K GENERAL PUBLIC RELATIONS

KA KB KBA KBB KBC KBCA KC KCB KD KDCA KDCB KHE KM KN KNBA Goals and Objectives Public Information Program School Community Relations Publics Right to Know Media Access News Media Relations News Releases Board-Community Relations Community Involvement in Decision Making Staff/Student Community Relations School Participation in Community Drives Solicitations by Staff Members Solicitations of Staff Members Gifts to Schools Visitors to the Schools (Cf. ML) Complaints Instructional Materials

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 PUBLIC RELATIONS/GOALS AND OBJECTIVES KA

The Board and school administration are responsible for encouraging the use of all appropriate means of keeping the community accurately informed about its school and for understanding community attitudes and aspirations for its schools.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM KB

Citizens of the community shall be fully informed of the official actions of the Board and programs and activities of the district. The Board directs the Superintendent to make the public fully aware of aspects of the schools by: 1. Keeping the public informed regarding the policies, administrative operation, objectives, educational program, and successes or failures of the schools. 2. Furnishing full and accurate information along with interpretations and explanations of the school plans and programs. CROSS REF.: Policies BCBI Public Participation at Board Meetings KBA Publics Right to Know KCB Community Involvement in Decision Making

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 PUBLICS RIGHT TO KNOW KBA

Except as otherwise provided by MS Code sections 25-61-9 and 25-61-11, the school district declares all public records to be public property, and any person shall have the right to inspect, copy or mechanically reproduce or obtain a reproduction of any public record. The district shall establish and collect fees reasonably calculated to reimburse it for, and in no case exceed, the actual cost of searching, reviewing and/or duplicating and, if applicable, mailing copies of public records. 25-61-5

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 MEDIA ACCESS TO SCHOOL CAMPUSES, STAFF AND STUDENTS KBB

Access to school campuses shall be by permission granted by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Without such authority having been granted, all representatives of the media will be denied access to the campuses, buildings, staff or students of the schools, and principals are hereby instructed to deny such access. The district is committed to providing up-to-date information about the district and its activities in a timely and appropriate manner. It is the responsibility of the School Board and Superintendent to maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning with as few disruptions as possible. All requests should be directed to the office of the Superintendent, whose responsibility it shall be to issue permission for all access. CROSS REF.: Policies KB Public Information Program KM Visitors to the Schools

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 NEWS-MEDIA RELATIONS KBC

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

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 NEWS RELEASES KBCA

The Superintendent will be the press liaison person for coordinating the release of information concerning the school system and action of the Board and shall be the official spokesman for the Board.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 BOARD-COMMUNITY RELATIONS KC

The Board desires to establish and maintain a good working relationship with the community and shall give due consideration to requests from community agencies. However, the Board shall not turn over to any community group responsibility which may involve school administration, instruction, or student supervision. Also see BCBI Public Participation in Board Meetings.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION MAKING KCB

Citizens of the district will be encouraged to express their ideas, concerns, and judgments about the schools through (1) written suggestions or proposals, (2) presentations at hearings and input at hearings, (3) responses to surveys, written instructions, (4) comments at meetings of the Board, and (5) service on citizens' advisory committees. The advice of the public will be carefully considered. In the evaluation of such advice, the first concern will be the educational program as it affects students. Also see KB, BCBI.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 STAFF/STUDENT COMMUNITY RELATIONS SCHOOL PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY DRIVES KD/JO/LB

Schools may participate in community fund-raising drives, clothing collections, and similar activities only when participation has been approved by the Superintendent. No activity may be undertaken wherein reward or recognition for participation is given on individual or group basis without prior approval of the Superintendent. See KEBB.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 SOLICITATIONS BY STAFF MEMBERS KDCA

Teachers are not to collect funds from students for any purpose without the permission of the principal.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 SOLICITATIONS OF STAFF MEMBERS KDCB

No fund-raising organizations will be allowed to solicit funds from staff members or students without the permission of the Superintendent. Solicitation of individual staff members is prohibited except in instances of school district approved solicitations of health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, legal insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, and deferred compensation products which have the approval of the school administration. Arrangements for individual or group conferences will be made with the building administrator.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 GIFTS TO SCHOOLS KHE

Assets which are donated to the school district must be recorded at their fair market value at the date of donation. The School Board must acknowledge in their official minutes who will maintain title of ownership of the donated assets. Also see DFK.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 VISITORS TO SCHOOLS KM

Parents are encouraged to visit the schools. The classroom teacher shall be informed as to the day and time of visits so as to avoid any conflicts with the school schedule. All visitors to schools shall report immediately to the school office, except when parents have been invited to an assembly program. Unauthorized persons shall not be permitted in school buildings or on school grounds. School principals are authorized to take appropriate action to prevent such persons from entering buildings or from loitering on grounds. There shall be no solicitation of teachers or students on personal matters on the school premises by salesmen or agents. Any person desiring to visit a school must report, upon arrival at the school, to the principals office for clearance. The principal shall have the right to deny visitation rights to any individual if, in the judgment of the principal, the visit might negatively affect the classroom procedures. Also see BCBI, JGF, KBB.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 COMPLAINTS TITLE I PUBLIC KN

The following procedures will be followed if a complaint concerning TITLE I, NCLB is received by the school district: 1. Within five (5) days of receipt of a written complaint, or an appeal from a person or persons against the operation of Title I, the Federal Programs Director will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing. All written complaints must include signature and address of the complainant. 2. Within ten (10) working days of the acknowledgment of the complaint, the complainant will be afforded an opportunity for an informal hearing with the Federal Programs Director, at which time oral and written testimony may be taken. 3. Failure to resolve the complaint in an informal sitting will necessitate a formal hearing on the matter. The complainant will be advised on the right to request in writing a formal hearing. The complainant will have fifteen (15) days from the date of the informal hearing to make a written request for formal hearing. Upon receipt of the request for a formal hearing, the school district shall make, when necessary, an investigation of the complaint. 4. The formal hearing will be conducted by the Superintendent and School Board. The local hearing panel will provide opportunity for the complainant or the complainant's representative, or both, and the school district to submit evidence, including the opportunity to question parties to the dispute and any of their witnesses. 5. The entire procedure, from receipt of the complaint to a satisfactory resolution, shall be completed within a period of not more than sixty (60) days. 6. The complainant has the right to appeal the final resolution of the School Board to the State Superintendent of Education within thirty (30) days after receipt of the written decision.

Date Approved: November 10, 2005 COMPLAINTS ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS KNBA/IFAB

The Board assumes final responsibility for all books and instructional materials it makes available to students. However, while the Board will not permit any individual or group to exercise censorship over instructional materials and library collections, provisions will be made for the reevaluation of the materials upon formal request. Students' right to learn and the freedom of teachers to teach shall be respected. (See IFAB.) LEGAL REF.: MS CODE 37-7-301 (1993) Also see BCBI, KN, IFAB.