Our
Mis
sion
The m
ission
of th
e Willi
amsv
ille C
entra
l Sch
ool D
istric
t, a
comm
unity
char
acter
ized b
y dive
rsity,
high
expe
ctatio
ns an
d su
ppor
t for le
arnin
g, is
to em
powe
r all s
tuden
ts
•
to
deve
lop th
eir un
ique p
otenti
als an
d cha
racte
r,
•
to
assu
me re
spon
sibilit
ies of
citiz
ensh
ip an
d lea
dersh
ip, an
d
•
to
thrive
in a
chall
engin
g and
rapid
ly ch
angin
g glob
al co
mmun
ity
throu
gh th
e com
mitm
ent o
f our
quali
ty sta
ff, in
partn
ersh
ip wi
th pa
rents
and c
ommu
nity,
utiliz
ing vi
siona
ry pr
ogra
ms in
a nu
rturin
g env
ironm
ent o
f mutu
al re
spec
t and
dign
ity.
Bac
kgro
und
In 19
86, a
task
force
on cu
ltura
l dive
rsity
was f
orme
d in t
he
Willi
amsv
ille C
entra
l Sch
ool D
istric
t to st
udy t
he de
gree
to w
hich
stude
nts w
ere l
earn
ing ab
out d
iffere
nt re
ligiou
s and
cultu
ral
grou
ps. T
he ta
sk fo
rce re
comm
ende
d tha
t the P
ACER
(Plan
ning
Adva
ncem
ent o
f Cur
riculu
m an
d Edu
catio
nal R
esea
rch)
Comm
ittee b
e ins
trume
ntal in
initia
ting m
ulticu
ltura
l pro
gram
s, su
ch as
: staf
f dev
elopm
ent fo
r tea
cher
s, a m
ulticu
ltura
l reso
urce
bo
oklet
, and
a kin
derg
arten
thro
ugh g
rade
twelv
e Infu
sion o
f Mu
lticult
ural
Curri
culum
.
As a
natur
al ou
tgrow
th of
these
activ
ities,
and r
ecog
nizing
an
incre
asing
ly div
erse
popu
lation
, on N
ovem
ber 5
, 199
1 the
W
illiam
sville
Boa
rd of
Edu
catio
n auth
orize
d a C
ommi
ttee o
n Re
ligion
to st
udy t
he di
strict
’s ph
iloso
phy a
nd pr
actic
e on
multic
ultur
al an
d reli
gious
issu
es.
T
he 22
-mem
ber C
ommi
ttee o
n Cult
ural
Dive
rsity
and
Relig
ion, w
ith B
oard
of E
duca
tion,
scho
ol, an
d com
munit
y re
pres
entat
ion, m
ade c
onten
t rec
omme
ndati
ons t
o the
Boa
rd
of Ed
ucati
on in
June
1992
. A su
bcom
mitte
e the
n dev
elope
d the
re
comm
enda
tions
into
a poli
cy fo
rmat.
The B
oard
of E
duca
tion r
eview
ed th
e dra
ft at p
ublic
me
eting
s, re
ceive
d inp
ut an
d mad
e rev
ision
s. Th
ey ad
opted
the
polic
y on M
arch
9, 19
93. T
his w
as fo
llowe
d by t
he de
velop
ment
of re
gulat
ions b
y dist
rict a
dmini
strato
rs. T
he po
licy s
ets th
e br
oad p
aram
eters
of an
issu
e whil
e the
regu
lation
s are
spec
ifi c
admi
nistra
tive g
uideli
nes f
or im
pleme
nting
the p
olicy
.
The
four
main
area
s add
ress
ed in
the p
olicy
inclu
de:
scho
ol ac
tivitie
s rela
ted to
relig
ious h
olida
ys or
them
es, u
se of
re
ligiou
s sym
bols,
mus
ic in
the sc
hools
, and
the d
istric
t cale
ndar.
Ins
tructi
on an
d acti
vities
in ea
ch of
thes
e are
as ar
e guid
ed by
fou
r bas
ic qu
estio
ns:
•
Is i
t Con
stitut
ionall
y per
miss
ible?
• I
s it e
duca
tiona
lly so
und?
• I
s it c
ultur
ally s
ensit
ive? a
nd
•
Is i
t age
appr
opria
te?
T
he pu
rpos
e of th
e Poli
cy on
Cult
ural
Dive
rsity
and R
eligio
n in
the sc
hool
distric
t is to
foste
r the
deve
lopme
nt of
know
ledge
, un
derst
andin
g, an
d res
pect
for th
e var
ious c
ultur
al an
d reli
gious
gr
oups
in an
d outs
ide of
our c
ommu
nity.
Sept
. 201
6
Civil
Righ
ts Po
licy -
The W
illiam
sville
Cent
ral S
choo
l Dist
rict,
its o
ffi ce
rs a
nd e
mpl
oyee
s sh
all n
ot d
iscrim
inat
e ag
ainst
an
y st
uden
t, em
ploy
ee o
r app
lican
t on
the
basis
of r
ace,
colo
r, cr
eed,
relig
ion,
nat
iona
l orig
in, p
oliti
cal a
ffi lia
tion,
ge
nder
, sex
ual o
rient
atio
n, a
ge, m
arita
l sta
tus,
vete
ran
stat
us, o
r disa
bilit
y. It
is th
e pol
icy o
f the
Boa
rd o
f Edu
ca-
tion
to co
mpl
y with
the r
egul
atio
ns lis
ted
in T
itle I
X of
the
1972
Edu
catio
nal R
equi
rem
ents
and
Sec
tion
504
of th
e Re
habi
litat
ion A
ct of
1973
. Any
mem
ber o
f the W
illiam
sville
Ce
ntra
l Sch
ool D
istric
t sta
ff or
any
Willi
amsv
ille C
entra
l Sc
hool
Dist
rict p
upil o
r par
ent b
eliev
ing h
imse
lf or h
erse
lf ag
griev
ed b
ecau
se o
f disc
rimin
atio
n ba
sed
on ra
ce, c
olor
, cr
eed,
relig
ion,
nat
iona
l orig
in, p
oliti
cal a
ffi lia
tion,
gen
der,
sexu
al or
ienta
tion,
age
, mar
ital s
tatu
s, ve
tera
n st
atus
, or
disa
bilit
y sho
uld a
ddre
ss qu
estio
ns an
d com
plain
ts to
the
Dist
rict C
ompl
iance
Offi
cer a
nd A
ssist
ant S
uper
inte
nden
t fo
r Hum
an R
esou
rces
, Dr. K
im A.
Kirs
ch, 1
05 C
asey
Rd.
, P.O
. Bo
x 500
0, Ea
st A
mhe
rst,
NY 14
051;
626-
8051
.
A br
ief re
view
of the
W
illiam
sville
Cen
tral S
choo
l Dist
rict
Polic
y on
Cultu
ral D
ivers
ity
and
Relig
ion
REL
IGIO
N
“”
We h
ope to
creat
e an e
nviron
ment
We h
ope to
creat
e an e
nviron
ment
where
stude
nts of
vario
us cul
tural
and
where
stude
nts of
vario
us cul
tural
and
religi
ous ba
ckgrou
nds f
eel co
mfort
able
religi
ous ba
ckgrou
nds f
eel co
mfort
able
and a
ccepte
d in o
ur sch
ools.
and a
ccepte
d in o
ur sch
ools.
Q. C
an o
ur t
each
ers
disp
lay
relig
ious
art
ifact
s in
C
an o
ur t
each
ers
disp
lay
relig
ious
art
ifact
s in
scho
ol?
sc
hool
?
A. Y
es, te
ache
rs ar
e enc
oura
ged,
while
teac
hing a
bout
a r
eligio
n, to
displa
y artif
acts
that h
elp ex
plain
or
cla
rify re
ligiou
s con
cepts
and t
radit
ions t
hat a
re
inc
luded
as pa
rt of
a cur
riculu
m un
it. T
he us
e of
the
se ar
tifacts
or di
splay
s sho
uld pr
ovide
an en
viron
me
nt wh
erein
stud
ents
of all
faith
s and
back
grou
nds
ca
n par
ticipa
te wi
thout
betra
ying t
heir o
wn be
liefs.
Q. H
ow d
o w
e de
term
ine
wha
t ho
liday
s ar
e
H
ow d
o w
e de
term
ine
wha
t ho
liday
s ar
e
reco
gniz
ed b
y ha
ving
tim
e of
f fro
m s
choo
l?
reco
gniz
ed b
y ha
ving
tim
e of
f fro
m s
choo
l?
A. T
he B
oard
of E
duca
tion a
nnua
lly ap
prov
es th
e sch
ool
ca
lenda
r. Con
sider
ation
of th
e reli
gious
and c
ultur
al
demo
grap
hics i
n our
comm
unity
help
to de
termi
ne
wh
ich da
ys ou
r sch
ools
will b
e in s
essio
n.
Q. W
hat
is p
rohi
bite
d in
the
pol
icy?
Why
?W
hat
is p
rohi
bite
d in
the
pol
icy?
Why
?
A. T
he di
strict
proh
ibits
the pr
omoti
on of
the s
tudy o
f
one r
eligio
n ove
r ano
ther.
It also
proh
ibits
pros
elytiz
a
tion.
The
se pr
ohibi
tions
are t
he re
sult o
f cou
rt de
cision
s
statin
g tha
t we c
an te
ach a
bout
relig
ion bu
t may
not
sp
onso
r reli
gious
prac
tices
. The
y also
state
that
we ca
n
reco
gnize
relig
ious h
olida
ys if
the pu
rpos
e is t
o pro
vide
se
cular
instr
uctio
n abo
ut re
ligiou
s tra
dition
s rath
er
tha
n pro
mote
a par
ticula
r reli
gion.
(
)
If you
have
any a
dditio
nal q
uesti
ons r
egar
ding o
ur
Cultu
ral D
iversi
ty an
d Reli
gion P
olicy
, plea
se co
ntact
Rita
Wolf
f, Dire
ctor o
f Com
munic
ation
, at 6
26-8
008
or K
aren
Gre
co, In
struc
tiona
l Spe
cialis
t, at 6
26-8
033.
Q.
Wha
t is t
he P
olic
y on
Cul
tura
l Div
ersi
ty a
nd
Wha
t is t
he P
olic
y on
Cul
tura
l Div
ersi
ty a
nd
R
elig
ion?
R
elig
ion?
A.
The P
olicy
on C
ultur
al Di
versi
ty an
d Reli
gion i
s a
wr
itten d
escri
ption
of th
e bro
ad pa
rame
ters w
ithin
wh
ich th
e Willi
amsv
ille C
entra
l Sch
ool D
istric
t will
ap
proa
ch to
pics i
nvolv
ing te
achin
g abo
ut re
ligion
and c
ultur
es in
our p
ublic
scho
ols. W
e hop
e to c
reate
an en
viron
ment
wher
e stud
ents
of va
rious
cultu
ral a
nd
re
ligiou
s bac
kgro
unds
feel
comf
ortab
le an
d acc
epted
in ou
r sch
ools.
Q. C
an o
ur t
each
ers
talk
abo
ut r
elig
ion?
Can
our
tea
cher
s ta
lk a
bout
rel
igio
n?
A.
Not o
nly do
our t
each
ers h
ave a
right
to tal
k abo
ut
relig
ion, b
ut the
y hav
e an o
bliga
tion t
o tea
ch ab
out
dif
feren
t reli
gious
and c
ultur
al gr
oups
with
in the
frame
work
of the
New
York
State
and W
illiam
sville
Centr
al Sc
hool
Distr
ict cu
rricu
lum. S
tuden
ts ar
e
prov
ided w
ith op
portu
nities
to le
arn a
bout
cultu
ral
an
d reli
gious
trad
itions
in ou
r com
munit
y and
the
wo
rld.
Inf
orma
tion a
bout
relig
ious a
nd cu
ltura
l holi
days
and
tra
dition
s foc
using
on ho
w an
d whe
n the
y are
celeb
rated
, their
origi
ns an
d hist
ories
, are
infus
ed in
our p
rese
nt cu
rricu
lar ar
eas.
Reli
gious
mus
ic an
d
art a
re us
ed to
teac
h con
cepts
, to co
nvey
histo
rical
an
d cult
ural
conte
nt, an
d to c
reate
aesth
etic e
xper
i
ence
s in a
settin
g whic
h emp
hasiz
es ar
tistic
expr
essio
n
and e
duca
tiona
l valu
e.
Q.. W
ill m
y ch
ild b
e le
arni
ng a
bout
rel
igio
n?W
ill m
y ch
ild b
e le
arni
ng a
bout
rel
igio
n?
A.
Yes,
there
is a
kinde
rgar
ten th
roug
h gra
de tw
elve
cu
rricu
lum th
at inf
uses
the s
tudy o
f reli
gion a
nd
cu
lture
s in s
ocial
stud
ies. W
hen a
ppro
priat
e, re
ligiou
s
topics
may
arise
in ot
her a
reas
such
as ar
t and
mus
ic.
Cultu
ral D
iversi
ty an
d Reli
gion
Q. H
ow h
as t
he p
olic
y af
fect
ed
H
ow h
as t
he p
olic
y af
fect
ed
mus
ical
per
form
ance
s?
mus
ical
per
form
ance
s?
A.
Music
al pr
ogra
ms pr
epar
ed fo
r or p
rese
nted b
y stud
ent
gr
oups
as an
outco
me of
the i
nstru
ction
al pr
ogra
m
may i
nclud
e reli
gious
mus
ic. H
owev
er, a
relig
ious
the
me or
relig
ious h
olida
y cele
brati
on sh
ould
not b
e
the fo
cus o
f the p
rogr
am.
Q. I
n w
hat
othe
r w
ays
can
stud
ents
exp
ress
In w
hat
othe
r w
ays
can
stud
ents
exp
ress
th
eir
relig
ious
fait
h w
ithi
n pu
blic
sch
ools
?
thei
r re
ligio
us fa
ith
wit
hin
publ
ic s
choo
ls?
A.
Indiv
idual
stude
nt ini
tiated
expr
essio
ns in
resp
onse
to
an
y give
n pro
ject m
ay ta
ke th
e for
m of
relig
ious w
riting
,
music
al co
mpos
itions
, or a
rtwor
k. T
hese
crea
tions
will
be
guide
d, ev
aluate
d, an
d disp
layed
by th
e tea
cher
in the
same
man
ner a
s any
othe
r stud
ent p
rodu
ct.
Th
e wea
ring o
f reli
gious
symb
ols by
a stu
dent
is als
o
a pro
tected
expr
essio
n of fa
ith.
Q. W
hat
abou
t pr
ayer
in t
he s
choo
ls?
Wha
t ab
out
pray
er in
the
sch
ools
?
A. S
tuden
ts ha
ve a
right
to pr
ay in
dividu
ally o
r in gr
oups
as lo
ng as
they
are n
ot dis
rupti
ve to
the s
choo
l day
.
Howe
ver, t
he rig
ht to
enga
ge in
volun
tary p
raye
r doe
s
not in
clude
, for e
xamp
le, th
e righ
t to ha
ve a
capti
ve
au
dienc
e list
en or
to co
mpel
other
stud
ents
to
partic
ipate.
