NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS/NEWS RELEASES

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

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

In order that school district 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 chairperson will be the official spokesperson for the Committee, while the superintendent is the official spokesperson for the district.

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 district.

ADOPTED: February 1, 2021