Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, often referred to as Title IX, is a Federal civil rights law. Title IX, which began with a focus on discrimination and ensuring equity in sports, includes a major focus on prevention of and response to incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault. 

Sexual assault is any unwanted, non-consensual sexual contact against any individual by force (against a person's will) or when a person cannot give consent (under the age of consent, intoxicated, developmentally disabled, mentally/physically unable to consent, etc.). 

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

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities. 

All public and private elementary and secondary schools, school districts, colleges, and universities receiving any Federal funds must comply with Title IX. 

For a statement describing the rights and responsibilities of victims of sexual harassment or those who are the subject of complaints, contact your school office or visit the district's Title IX tab on the district webpage. 

If you are not sure whether you should make a formal complaint, you can consult the Title IX coordinator at 724 962 8300 x2850 or [email protected]. The Title IX coordinator can help you decide if any action needs to be taken and how best to address your situation. 

If you believe that you or an SASD 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.

The Sharpsville Area School District’s’ Title IX coordinators should have knowledge of all Title IX requirements, the district's policies and procedures on sex discrimination, and of all complaints throughout the district that raise Title IX Issues. 

The Title IX coordinator's core responsibilities include: 

Sharpsville Area School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, and prohibits sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment, in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§1681 et seq., and its regulations, 34 C.F.R. Part 106, including in admission and employment. Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to the District’s Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”), or both.

The District’s Title IX Coordinator is:

Jon Fry, Middle School Principal

Sharpsville Area School District

303 Blue Devil Way

Sharspville, PA 16150

Email: [email protected] 

Telephone Number: 724-962-8300 Ext. 2850

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights may be contacted at:

U.S. Department of Education

Office for Civil Rights

Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202-1100

Telephone: 800-421-3481

FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339

Email: [email protected]