Title IX
Title IX: Everyone Deserves to Feel Safe, Respected, and Included
St. Helens School District is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for every student, employee, and community member.
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in schools and educational programs that receive federal funding.
In simple terms:
Everyone has the right to learn, work, and participate in school without experiencing sex discrimination or sexual harassment.
Title IX protections apply throughout the district, including in:
- Classrooms and school buildings
- Athletics and extracurricular activities
- School-sponsored events and field trips
- District transportation
- Online and electronic communications
- District workplaces
- Other situations that may affect a person’s ability to participate in a district program or activity
What Should Be Reported?
You do not need to understand Title IX or know whether a rule or law was violated before making a report.
Please report conduct that made you or someone else feel unsafe, uncomfortable, pressured, threatened, excluded, or unfairly treated because of sex.
Examples of concerns that may be reported include:
- Sexual harassment
- Unwanted sexual comments, jokes, gestures, or questions
- Unwanted sexual attention
- Unwanted touching or sexual contact
- Sexual assault or sexual violence
- Dating violence
- Stalking
- Pressure to participate in sexual behavior
- Sexual rumors
- Sex-based bullying, intimidation, or threats
- Unwanted sexual messages, pictures, or videos
- Sharing private or sexual pictures without permission
- Unequal treatment based on sex
- Unequal access to classes, programs, activities, or athletics
- Discrimination related to pregnancy or parenting
- Retaliation against someone for reporting a concern or participating in a complaint process
Conduct may be reported whether it happened in person, online, through social media, by telephone, by text message, or through another form of communication.
The district also has policies prohibiting other forms of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, bullying, cyberbullying, and sexual conduct. If a concern does not fall under Title IX, the district will determine whether another policy or process applies.
Who May Make a Report?
Anyone may make a report, including:
- A student
- A parent or guardian
- A family member
- A district employee
- A volunteer
- A contractor
- A witness
- A community member
- Someone reporting on behalf of another person
You may report something that happened to you, something you witnessed, or something someone told you about.
Reports may be made at any time, including outside regular school hours.
How to Make a Report
You may use whichever reporting option feels safest and most comfortable.
Complete the Online Title IX Reporting Form
The district’s online Title IX Reporting Form may be used by students, families, employees, volunteers, contractors, witnesses, and community members.
You may use the form to report:
- Something that happened to you
- Something you witnessed
- Something someone told you
- A concern involving another student or employee
- Retaliation that happened after someone reported a concern
Please provide as much information as you know and feel comfortable sharing. You do not need to have proof, answer every question, or determine whether the conduct legally qualifies as a Title IX violation.
The online form is not monitored continuously and should not be used for an emergency.
Tell a Trusted Adult
A student may tell any trusted adult, including a:
- Teacher
- Counselor
- Coach
- Principal or assistant principal
- School secretary
- School nurse
- Educational assistant
- District employee
Students do not need to use special words or know the name of the policy.
Saying, “Something happened and I need help,” is enough to begin.
District employees who receive information about possible sex discrimination or sexual harassment must promptly share the information with the Title IX Coordinator or another appropriate district administrator.
Contact the Title IX Coordinator
Peggy Pollock
Director of Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator
St. Helens School District
474 N. 16th Street
St. Helens, Oregon 97051
Telephone: 503-397-3085
Email: peggyp@sthelens.k12.or.us
A report may be made in person, by telephone, by email, in writing, or through the district’s online Title IX Reporting Form.
Use the SafeOregon Tip Line
SafeOregon provides another way to report school safety concerns. Students, families, employees, and community members may use SafeOregon 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Call or text: 844-472-3367
Reports may also be submitted through the SafeOregon website or mobile application.
SafeOregon is a school safety reporting system. Anyone seeking a direct Title IX response from the district is encouraged to also complete the district’s Title IX Reporting Form or contact the Title IX Coordinator.
Make a Report in Another Way
A person may also make a report:
- Verbally
- In writing
- By email
- By telephone
- Through a school administrator
- Through the district’s discrimination complaint procedure
A report does not have to be submitted on a particular form. The district will accept and review reports made through any available reporting method.
What Information Should I Include?
Share whatever information you know. It is okay if you do not know or remember every detail.
Helpful information may include:
- The name of the person who experienced the conduct
- The name of the person accused of the conduct
- What happened
- When and where it happened
- Whether it has happened more than once
- The names of witnesses
- Copies of messages, emails, photographs, videos, or social media posts
- Whether anyone is currently unsafe
- What help or support may be needed
Do not delay making a report because you do not have proof.
You are not responsible for investigating the situation. The district will review the information and determine the appropriate next steps.
What Happens After a Report Is Made?
The district takes reports of sex discrimination and sexual harassment seriously.
After receiving a report, the Title IX Coordinator or another appropriate district administrator will generally:
- Review the information provided.
- Determine whether anyone needs immediate protection or assistance.
- Contact the person who may have experienced the conduct.
- Listen to the concerns and discuss available support.
- Explain the available reporting and complaint options.
- Determine which district policy or procedure applies.
- Explain what may happen next.
The district’s response will depend on the circumstances, the information available, applicable district policies, and the law.
Making a report does not automatically begin a formal investigation. The Title IX Coordinator will explain the available options and the process that applies.
Support Is Available
A person may ask for assistance even if they do not want to file a formal complaint or participate in an investigation.
Support may include:
- Help creating a safety plan
- Counseling or school-based support
- Changes to seating or class schedules
- Changes to transportation arrangements
- Changes to extracurricular activities
- Changes to work locations or assignments
- Increased adult supervision
- Assistance with missed schoolwork
- Adjustments to deadlines
- No-contact directions
- Assistance accessing community resources
- Other reasonable steps intended to protect safety and continued access to school or work
Support is considered individually based on the person’s needs and the circumstances.
Will the Process Be Fair?
Yes. The district is committed to responding promptly, fairly, and impartially.
A report is not an automatic finding that someone violated district policy. The district will not assume that a person is responsible for the reported conduct before the applicable process has been completed.
People involved in a complaint process will be treated with dignity and respect and will have an opportunity to provide relevant information.
Will My Information Be Kept Private?
The district will respect the privacy of everyone involved.
Information will be shared only with individuals who need the information to:
- Respond to the report
- Provide support
- Protect someone’s safety
- Conduct a fair review or investigation
- Comply with district policy
- Meet legal reporting obligations
The district cannot promise complete confidentiality. In some situations, information must be shared so the district can respond appropriately, comply with mandatory reporting laws, or protect the safety of students and employees.
What Is Retaliation?
Retaliation means punishing, threatening, intimidating, harassing, excluding, or treating someone unfairly because that person:
- Made a report
- Asked for help
- Supported another person
- Participated in an investigation
- Provided information
- Served as a witness
- Raised a concern about discrimination
- Declined to participate when legally permitted
Retaliation is Prohibited.
Any concern about retaliation should be reported immediately to the Title IX Coordinator, a school administrator, or another trusted district employee.
Reports Involving an Adult and a Student
Concerns involving possible sexual conduct, grooming, abuse, or inappropriate boundaries between an adult and a student must be reported immediately.
This includes concerns involving a:
- District employee
- Coach
- Volunteer
- Contractor
- Substitute
- Student teacher
- Other adult working with or around students
District employees and other mandatory reporters have separate legal responsibilities when they have reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused.
Reporting a concern to the school does not replace a mandatory reporter’s legal obligation to report suspected child abuse directly to the Oregon Department of Human Services or law enforcement.
Is the Online Form for Emergencies?
No. The district’s online reporting form and email accounts may not be reviewed immediately.
Call 911 when someone is in immediate danger, needs urgent medical assistance, or a crime may be occurring.
A student who needs immediate help during the school day should tell a teacher, counselor, administrator, school secretary, school nurse, or another trusted adult right away.
Will a Student Get in Trouble for Asking for Help?
Students should not be afraid to report a concern because they think they will be blamed, will not be believed, or may get in trouble for a minor rule violation connected to the situation.
The district’s first priority is safety.
Students are encouraged to speak up when something feels wrong, even when they are uncertain about what happened or which rule may apply.
Do I Have to Confront the Other Person?
No.
A person making a report is not expected to:
- Confront the other person
- Investigate the situation
- Interview witnesses
- Collect proof
- Decide whether a law was broken
- Determine whether the situation qualifies as a Title IX violation
Tell us what happened. The district will listen, explain the options, and determine the appropriate next steps.
Not Sure Whether to Report?
Please report the concern anyway.
You do not need to know which district policy applies. A report may involve Title IX, bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual conduct, child abuse, employee misconduct, or another safety concern.
The district will review the information and route the concern to the appropriate person or process.
Speak Up. We Are Here to Help.
Contact the Title IX Coordinator:
Peggy Pollock
Director of Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator
503-397-3085
peggyp@sthelens.k12.or.us
SafeOregon:
Call or text 844-472-3367
Immediate emergency:
Call 911