the prevention of and response to incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior or communication that is sexual in nature when:

• A student or employee is led to believe that he or she must submit to unwelcome sexual conduct or communications in order to gain something in return, such as a grade, a promotion, a place on a sports team, or any educational or employment decision, or
• The conduct substantially interferes with a student’s educational performance, or creates an intimidating or hostile educational or employment environment.

Sexual Harassment Occurs When:

• Submitting to the harasser’s sexual demands is a stated or implied condition of obtaining a work or educational opportunity or other benefit; or
• Submission to or rejection of sexual demands is a factor in a work, school, or other SPS-related decision affecting an individual; or
• Unwelcome sexual or gender-directed conduct or communication substantially interferes with an individual’s performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

What is Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual contact against any individual by force or without consent; or when a person cannot give consent (under the age of consent, intoxicated, developmentally disabled, mentally/physically unable to consent, etc.).

 

When a complaint is filed, the Title IX coordinator will promptly ensure the complainant is contacted to:

• discuss the availability of supportive measures;
• consider the complainant’s wishes with respect to supportive measures;
• inform the complainant of the availability of supportive measures with or without the filing of a formal complaint; and
• explain to the complainant the process for filing a formal complaint.

If you are not sure whether you should make a formal complaint, you may talk to your building administrator or consult the Title IX Coordinator at (206-393-4216 or treena.sterk@ssd412.org.  If you believe that you or a Shoreline School District student or staff member has been sexually harassed or sexually assaulted, you can report the incident(s) to any school staff member or the district’s Title IX Coordinator.

Board Policies

• 5013 and 5013P – Sexual Harassment
• 3209 and 3209P – Student Sexual Harassment

All material used to train Title IX personnel shall be publicly available on the district’s website.

• K-12 CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATOR TRAINING & CERTIFICATION LEVEL ONE COURSE

• K-12 TITLE IX COORDINATOR & ADMINISTRATOR TRAINING & CERTIFICATION LEVEL ONE COURSE

• OSPI Guidance on the New Title IX Rules and Responding to Sexual Harassment in Washington K–12 Schools

Inquiries or complaints regarding sexual harassment may be addressed to:

Treena Sterk, Title IX Coordinator

206-393-4216

treena.sterk@ssd412.org

Mailing Address:

Title IX Coordinator

Shoreline Public Schools

18560 1^st Ave. NE Shoreline, WA 98155

 

Protocol in Dealing with Inappropriate Behavior: The purpose of this procedure is to provide all staff, students, volunteers, and community members with information to increase their awareness of their role in protecting children from inappropriate conduct by adults.

Staff must report all incidents of abuse, neglect and exploitation to law enforcement regardless of the age of the person who engages in it.  This includes minors (including incidents of student-on-student misconduct), family members, and any other adult who engages in child abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

A staff member who has knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that a student has been a victim of physical abuse or sexual misconduct by another student or school employee, shall report such abuse or misconduct to the appropriate school administrator.  The school administrator shall cause a report to be made to the proper law enforcement agency if he or she has reasonable cause to believe that the misconduct or abuse has occurred as required under RCW 26.44.030.  During the process of making a reasonable cause determination, the school administrator shall contact all parties involved in the complaint.

Staff need not verify that a child has in fact been abused, neglected or exploited.  Any conditions or information that may reasonably be related to abuse, neglect, or exploitation should be reported.  Legal authorities have the responsibility for investigating each case and taking such action as appropriate under the circumstances.  The following procedures are to be used in reporting instances of suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation (the following is only a summary of reporting procedures, please refer to the district policy and procedure for complete procedures):

• Staff shall immediately contact the nearest office of the Child Protective Services (CPS) of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). If this agency cannot be reached or if directed to call the police, the report shall be submitted to the local law enforcement agency.  Such contact shall be made within forth-eight (48) hours.  Staff shall also advise the principal regarding reports of suspected abuse that have been made to state authorities or law enforcement.
• Within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving a report of alleging sexual misconduct by a school employee, the school employee must report such abuse to their principal or supervisor. The principal or supervisor shall immediately report such information to the Title IX Officer.
• Within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving a report alleging sexual misconduct by a school employee, the Title IX Officer shall notify:
  1. Law enforcement;
  2. The parents of a student alleged to be the victim, target or recipient of the misconduct;
  3. The Superintendent, and
  4. The District’s Risk Management carrier

Staff are legally responsible for reporting all suspected cases of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation to law enforcement.  For that reason, under state law, staff are free from liability for reporting instances of abuse, neglect, or exploitation and are criminally liable for failure to do so.

School Board Policies and Procedures:

• 3421 and 3421P - Child Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Prevention

Preventing sexual misconduct in schools: A 20 minute PowerPoint training for administrators, staff, students and volunteers to review.

The Shoreline School District Board of Directors expects all staff members to maintain the highest professional, moral and ethical standards in their interaction with students.  Staff members are required to maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning, through consistently and fairly applied discipline and established and maintained professional boundaries.

Staff members will not intrude on a student’s physical and emotional boundaries unless the intrusion is necessary to serve an educational or physical, mental and/or emotional health purpose.  Additionally, staff members are expected to be sensitive to the appearance of impropriety in their own conduct and the conduct of other staff when interacting with students.

Student and their parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to notify the principal (or other administrator) if they believe a teacher or other staff member may be engaging in conduct that violates Personnel Policy 5014.  Staff members are required to promptly notify the principal (or other administrator) or superintendent if they become aware of a situation that may constitute a violation of Personnel Policy 5014.

Staff violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.  The violation will also be reported to the Office of Professional Practices.  Violations involving sexual or other abuse will also result in referral to Child Protective Services and/or law enforcement in accordance with the board’s policy on reporting child abuse and neglect.

School Board Policies and Procedures:

• 5014 and 5014P – Maintaining Professional Conduct