908: SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER AND SCHOOL NEWS

Adopted: 10/19/15
REPLACED POLICY # 2030
Revised:

I.     PURPOSE
   The purpose of this policy is to define the reason for an “official” School District newspaper    and whether or not school news is confined only to the official paper?

II.     GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
Minnesota Statutes require School Board designation of an official newspaper for purposes of publishing Board meeting minutes, district records, financial matters, election notices and other official School Board actions or district matters. The School Board encourages good media relations with all area news sources and does not intend to confine school news only to the official district newspaper. The School Board encourages open and frequent communication between the Centennial Schools and the media, though it does not take responsibility for news releases concerning Centennial Schools except through official Board actions.
III.    RESPONSIBILITY
The Superintendent has been directed by the School Board to foster good relations with the press and to formulate rules and procedures which encourage district staff to do likewise.
IV.   RULES AND PROCEDURES

A. The Director of Public Information and Community Outreach will periodically provide members of the press with news releases regarding districtwide schools news.

B. The Director of Public Information and Community Outreach will provide principals and directors copies of the news releases.

C. Releases will be posted on the District’s website.

D. Student written news releases, including school newspapers written by students, will be guided by building policies under the supervision of the principal, the staff newspaper advisor and reviewed by the Director of Public Information and Community Outreach.

E. Good school community relations should be the goal and result of all school news.

F. Criticism of school personnel or non-constructive criticism of school programs should be avoided.
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