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p a g e 6—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, March 2, 1967 Newberry County Public Schools Office of Superintendent 1539 Martin Street NEWBERRY. SOUTH CAROLINA Notlee of Sehool Desecregation Plan Uader Title VI ef the Civil Rights Act af 1964 This Notice is Made Available to Inform You About the Desegregation of Our Schools. Keep A Copy of This Notice. It Will Answer Many Questions About School Desegregation 1. Desegration Plan in Effect The Newberry County public school system is being de segregated under a plan adopted in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The purpose of the desegrega tion plan is to eliminate from our school system the racial segregation of students and all other forms of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. 2. Thirty-Day Spring Choice Period Each student or his parent, or other adult person acting as parent, is required to choose the school the student will attend next school year. The choice period will begin on March 1, 1967 and close March 31, 1967. 3. Explanatory Letters and School Choice Forms On the first day of the choice period, an explanatory letter and this notice will be sent by first-class mail to the parent, or other adult person acting as parent, of each student then in the schools who is expected to attend school the following school year. A school choice form will be sent with each letter, to gether with a return envelope addressed to the Superintendent. Additional copies of the letter, this notice and the choice form are freely available to the public at any school and at the Sup erintendent’s office. 4. Returning the Choice Forms Parents and students, at their option, may return the com pleted choice forms by hand to any school or by mall to the Superintendent’s office, at any time during the 30-day choice period. No preference will be given for choosing early during the choice period. A choice is required for each student. No . assignment to a school can be made unless a choice is made first. 5. Choice Form Information The school choice form lists the names, locations and grades offered for each school. The reasons for any choice made are not to be stated. The form asks for the name, address and age of the student, the school and grade currently or last attended, the school chosen for the following year, the appropriate sig nature, and whether the form has been signed by the student or his parent. Any letter or other written communication which identifies the student and the school he wishes to attend will be deemed just as valid as if submitted on the choice form supplied by the school system. The names of students and the schools they choose or are assigned to under the plan will not be made public by school officials. 6. Course and Program Information To guide students and parents in making a choice of school, listed below, by schools, are the courses and programs which are not given at every school in this school system. The same course of study is prescribed in all the elementary schools of Newberry County. Special education classes are held at Boundary Street and Drayton Street Elementary Schools. Spanish and Latin are offered at Newberry High School. Latin will be taught at Whitmire High School. Metal Shop, Mechavucal Drawing, Diversified Occupations, Industrial Arts and Agri culture will* be taught at Newberry High. Auto Mechanics and Agriculture will be offered at Mid-Carolina High. Masonry ajid Agriculture will be taught at Gallman High. Cabinet making will be offered at Whitmire High. Economics will be given at Newberry and Whitmire High Schools. 7. Signing the Choice Form A choice form may be signed by a parent or other adult person acting as parent. A student who has reached the age of 15 at the time of choice, or will next enter the ninth or any higher grade, may sign his own choice form. The student's choice shall be controlling unless a different choice is exercised by his parent before the end of the period during which the student exercises his choice. 8. Processing of Choices No choice will be denied for any reason other than over crowding. In cases where granting all choices for any school would cause overcrowding, the students choosing the school who live closest to it will be assigned to that school. Whenever a choice is to be denied, overcrowding will be determined by a uniform standard applicable to all schools in the system. 9. Notice of Assignment, Second Choice All students and their parents will be promptly notified in writing of their school assignments. Should any student be denied his choice because of overcrowding he will be promptly notified and given a choice among all other schools in the sys tem where space Is available. 10. Students Moving Into the Community A choice of school for any student who will be new to the school system may be made during the spring 30-day choice period or at any other time before he enrolls in school. An explanatory letter, this notice and the school choice form will be given out for each new student as soon as the school system knows about the student. At least seven days will be allowed for the return of the choice form when a choice is made after the 30-day choice period. A choice must be made for each stu dent. No assignment to any school can be made unless a choice is made first. 11. Students Entering First Grade The parent, or other adult person acting as parent, of e v ery child entering the first grade, is required to choose the senool his chUd will attend. Choices will be made under the same free choice process used for students new to the school system in other grades, as provided in paragraph 10. 12. Priority of Late Choices No choice made after the end of the 30-day choice period may be denied for any reason other than overcrowding. In the event of overcrowding, choices made during the 30-day choice period will have first priority. Overcrowding will be de termined by the standard provided for in paragraph 8. Any parent or student whose first choice is denied because of over crowding will be given a second choice in the manner provided for in paragraph 9. 13. Tests, Health Records and Other Entrance Requirements Any academic tests or other procedures used in assigning students to schools, grades, classrooms, sections, courses of study, or for any other purpose, will be applied uniformly to all students without regard to race, color or national origin. No choice of school will be denied because of failure at the time of choice to provide any health record, birth certificate, or other document. The student will be tentatively assigned In ac cordance with the plan and the choice made, and given ample time to obtain any required document Curriculum, credit, and promotion procedures will not be applied in such a way as to hamper freedom of choice of any student: 14. Choices Once Made Cannot be Altered Once a choice has been submitted, it may not be changed, even though the choice period has not ended. The choice is binding for the entire school year to which it applies, except in the case of (1) compelling hardship, (2) change of residence to a place where another school is closer, (3) the availability •f a school designed to fit the special needs of a physically handicapped student, (4) the availability at another school of a course of study required by the student, which is not available at the school chosen. 15. All Other Aspects of Schools Desegregated All school-connected services, facilities, athletics, activities and programs are open to all on a desegregated basis. A stu dent attending school for the first time on a desegregated basis may not be subject to any disqualification or waiting period for participation in activities and programs, including athletics, which might otherwise apply because he is a transfer student. All transportation furnished by the school system will also operate on a desegregated basis. Faculties will be desegregated, and no staff member will lose his position because of race, color or national origin. This includes any case where less staff Is needed because schools are closed or enrollment is reduced. 16. Attendance Across School System Lines No arrangement will be made, or permission granted, by this school system for any students living in the community It serves to attend school in another school system, where this would tend to limit desegregation, or where the opportunity is not available to all students without regard to race, color or national origin. No arrangement will be made, or permission granted, by this school system for any students living in another school system to attend school in this system, where this would tend to limit desegregation, or where the opportunity is not available to all students without regard to race, color or national origin. 17. Violations To Be Reported It is a violation of our desegregation plan for any school official or teacher to influence or dissuade any person from choosing a school where a desegregated education can be ob tained, or to threaten any person with penalties or promise favors for any choice made. It is also a violation of Federal regulations for any person to Intimidate, threaten, coerce, re taliate or discriminate against any individual for the purpose of interfering with the free making of a choice of a desegregated school. Any person having any knowledge of any violation of these prohibitions should report the facts immediately by mail or phone to the Equal Educational Opportunities Program, U. S. Office of Education, Washington, D. C. 20202 (telephone 202- 962-0333). The name of any person reporting any violation will not be disclosed without his consent. Any other violation of the desegregation plan or other discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in the school system is also a violation of Federal requirements, and should likewise be reported. Any one with a complaint to report should first bring it to the at tention of State or local school officials, unless he feels it would not be helpful to do so. If State or local officials do not correct the violation promptly, any person familiar with the facts of the violation should report them immediately to the U. S. Office of Education at the above address or phone number.