The Montgomery
County School Board shall request automatic
electronic notification of registered sex offenders in the same or contiguous
zip codes as any school within the school division, as permitted by applicable
law. Such request and notification shall be made according to the procedures
established by the Virginia Department of State Police (State Police).
Registry
information shall only be used for the purposes of the administration of
law-enforcement, screening current or prospective school division employees or
volunteers, and for the protection of school division students and employees.
Before hiring any person, the division superintendent or his/her designee shall
determine whether the prospective employee is a registered sex offender. If the
prospective employee is a registered sex offender, the school division shall
not hire him/her.
A sex offender registrant who is the parent or
guardian of a student shall be permitted to participate in appropriate parent
or guardian activities, unless prohibited by a court order. Students who are
registered sex offenders may not be precluded from attending school. recognizes the danger sex offenders pose to student
safety. Therefore, to protect students while they travel to and from school,
and attend school or school-related activities, the School Board shall request
automatic electronic notification of registered sex offenders in the same or
contiguous zip codes as any school within the school division as permitted by
applicable law. Such request and notification shall be made according to the
procedure established by the Virginia Department of State Police (State
Police). The division superintendent shall serve as the contact person with the
State Police for receipt of the registered sex offender information.
At the beginning of each school
year, the School Board shall notify parents and employees of the school
division’s policy on the dissemination and use of sex offender registry information.
Receipt and Dissemination of Sex Offender Registry
Information
Sex offender registry information
should be provided to employees who are most likely to observe unauthorized
persons on or near school property including, but not limited to:
1. school bus drivers;
2. employees responsible for visitor registration;
3. employees responsible for bus duty;
4. security staff;
5. coaches;
6. playground supervisors; and
7. maintenance personnel.
When registry information is
disseminated, it shall include a notice that such information should not be
shared with others and may only be used for the purposes discussed below.
Employees who improperly share registry information with others may be
disciplined.
The School Board recognizes that it is the responsibility
of local law enforcement officials to notify the community of potential public
danger. Therefore, the School Board and its employees will not disseminate
registry information to parents.
Use
of Sex Offender Registry Information
Registry Information shall only be used for the
purposes of the administration of law-enforcement, screening current or
prospective school division employees or volunteers, and for the protection of
school division students and employees. Registry information shall not be used
to intimidate or harass others.
1. Registered Sex Offender Sighted: If a notified employee sees a registered sex offender on or near School Board property, around any Montgomery County student, or attending any school division activity, he shall notify the division superintendent or his/her designee immediately. The division superintendent or his/her designee may, in his/her discretion, notify local law-enforcement officials.
2. School Volunteers and Student Teachers: Each staff member shall submit to his principal the name and address of each volunteer the staff member is or may be using as soon as the person is identified. The principal shall screen each student teacher and volunteer’s name and address against the registry information. If a match is found, the principal shall notify the division superintendent, who shall confirm the match. If the match is confirmed, the division superintendent shall inform the individual, by mail, that he may not be on School Board property without permission of the division superintendent. The notice shall provide the reason with reference to this policy. The division superintendent shall also inform the principal and employees that the individual may not be used as a volunteer.
3. Contractors’ Employees: The division superintendent shall include the following language in all school division contracts that may involve an employee of the contractor having any contact with a student. “The contractor shall not send any employee or agent who is a registered sex offender to any school building or school property. Monthly, the contractor shall check the registry to determine if any employee is registered.”
4. School Division Employees: Each time sex offender registry information is received, the principal shall review it to determine if a school division employee is registered. If a match is found, the division superintendent shall confirm or disprove the match with local law enforcement officials. If the match is confirmed, the division superintendent shall notify the School Board. The School Board will take the appropriate action to comply with state law, which may include termination of employment.
5. Applicants for Employment. Before hiring any person, the division superintendent shall determine whether the prospective employee is a registered sex offender. If the prospective employee is a registered sex offender, the school division shall not hire him.
6. Students and Parents of Students. A sex offender registrant who is the parent or guardian of a student shall be permitted to participate in appropriate parent or guardian activities, unless prohibited by court order. Students who are registered sex offenders may not be precluded from attending school.
7. Precautions
to Protect Students. When the division superintendent determines it is
necessary because of the presence of a registered sex offender, alternative
arrangements may be made for bus and walking routes to and from school, recess
and physical education periods, or any other activity in order to protect
school division students.
Anyone requesting registry information from the school division shall be referred to the State Police.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia,
1950, as amended, §§ 9.1-900, et seq., 19.2-298.1, 19.2-390.1 and 19.2-390.2, 22.1-79,
22.1-79.3.
Revised: September 2006