School Committee Policy Section 11

SECTION 11:  SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Section 11 of the policy classification system provides a repository for statements on relations with the general public and with other community and public agencies except other educational agencies and groups.

 

SCHOOL COMMUNITY RELATIONS GOALS – File 11.1

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

The schools of Quincy belong to all of the people of Quincy.  All school personnel should assist in the important and difficult task of helping to keep the community informed about the activities of the school.

 

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:          Prior to 1990

 

SCHOOL COMMUNITY RELATIONS PRIORITY OBJECTIVES – File 11.1.1

PARENT CONFERENCES AND REPORTS

All school educational personnel shall consider it a part of their professional duties to inform parents of matters relating to the progress and behavior of children as often as there is significant information or problems to communicate.

They shall also make themselves available at times other than when children are under their supervision for reasonable requests by parents for conferences.

COMMUNITY GROUPS

School personnel will regard it as part of their professional responsibility to cooperate with community groups that are working for the improvement of education.

The teacher shall hold parent conferences as may be required.

The teacher shall attend faculty, parent‑teacher, and in‑service training meetings as may be required.

 

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:          Prior to 1990

 

PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW – File 11.2

The school committee is a public servant, and its meetings and records will be a matter of public information except as such meetings and records pertain to individual personnel and other classified matters.

The school committee supports the right of the people to know about the programs and services of their schools and will make every effort to disseminate information.  All requests for information will be acted on fairly, completely and expeditiously.

The official minutes of the committee, its written policies and regulations, and its financial records will be open for inspection at the office of the superintendent by any citizen desiring to examine them during hours when the office is open. No records pertaining to individual students or staff members will be released for inspection by the public or any unauthorized persons by the superintendent or other persons responsible for the custody of confidential files. The exception to this will be information about an individual employee (or student) that has been authorized in writing for release by the employee (or student, or student's parent).

Each building administrator is authorized to use all means available to keep parents and others in the particular school's community informed about the school's program and activities.

 

Adopted:          Date of Manual Adoption

LEGAL REFS:. M.G.L. 4:7; 66:10; 39:23B

CROSS REFS.                    File 2.4.4.7, Minutes

File 7.2.17, Personnel Records

File 10.15, Student Records

 

NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS – File 11.2.1

Every effort will be made to assist the press and other communications media to obtain complete and adequate coverage of the programs, problems, planning, and activities of the school system.

All representatives of the media will be given equal access to information about the schools. General releases of interest to the entire community will be made available to all the media simultaneously. There will be no exclusive releases except as media representatives request information on particular programs, plans or problems.

In order that school system publicity is given wide coverage and is coordinated into a common effort and purpose, the following procedures will be followed in giving official information to the news media:

1.       The school committee chairman or vice-chairman will be the official spokesperson for the committee, except as this duty is delegated to the superintendent.

2.       News releases that are of a system‑wide or a sensitive nature or pertain to established committee policy are the responsibility of the superintendent.

3.       News releases that are of concern to only one school, or to an organization of one school, are the responsibility of the principal of that particular school.  All statements made to the press by other staff members of the particular school must be cleared with the principal.

While it is impossible to know how news releases will be treated by the press, every possible effort should be made to obtain coverage of school activities that will create and maintain a dignified and pro­fessionally responsible image for the school system.

 

Adopted:          Date of Manual Adoption

 

NEWS RELEASES – File 11.2.2

 

NEWS RELEASES

1.       Original of release is to be sent to media and copy to Superintendent’s office.

2.             Routine releases are to be approved by the Superintendent’s office or his designee.

 

Approved: August 26, 1975

 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION MAKING (ALSO File 1.2.1) – File 11.3

The school committee endorses the concept that community participation in the affairs of the schools is essential if the school system and the community are to maintain mutual confidence and respect and work together to improve the quality of education for students.  It therefore intends to exert every effort to identify the desires of the community and to be responsive, through its actions, to those desires.

All citizens will be encouraged to express ideas, concerns, and judgments about the schools to the school administration, staff, any appointed advisory boards and the committee.

Residents who are specially qualified because of interest, training, experience, or personal characteristics will be encouraged to assume an active role in school affairs.  From time to time, these people may be invited by the committee to act as advisors, either individually or in-groups.

The committee and the staff will give substantial weight to the advice they receive from individuals and community groups interested in the schools, particularly from those individuals and groups they have invited to advise them regarding specific problems, but will use their best judgment in arriving at decisions.

 

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:           Date of Manual Adoption

CROSS REF.: 2.3.6 Advisory Committees to the School Committee

 

 

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS (ALSO File 2.4.4.8) – File 11.4

Citizen Participation

The school committee shall seek the advice and counsel of citizens in planning and operating the schools.  Meetings of the school committee shall be open to the public except when the committee votes to go into executive session.  All citizen communications to the committee shall be addressed to the school committee. Citizens who wish to place on the agenda any matter of concern to the schools shall make request to the superintendent of schools at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

 

An opportunity for community input regarding the Quincy Public Schools.  After giving his or her name and address, each speaker may make a presentation of no more than four minutes to the School Committee.

 

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:          Prior to 1990

LEGAL REFS.: M.G.L. 39:23A; 39:238; 39:23C

COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES – File 11.6

The school committee encourages community use of school property for purposes, which are for the interest of the community.

A.       All arrangements for use of auditoriums, gymnasiums, or other facilities, are to be made at the office of the superintendent of schools in accordance with established rental rates.

B.       Destruction or defacing any portion of the buildings, playgrounds, Veterans Memorial Field ‑ (stadium) at any time is prohibited.

C.       Outside groups who have been granted the use of the school building will exercise the same care in the use of facilities that is required during the school day.

The superintendent may authorize the use of school auditoriums and gymnasiums in accordance with regulations adopted by the school committee except that all requests regarding which there may be question shall be referred to the school committee.

The schedule of rental fees for the use of school facilities shall be set up to cover costs. In all cases involving rental fees, payment shall be required (two weeks) prior to such use.

All applications for the use of auditoriums, gymnasiums, or other school facilities by persons or organizations shall be made in writing on forms provided.

All gatherings in school auditoriums, gymnasiums, and the Veterans' Memorial Field shall be policed as directed by the superintendent and in the case of non‑school groups, at the expense of the persons or organizations using the facilities.

No activity may be conducted in the school buildings or on the school grounds which is contrary to city ordinance or state law.  Alcoholic beverages and bingo are specifically prohibited.

Organizations that have engaged school facilities on a yearly or long-term schedule without payment of rental, or at reduced rates, may be asked on reasonable notice to re-schedule or relinquish a given date in favor of another organization paying a full rental or for a school function.

In scheduling the use of school facilities, school sponsored activities are given first consideration.

In reference to licensed, non-profit after-school child care programs, the Quincy Public Schools allows the use of its buildings on a space available basis as determined by the Superintendent.  These programs are charged contractual custodial fees for time in which a custodian is not normally in the building.

 

Revised: January 2019 (Veterans Stadium Transferred to Park Department, references removed)

Adopted:  October 2004

 

GIFTS FROM THE PUBLIC – File 11.7

 

PUBLIC GIFTS TO THE SCHOOLS

The school committee may accept gifts and offers of equipment for the schools when the gift is of educational value. In the case of gifts from industry, business, or special interest groups, no extensive advertising or promotion maybe involved in any donation to the schools.

Gifts will automatically become the property of the school system.  Any gift of cash, whether or not intended by the donor for a specific purpose, will be handled as a separate account and expended at the discretion of the committee, as provided by law.

The committee directs the superintendent to assure that an appropriate expression of thanks is given all donors.

The school committee has the sole authority to accept gifts on behalf of a school or system.

 

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:          Date of Manual Adoption

LEGAL REF.: M.G.L. 71:37A

 

PUBLIC SOLICITATIONS IN THE SCHOOLS – File 11.8

 

ADVERTISING IN THE SCHOOLS

Pupils, staff members or the facilities of the school may not be used in any manner for advertising or promoting the interest of any community or non‑school agency or organization without the approval of the Superintendent and/or the school committee.  Exceptions to the above rule are:

A.       The superintendent of schools may cooperate in the many activities of the community providing such cooperation does not infringe on the school program or diminish the amount of time devoted to the school program.

B.       The superintendent of schools may authorize the use of films and materials or programs where the educational value of the material considerably offsets any incidental advertising disadvantages.

C.       Appropriate advertising may be sold for the school publications.

No person unless employed by the school committee shall give any notice by reading or otherwise to the pupils of any school except with the approval of the principal, or shall under any circumstances post upon bulletin boards or elsewhere on school property any advertisement or announcement of any kind.

No person shall be permitted to enter any school for the purpose of exhibiting any book or other article of merchandise or for any other purpose of trade or business except as written or verbal permission from the superintendent or through the appropriate director/ assistant superintendent* may be given to representatives from publishing houses to confer with principals, or except as is essential to school dietitians in the conduct of cafeteria business.

 

CAMPAIGNS OR ACTIVITIES FOR MONEY RAISING

Except as hereinafter noted, or by special school committee approval, public school pupils shall not be requested, on, in, or about the premises of the Quincy Public Schools to participate in any organized campaign to raise funds for any purpose, nor may teachers permit such campaigns or drives within their classrooms.

 

DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS

Students shall be allowed to distribute papers in an orderly and non-disruptive way provided that the distributors or distributees are not then engaged or supposed to be engaged in school activities.

The principals of the various schools shall establish rules setting forth in detail the time and the place within the school and the manner in which the material should be distributed.

The principal shall require that he/she receive a copy of the literature and the time and place of its distribution so that he/she will be sure that it conforms with the reasonable rules that he/she set up.

The principal should not pass on the content of the paper, but if the information is of such an inflammatory nature or if in the opinion of the principal it could cause serious damage to the students or to the school operation, he/she should contact the superintendent for a ruling.  In no event should he/she unilaterally stop the distribution of any material.

 

With regard to requests by out‑of‑school organizations to distribute materials to students in school, the superintendent shall implement the applicable policy as outlined below.

 

1.       Distribution of Material for Solicitation of Funds ‑ With regard to requests by any out‑of‑school organization to distribute materials to students in school for direct or indirect solicitation of monies or items or value, the superintendent is directed to refuse permission for this distribution except, at the discretion of the superintendent, to the limited extent indicated below:

a)       Brief announcements may be made over the public address system, or through the principal's office where there is no public address system,

b)       related information may be posted on appropriate bulletin boards, and

          c)       suitable meeting or distribution places may be provided.

2.       Distribution of Other Materials (material not covered under Paragraph l above) ‑ With regard to requests by out‑of‑school organizations to distribute materials to students in school, the superintendent is authorized to grant permission for this distribution under the following conditions:

a)       The materials to be distributed must be directly related to student activities.

b)       That the format and the language of the material to be distributed must be approved by the superintendent of schools prior to distribution.

c)       That the organization wishing to distribute the material, take the initiative for having the materials approved by the superintendent of schools at least two weeks prior to the proposed distribution date.

d)       That the materials to be distributed will be packaged for easy distribution to homeroom teachers for distribution by the homeroom teachers.  Each packet would contain instructions for the homeroom teacher.  Packets or any other instructions to reach homeroom teacher must be delivered to the school principal at least 48 hours prior to the distribution time.

e)       Any reply necessary from the students or parents because of the distribution of the material will go directly to the offering organization.  Students would not be required to return money or information back to school as a result of the distribution of the materials.

CLARIFICATION

 

For the purposes of interpreting the stated policy, the following clarification items are provided.

1.       The stated policy does not deny students information on activities of non-profit organizations, Y.M.C.A.  These materials could continue to be distributed under the guidance of this policy.

2.       Additionally this policy does not deny the distribution of material from any out-of-school organizations, which offer educationally, related services or items at a cost to the students.  However, the guidelines set forth under Paragraph 4.2 of the policy shall be observed.

3.       Furthermore, this policy does not apply to those out-of-school organizations whose sole purpose is the support of school athletic or educational activities.

DEFINITIONS

1.       Out-of-School Organizations:  Any organization, which does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Quincy Public School Committee.

 

Adopted:  Date of Manual Adoption

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:          Prior to 1990

Amended: Prior to January 1991

 

ADVERTISING IN THE SCHOOLS – File 11.9

No advertising of commercial products or services will be permitted in school buildings or on school grounds or properties.  Publications of the school system will not contain any advertising.  However, this will not prevent advertising in student publications that are published by student organizations, subject to administration controls, or the use of commercially sponsored, free teaching aids if the content is approved by the administration.

 

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:       Date of Manual Adoption

 

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOLS – File 11.10

PUPIL INTERVIEWS

Interviews of pupils for matters other than school matters should not be allowed unless required by court order or authorized in writing by the student's parents or guardians.

VISITORS: Upon rare occasions students may bring visitors to school, provided they request and receive permission from the office the school day prior to the visiting day.  Upon arrival to school, the host and guest should go directly to the office.  The visitor should be issued a permit allowing him to attend class with the student.  We do not encourage bringing visitors to school.

Visitors, salesmen, solicitors, etc., are to be directed to the office.  Upon completion of their business, the visitors will return the visitor's pass to the office and leave the building via the nearest exit.

 

Current practice codified 1990

Adopted:          Prior to 1990