H200-R – RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

A. Political/Commercial Interests

All materials or activities proposed by outside political or commercial sources for student or staff use or participation shall be reviewed by the district office on the basis of their educational contribution to part or all of the school program, benefit to students, and/or good taste, and no such approval shall have the primary purpose of advancing the name, product, or special interest of the proposing group.

The Corporation shall permit the use of educational materials, programs, and equipment which contains commercial messages provided the content of such messages and the manner of presentation has been approved by the Superintendent or designee and is in compliance with these administrative guidelines.

Outside speakers representing commercial organizations will be welcome only when the commercial aspect is limited to naming the organization represented and the subject matter advances the educational aims of the Corporation.    

Upon request by a youth organization listed in Title 36 of the United States Code that has an educational purpose and promotes patriotism and civic involvement, each school building will provide at least one (1) time each school year, a day and time which may be during the school day for the representatives of the organization to provide information to students on school property. The Corporation will conduct an expanded criminal history check of a representative of an organization before the representative may provide information to students. 

A. Contests/Exhibits

Contests, exhibits, and the like may benefit individual students or the Corporation as a whole, but participation in such special activities may not:

• have the primary effect of advancing a special product, group, or company;

• make unreasonable demands upon the time and energies of staff or students or upon the resources of the Corporation;

• involve any direct cost to the Corporation;

• interrupt the regular school program unless the student body as a whole derives benefit from such activities;

• cause the participants to leave the Corporation, unless the Board’s Policy C500 – Corporation-Sponsored Trips has been complied with in all aspects.

 B. Distribution/Posting of Literature

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

• Criteria established in Policy C475 – Student Publications and Productions shall be used to make a decision regarding materials that students seek to post or distribute;

• Distribution or posting of materials employees wish to distribute on behalf of an employee organization comply with the terms of negotiated collective bargaining agreements;

• The school mail system is not used by students or staff for distribution of nonschool-related materials;

• No materials from any profit-making organization are distributed for students to take home to their parents unless authorized by the Superintendent;

• The time, place, and manner of distribution of all nonschool-related materials is clearly established and communicated.

 C. 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 principal.

Permission to solicit funds will be granted only to those organizations, individuals, or staff members who meet the permission criteria established in the Corporation’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, no Corporation student may participate in the solicitation without the Superintendent or designee’s approval.

The Corporation disclaims all responsibility for the protection of, or accounting for, such funds.

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

Crowdfunding activities aimed at raising funds for a specific classroom or school activity, including extra-curricular 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 or designee.

All crowdfunding activities are subject to Policy F225 and any administrative guidelines adopted by the Superintendent to implement Policy F225.

Any booster club or school-support group that may use students in a fundraising activity must comply with I.C.4-32.2-2-24 and for any of the following types of fundraising events: bingo games, charity game nights, raffles, door prizes, fundraising festivals, activities related to pull tabs, punch-boards, tip-boards, and the like. Moreover, any fundraiser involving games of chance must comply with Indiana law, including obtaining the appropriate license or permits.

 D. Prizes/Scholarships

The Corporation is appreciative of the generosity of organizations which offer scholarships or prizes to deserving students in this Corporation. But, in accepting the offer of such scholarships or prizes, these guidelines must be observed:

• 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.

• The type of scholarship or prize, the criteria for selection of the winner, and any restrictions upon it shall be approved by the principal.

• 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.

 E. Sale of School Supplies

In determining the appropriateness of the sale of school supplies by organizations other than the Corporation, the following requirements apply:

• The organization has a purpose which will benefit the School Corporation and its students;

• The organization’s planned activities are clearly in the best interest of the Corporation and its students;

• The organization has submitted the following information and assurances on the form provided by the Corporation: a statement noting the purpose of the organization, financial accountability assurances, and use of facility assurances.

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

 F. Surveys and Questionnaires

Neither Corporation-Related nor Non-Corporation-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 in accordance with the Superintendent’s criteria, a copy of the results and the proposed manner of their communication are to be provided to the Superintendent or designee for review and approval before they are released.

Revised: 7/9/2020

Revised: 8/11/2023