9700 - RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Conneaut Area City School District

Bylaws & Policies

9700 - RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Any request from civic institutions or special interest groups which involve such activities as patriotic functions, contest, exhibits, sales of products to and by students, sending promotional materials home with students, graduation prizes, fund raising, and free teaching materials must be carefully reviewed to ensure that on balance such activities promote student interests.

It is the policy of the Board of Education that students, staff members, and District facilities not be used for commercial advertising or promoting the interests of any nonschool agency or organization, public or private, without the approval of the Board or its designee; and, any such approval granted for whatever cause or group shall not be construed as an endorsement of said cause or group by this Board.

	A.	Political/Commercial Interests
		All materials or activities proposed by outside sources for student or staff use or participation shall be reviewed by the Superintendent or Building Principal on the basis of their educational value in the total school program, benefit to students, and no such approval shall have the primary purpose of advancing the name, product, or special interest of the proposing group.
		The Board shall permit the use of educational materials, programs, and equipment which contains commercial messages providing the content of such messages and the manner of presentation has been approved by the Superintendent and is in compliance with the District’s administrative guidelines.
		In addition, the Board shall permit school organizations and/or school-affiliated groups to sell space in the District facilities, on District property, or in District publications for the express purpose of advertising the products or services of a commercial organization, providing the content of such advertisements and the manner of their presentation has been approved by the Superintendent and is in compliance with the District’s administrative guidelines.
	B.	Contests/Exhibits

The Board recognizes that contests, exhibits, and the like may benefit individual students or the District as a whole, but participation in such special activities may not:

		1.	have the primary affect of advancing a special product, group, or company;
		2.	make unreasonable demands upon the time and energies of staff or students or upon the resources of the District;
		3.	involve any direct cost to the District;
		4.	interrupt the regular school program unless the student body as a whole derives benefit from such activities;
		5.	cause the participants to leave the School District, unless the Board’s Policy 2340 - Field and Other District-Sponsored Trips - has been complied with in all aspects and/or the parents of a minor student have granted their permission.

Distribution/Posting of Literature

No outside organization or staff member or student representing an outside organization may distribute or post literature on that organization’s behalf on District property either during or after school hours without the permission and prior review of the principal.

The Superintendent shall establish administrative guidelines which ensure that:

		1.	criteria established in Policy 5722 - Student Publications and Productions - are used to make a decision regarding materials that students seek to post or distribute;
		2.	distribution or posting of materials employees wish to distribute on behalf of an employee organization comply with the terms of negotiated collective bargaining agreements;
		3.	the school mail system is not used by students or staff for distribution of nonschool-related materials;
		4.	no materials from any profit-making organization are distributed for students to take home to their parents unless authorized by the Superintendent;
		5.	the time, place, and manner of distribution of all nonschool-related materials is clearly established and communicated.

Solicitation of Funds

Any outside organization or staff member representing an outside organization desiring to solicit funds on school property must receive permission to do so from the Superintendent.

Permission to solicit funds will be granted only to those organizations or individuals who meet the permission criteria established in the District's administrative guidelines. Solicitation must take place at such times and places and in such a manner as specified in the administrative guidelines. In accordance with Board Policy 5830, no District student may participate in the solicitation without the Superintendent's approval.

		1.	The Board disclaims all responsibility for the protection of, or accounting for, such funds.
		2.	Solicited funds are not to be deposited in any regular or special accounts of the District.
		3.	A copy of this policy as well as the relevant administrative guidelines shall be given to any individual granted permission to solicit funds on District property.
		4.	This policy does not apply to the raising of funds for District-sponsored or school-sponsored activities.

Prizes/Scholarships

The Board of Education is appreciative of the generosity of organizations which offer scholarships or prizes to deserving students in this District. But, in accepting the offer of such scholarships or prizes, the Board directs that these guidelines be observed:

		1.	No information either academic or personal shall be released from the student's record for the purpose of selecting a scholarship or prize winner without the permission of the student who is eighteen (18), or the parents of a student who is younger in accordance with the Board's policy on student records.
		2.	The type of scholarship or prize, the criteria for selection of the winner, and any restrictions upon it shall be approved by the principal.
		3.	The principal, together with a committee of staff members designated by the principal, shall be involved in the selection of the recipient.

Sale of School Supplies

In determining the appropriateness of the sale of school supplies by organizations other than the School District, the Board requires that:

		1.	the organization have a purpose which will benefit the School District and its students;
		2.	the organization's planned activities are clearly in the best interest of the School District and its students;
		3.	the organization has submitted the following information and assurances on the form provided by the District: a statement noting the purpose of the organization, financial accountability assurances, and use of facility assurances.

All funds generated by the sale of school supplies shall be kept separate from other activity funds or other transactions of the Board.

Surveys and Questionnaires

Neither District-related nor nonDistrict-related organizations shall be allowed to administer a survey or questionnaire to students or staff unless the instrument and the proposed plan is submitted, in advance, to the Superintendent. If approved, a copy of the results an the proposed manner of their communication are to be provided to him/her for review and approval before they are released.

R.C. 3313.75-.78

Revised 9/17/92
Revised 7/18/02