COMMUNITY
RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATION
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(SECTION 2000)
SUBJECT
NUMBER
BOCES/Community
Relations and Communications
2000
Public Information
Program
2010
Media Materials
2020
Crisis Management
2040
Closing of Schools
2050
Visits
to BOCES Facilities, Schools and Programs
2060
Participation
by the Public at Board Meetings
2080
Use of School
Facilities
2090
BOCES
Owned Capital Equipment
2100
Loaned For
Temporary Use to a Component School District
Employee Use of
BOCES Property
2110
Volunteer Workers
2120
Special
Programs of Adult and Continuing Education
2130
Services to Nonpublic
Schools
2140
Public Access to Records 2150
Campus Speed Limits
2160
Operation
of Career and Technical Education Clinics
2170
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
2000
SUBJECT: BOCES/COMMUNITY
RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
The
Board supports the following goals for a community
relations program:
a.
Develop and maintain the confidence of the
community in the BOCES and its staff
b.
Stimulate public interest in the schools and public
understanding of BOCES programs
c.
Discover what people think and what they want to
know
d.
Correct erroneous impressions and supply
information
e.
Develop effective means of communication with the
various publics of the BOCES, the components and the
community.
COMMUNICATION WITH
COMPONENT DISTRICTS
It
is essential that the Board and the District
Superintendent keep component boards of education informed
as to policies and programs that might affect their
educational processes. As
much as possible, the District Superintendent and the
Board should attempt to provide written and/or oral
communication to the superintendents and board members of
component districts on any matter that might affect them,
including agendas and minutes of the BOCES meetings.
COMMUNICATION
WITH THE BOCES BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS
The
Board recognizes the need to keep all employees as fully
informed as possible about district policies and programs.
Conversely, staff through the District
Superintendent, are to keep the Board fully informed of
all formal activities dealing with programs which reach
groups or individuals outside the supervisory district.
This information should be supplied to the Board
through the District Superintendent.
COMMUNICATION WITH THE
COMMUNITY
The
staff through the District Superintendent or his/her
designee shall inform the community of BOCES activities
where appropriate. Communications
involving Board policy shall have prior approval by the
District Superintendent or his/her designee.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2010
SUBJECT: PUBLIC
INFORMATION PROGRAM
An active and continuing program of public
information shall be conducted for the purpose of
informing a variety of publics about the activities,
programs, policies, needs, objectives, and achievements of
the BOCES. The
publics to whom the information program shall be directed
shall include, but not be limited to:
a.
Board of Education members in the component
districts
b.
Chief school officers and other professional
educators in the component districts
c.
Students
d.
BOCES staff members
e.
Parents of BOCES students
f.
Elected and appointed public officials
g.
State and national legislators
h.
The business community
i.
The public at large
The public information program shall be conducted
through a variety of mediums including, but not limited
to:
a.
Newspapers
b.
Magazines
c.
Radio and television stations and networks
d.
Newsletters
e.
Printed brochures and booklets
f.
Paid advertisements
g.
Web page
The public information program shall be conducted
under the direction of the District Superintendent.
h.
Other electronic media (e.g.; compact discs,
videotapes)
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2020
SUBJECT: MEDIA MATERIALS
The
Board encourages wide distribution of materials (print and
non-print items). These can include, but are
not limited to,
newsletters, news releases, budget statements,
brochures, videos
and CD-rom.
Printing Service
In
compliance with the regulations of the Commissioner of
Education, the BOCES will not print for any agency outside
of BOCES, school districts,
and the State
Education Department.
The printing staff, with the approval of the
District Superintendent, will establish procedures for
requesting services, setting priorities and determining
costs.
The
appropriate copyright laws will be adhered to on all
printing requests.
Publications
The
Board encourages the development of materials and
publications that are of direct use in the educational
process in component schools; which inform the public,
member districts, BOCES personnel, and the teaching
profession concerning policies, activities, and
accomplishments of the BOCES; and which aid and promote
the improvement of education.
Such publications and materials shall be of a
professional quality and shall be appropriately reviewed
by the District Superintendent or his/her designee before
publication. All
publications will be dated at the time they are issued.
In
every case the title, the names of the author(s) or
editor(s), the BOCES logo, and the date of publication
will appear on the publication.
Media Relations
The
responsibility for maintaining relationships with the
media, releasing news and serving as the BOCES spokesperson
lies with the District Superintendent or his/her designee.
(For issues of sensitivity, the District
Superintendent or his/her designee shall be consulted
before release.)
Copyright
The
use of copyright law for selected materials produced
through the BOCES will be implemented for specific classes
of items when recommended to the Board by the District
Superintendent. All
unpublished materials will have copyright identification
protected under common law literary property.
All
publications, videotapes, software disks, and other
electronic media, which are developed by staff at the
BOCES or persons/agencies under contract to the BOCES, are
the property of the BOCES.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2040
SUBJECT: CRISIS
MANAGEMENT
When
a crisis arises, immediate, effective and responsible
management and communication can resolve the crisis and
maintain the organization's integrity and credibility.
Therefore, the BOCES shall develop and maintain a
unified position by:
a.
Preparing, maintaining and distributing Emergency
Management Plans and Emergency Operation Plans for each
center.
b.
Identifying a media spokesperson who will be
briefed on all details. The spokesperson shall be the District Superintendent or his/her
designee. Only
these spokespersons shall talk to and maintain a timely
flow of information to the media.
c.
Procedures will be included in the safety plan for
contacting appropriate law enforcement and emergency
personnel in the event of a violent incident.
d.
Procedures will be included in the safety plan for
contacting parents, guardians or persons in parental
relation to students in the event of a violent incident.
The
Administration shall be responsible for informing staff of
the procedures in the Emergency Management Plans and
Emergency Operations Plans.
Commissioner's
Regulations Section 155.17
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2050
SUBJECT: CLOSING
OF SCHOOLS
The
schools may be closed because of inclement weather,
contagious disease, or other emergencies.
The District Superintendent or his/her designee(s)
is authorized to make this decision for the health,
welfare, and safety of pupils and employees.
Whenever possible, ample notice will be given
parents, students, and employees through the use of radio
and television stations and other appropriate procedures.
The District Superintendent is also empowered to
close District offices and other non-pupil-related
services when in his/her sole discretion conditions
warrant the closing.
The
District Superintendent shall develop administrative
regulations in consultation with component school
districts to implement this policy.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2060
SUBJECT: VISITS
TO BOCES FACILITIES, SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS
The
BOCES and staff encourage public visitation of facilities,
schools and programs within the limits placed by the
requirements of the educational program.
When visiting a BOCES facility, visitors must
report to the appropriate administrative office.
Public Law
Sections 140.10 and 240.35
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2080
SUBJECT: PARTICIPATION
BY THE PUBLIC AT BOARD MEETINGS
The
public may be given time to voice opinions,
recommendations, problems and constructive criticism.
Members of the public wishing to make formal
presentations before the Board must make arrangements in
advance with the District Superintendent.
The District Superintendent shall notify the Board
President of the request in order that the presentation
and the topic to be discussed may be included on the
agenda. The
President of the Board may also specify a time early on
the agenda at which point chance visitors may address the
Board.
The
time limit for visitors to speak, if extended by the
Board, shall be five minutes for individuals and fifteen
minutes total. This
time limit may be extended at the discretion of the Board
President.
The
Board President shall be responsible for recognizing
speakers, for maintaining proper order and for adherence
to set time limits.
Guidelines for
Appearances and Participation of Staff
Any
and all communications from any employee(s), which are
intended for the attention of the Board, must be forwarded
to the immediate administrative supervisor, whose
responsibility it is to make any such communications known
and available to the District Superintendent, who shall
apprise the Board of such communications.
Any
employee who wishes to address the Board may do so at any
regular meeting of the Board.
Advance notice to the District Superintendent would
assure that ample opportunity is provided by the Board.
Members and Citizens in
Board Meetings
The
public and members of the BOCES staff as individuals or as
members of an employee organization, as differentiated
from them in an official capacity appearing in line of
duty, may have an opportunity to make presentations to the
Board; provided, however, that the Board does not thereby
obligate itself to act on any request or proposal whether
or not it is formal or informal, or in writing or verbal.
The Board reserves the right to limit presentations
and to refuse to hear those coming from the floor of a
Board meeting.
Presentations to the
Board by Individuals and Groups
Valid
and intelligent decisions on important and complex matters
almost always are made through possession of complete
information. For
this reason, as well as to permit mature deliberation, it
is not advisable that the Board act on items, which are
not on the agenda, or on which its members do not have
full information; therefore, the following procedures will
be adhered to by persons desiring to make a presentation
to the Board:
a.
Advance Request Procedure - A person who wishes to
address the Board should make his/her request,
preferably in writing, to the District Superintendent
indicating the subject of his/her presentation. This should be done before the meeting, if at all possible.
b.
Recognition from the Floor - Recognition from the
floor in the case of no previous request having been made
may, at the discretion of the President, under some
circumstances, be granted.
Such factors as time, agenda and the urgency of the
proposed request will be weighed by the President in
making this determination.
When recognized, one should rise, state his/her
name and address, the subject of the remarks to be made;
and then, as briefly as possible, but as fully as
necessary, make the same. On
conclusion, the person who has made the remarks to the
Board should remain in the room long enough to ascertain
whether there are questions members of the Board or the
District Superintendent desire to ask.
c.
Undue Interruption - There shall be no undue
interruption of anyone speaking to the Board, except by
the President to advise of time limitations, or if the
presentation is out of order or not factual and this is
known to someone present in the meeting room; in which
case a note should be sent to the President who may
interrupt to clear up a point. Presentations to the Board should be brief and to the point.
d.
Time Limitations - Time limitations on length of
presentations may be imposed by the President either
before or during the presentation as, in his/her judgment,
are required. The
normal time allotted for individual speakers shall be five
minutes. Those who
have made advance requests will be recognized at the time
designated on the agenda.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2090
SUBJECT: USE OF
SCHOOL FACILITIES
The
use of facilities owned or operated by the BOCES by
individuals or organizations for profit is expressly
forbidden by State Education Law.
The
BOCES recognizes that there are non-profit community
groups and educational agencies which might legitimately
wish to use such facilities.
(See examples.)
The
Board delegates to the District Superintendent the
responsibility and authority to approve or deny
applications for the use of BOCES facilities when such use
would not conflict or interfere with BOCES programs and
services. The
District Superintendent also maintains the authority to
waive fees where appropriate.
Examples of groups that may be approved include,
but are not limited to:
a.
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Brownies, and
any Board and Councils associated with Scouting
b.
4-H Organizations
c.
Employee groups recognized by the BOCES
d.
Volunteer Fire Companies whose firehouses are
located within the geographical areas served by the BOCES
e.
State Licensing Bureaus
f.
Parent-Teacher Associations
g.
New York State
Department of Transportation, Education, etc.
h.
Colleges and
Universities
i.
Health and Related Services Organizations
j.
Non-Profit Public Service Agencies such as United
Way
k.
Other Non-Profit Agencies as determined by the
Superintendent
The
District Superintendent shall arrange for the utilization
of the building through the administrative staff.
The Board may determine a basic room use charge.
Additional charges for custodial services or other
costs is at the discretion of the District Superintendent.
Any
organization using the BOCES facilities will furnish, at
their own expense, comprehensive general liability
insurance if not otherwise covered through the BOCES
insurance. A
certificate of such insurance with the Board of
Cooperative Educational Services of
Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex Counties named,
as an additional insured must be submitted prior to final
approval and use of facilities.
In high-risk situations, the BOCES may require
additional insurance. The
Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services will
make a determination on the need for a certificate of
insurance upon request of the appropriate administrator.
Organizations
using BOCES facilities are responsible for the proper care
of the buildings, grounds and equipment and will be
assessed for any damages.
Rules
and regulations normally required of students using the
facilities will also be expected of outside organizations.
Any modification to these rules must be approved by
the District Superintendent or his/her designee.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2100
SUBJECT: BOCES
OWNED CAPITAL EQUIPMENT LOANED FOR TEMPORARY USE
TO
A COMPONENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
The
District Superintendent is authorized to develop
regulations to loan BOCES owned capital equipment to local
component school districts for their temporary use,
provided the following conditions are met:
a.
Equipment is used solely for school district
business.
b.
The use of the equipment is supervised by a
qualified person employed by the borrowing school
district.
c.
The district assumes full responsibility for the
safe operation of the equipment.
d.
The equipment must be returned to BOCES in the same
condition as it was when loaned to the school district.
e.
Any expenses incurred in repair or maintenance of
the equipment while on loan will be the responsibility of
the local school district.
f.
The equipment can be loaned only when not in use by
BOCES, and/or previously scheduled for use by a BOCES
program.
g.
The district pays any additional costs for
transporting the equipment.
Any
district wishing to borrow BOCES equipment for temporary
use must do so in writing, which requires the signature of
the Chief School Officer of the requesting district.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2110
SUBJECT: EMPLOYEE
USE OF BOCES PROPERTY
No
employee may use BOCES facilities, equipment, tools,
supplies, materials or any other property for the purpose
of servicing, repairing, producing, creating or otherwise
working on any employee owned personal property of any
kind outside of regular school hours.
The
District Superintendent (or designee) shall maintain
documentation regarding all services provided by any BOCES
class or program for
any other person(s) or organization.
Such information shall include the name of the
teacher and course, the name of the person or organization
for whom the work was done, the date(s) when the work was
performed and the nature of the work performed.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2120
SUBJECT: VOLUNTEER
WORKERS
It
is the policy of the BOCES to encourage volunteers, where
appropriate, for various programs.
The Board directs the District Superintendent or
his/her designee to develop the necessary procedures for
proper implementation.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2130
SUBJECT: SPECIAL
PROGRAMS OF ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
Within
the framework of the law, the District Superintendent is
authorized to develop programs of adult education and
provide them to individuals, governmental agencies, school
districts, businesses, industries, employer associations,
professional organizations, labor unions and similar
organizations that may need such educational programs for
their employees.
The
District Superintendent is authorized to enter into
contracts to provide such programs, and to assemble
personnel, material and equipment resources necessary for
carrying out the terms of the contracts.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2140
SUBJECT:
SERVICES TO
NONPUBLIC
Whenever
permitted by statute or required by the terms of a federal
or state grant of funds, BOCES shall extend its services
and the use of its facilities to nonpublic schools
provided, however, that under no circumstances shall there
be a resulting expenditure of BOCES funds for the services
so provided, which expenditure is either not reimbursed by
such grant of funds to BOCES or by fees and costs paid by
such schools to BOCES.
Nonpublic
schools receiving services from BOCES shall pay the same
fee that would be charged to public schools for comparable
service.
In
addition, such nonpublic schools shall pay a pro rata
share of any related administrative and rental costs and
such other costs as may apply thereto.
Adopted:
January 9, 2002
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2150
SUBJECT: PUBLIC
ACCESS TO RECORDS
Access to records of the BOCES shall be consistent with
the rules and regulations established by the State
Committee on Open Government and shall comply with all
the requirements of the New York State Public Officers
Law Section 87.
The Clerk of the Board shall be designated by the
Superintendent as the Records Management Officer,
subject to the approval of the Board of Education, who
shall have the duty of coordinating the BOCES response
to public request for access to records.
In compliance with the Public Officers Law
Section 89(1)(b)(iii) (Chapter 25, Part 1401) the
general public shall have access to records of the BOCES
as outlined in this policy.
Records Accessibility
Records accessible under the Freedom of
Information Law are available each day the office of the
District Superintendent is open, between the hours of
9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Application Procedures
Persons wishing to inspect any and all records
must complete the application for Public Access to
Records Form (Attachment A) and submit it to the Clerk
of the Board. Upon receipt of the application, and
within five (5) business days, the Clerk of the Board
will make the record available, deny access in writing
giving the reasons for the denial, or furnish a written
acknowledgement of the request and a statement of the
approximate date when the request will be granted.
Copy Charge
When BOCES is able to provide copies, a fee of
$.25 per page will be charged. No fee will be charged
for public inspections or certifications by
officials.
Regulations and procedures pertaining to accessing BOCES
records shall be as indicated in the BOCES
Administrative Regulations Handbook.
*Requests for Records via E-mail
The BOCES shall accept requests for records
submitted in the form of electronic mail and respond to
such requests by electronic mail using the forms
supplied by the BOCES. This information shall be posted
on the BOCES website, clearly designating the e-mail
address for purposes of receiving requests for records
via this format.
When the BOCES maintains requested records
electronically, the response shall inform the requester
that the records are accessible via the internet and in
printed form either on paper or other information
storage medium.
The BOCES shall respond to a request within
five (5) business days of the receipt of a request.
Should all or part of the request need to be denied, the
BOCES shall respond in the manner set forth by the rules
and regulations stipulated by the Committee on Open
Government.
Subject Matter List
A Subject Matter List will be maintained and
made available for public inspection. This list is for
the purpose of identifying available access records.
Said list shall be updated not less than twice per year
and be included in the Administrative Regulations
Handbook.
Appeal Procedures
Any applicant denied access to a record may
appeal the decision to the District Superintendent in
writing with thirty (30) days. Upon receipt of the
appeal, the District Superintendent shall, within ten
(10) business days, fully explain in writing the reasons
for further denial of access or will provide such access
to such records. Copies of all appeals and the
determination thereof must be sent to the Committee on
Open Government.
Education Law Section 2116
Public Officers Law Sections 87 and 89
21 New York Code of Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) Parts
1401 and 9760
Adopted: January
9, 2002
Revised: August 8, 2007
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