1110

Community Relations

Communications with the Public

Distribution of Material

The ________________ Board of Education recognizes the importance of informing the community about school curriculum, programs, and activities, and public input in the decision-making process. As such, the ____________ Board of Education supports and encourages multiple vehicles of communication, including publications, periodic newsletters, press releases, open houses, websites, social media and public events to disseminate school district information and to hear from the community.

To promote strong communication, the Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent of Schools, or his/her designee, to prepare informational materials including, but not limited to, newsletters, articles for periodicals, newspapers, and/or other media, including the district website, social media, special pamphlets and other assigned material for publication and/or distribution.

Communications that concern only one school are the responsibility of the building principal while items of relevance district-wide must be approved by the Superintendent of Schools or a designated representative prior to release.

The _________________ Board of Education shall cooperate with representatives of the media as appropriate, to assure that news coverage is complete, balanced, and accurate. The Superintendent of Schools shall have discretion to determine if participation in a media inquiry is in the best interest of the _______________ Public Schools.

Board minutes shall be available in unapproved form, within 7 days of a Board meeting excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. A written record of Board votes shall be available for public inspection on the district website within 48 hours of a Board meeting excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. (In determining the time herein, any day on which the Board office is closed shall also be excluded.)

Board meeting minutes are unofficial until approved by the Board of Education.

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

1-200 - 1-241 Public records and meeting

10-220 Duties of boards of education

Policy adopted: