School District of the City of Holland
Bylaws & Policies
 

9700 - RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Any request from civic institutions, charitable organizations, or special interest groups which involve such activities as patriotic functions, contests, 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 such activities promote student interests without advancing the special interests of any particular group. Only approved flyers, announcements, brochures, etc., that are part of the District’s educational program and in direct partnership with the District’s educational program will be disseminated via school facilities or sent home with students. Any other flyers consistent with this policy may be approved for posting on the District’s website.

It is the policy of the Board of Education that students, staff members, and District facilities not be used for advertising or promoting the interests of any nonschool agency or organization, public or private, without the approval of the Superintendent; 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 Interests

     
 

All materials or activities proposed by outside political sources for student or staff use or participation shall be reviewed by the Superintendent on the basis of their educational contribution to part or all of the 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 not permit the use of any type of educational material, program, or equipment in its curricular, co-curricular, or extra-curricular activities or at any time during the school day if such materials, programs, or equipment contain partisan political messages or are designed to persuade students or staff members to acquire a particular product or service offered by a named individual, company, organization, association, or agency. Professional staff may, however, utilize political materials or those provided by special interest-groups in adopted courses of study with the approval of the principal.

   
 

School facilities or equipment may not be used as a means of producing or disseminating to the community any materials that advertise or promote a political party, a political cause, or the candidacy of an individual for public office. Students and employees of the Board shall not be used to distribute campaign literature within the schools or on school grounds.

   
 

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 effect 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.

interrupt the regular school program;

     
 

4.

cause the participants to leave the School District, unless

     
 

a.

the Board's policy 2340 - Field and Other District-Sponsored Trips has been complied with in all aspects;

     
 

b.

the Superintendent has granted special permission;

     
 

c.

the parents of a minor student have granted their permission.

     
 

C.

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.

the time, place, and manner of distribution of all nonschool-related materials is clearly established and communicated;

     
 

5.

flyers and notices from outside non-profit organizations may be made available for students under the following circumstances:

     
 

a.

the flyer/notice publicizes a specific community activity or event that is age appropriate for the students that attend the school;

     
 

b.

the organization submits enough copies of the flyer for all targeted students;

     
 

D.

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.

   
 

Use of the name, logo, or any assets of the District, including, but not limited to facilities, technology, or communication networks, is prohibited without the specific permission of the Superintendent.

   
 

Crowdfunding activities aimed at raising funds for a specific classroom or school activity, including extracurricular activity, or to obtain supplemental resources (e.g., supplies or equipment) that are not required to provide a free appropriate public education to any students in the classroom may be permitted, but only with the specific approval of the Superintendent.

   
 

E.

Prizes/Scholarships

     
 

The Board 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 upon consultation with the Superintendent.

     
 

3.

The principal, together with a committee of staff members designated by the principal, shall be involved in the selection of the recipient and, if agreeable to the sponsoring organization, the selection shall be left entirely to the principal and staff committee.

     
 

F.

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.

     
 

G.

Surveys and Questionnaires

     
 

Neither District-related or 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 and the proposed manner of their communication are to be provided to him/her for review and approval before they are released.

   
 

Students shall not be required to complete surveys to provide marketing information to vendors, or distribute to vendors any personal information of students, including but not limited to names, addresses, and telephone numbers, except as may be required by law. In addition, the District shall not enter into any contract for products or services, including electronic media services, where personal information will be collected from the students by the providers of the services.

   
 

See also Policy 2416 and AG 2416

Revised 3/21/11
Revised 6/18/12
Revised 2/20/17
Revised 11/20/17

© Neola 2016