1105 - Advertising on School Grounds

Community Relations 

1105 – Advertising and Distribution and Promotion of Products, Services and Informational Materials 

The Board of Education (Board) recognizes its responsibility to protect students and their families from exploitation through outside advertising and promotion of products and services for profit. 

The Board directs the Superintendent of Schools to adopt regulations containing guidelines for the advertising or promotion of products or services to students, staff, or parents in the schools by the school, staff, or affiliated organizations and outside entities. These guidelines shall be in accordance with state and federal law and applicable Board policies. 

Signs of a commercial or political nature are not permitted to be posted on school grounds. Additionally, the use of loudspeakers for commercial or political purposes shall not be permitted on school grounds. 

Any permitted advertising and/or promotion shall be in accordance with Board policy, regulations or guidelines as well as state and federal law and will be subject to advance approval by the Superintendent or his/her designee, school principal or the Board.

General Restrictions on Advertising or Promotion 

Permitted advertising or promotion shall not: 

1. Promote hostility, disorder or violence. 

2. Attack, discriminate, demean, harass or ridicule ethnic, racial or religious groups or any other legally protected group or members thereof, including, but not limited to, any person or group of persons on the basis of disability, sex, gender, gender identity or expression or sexual orientation. 

3. Be libelous or slanderous. 

4. Inhibit the functioning of the school or school district. 

5. Override the school district identity. 

6. Promote, favor or oppose the candidacy of any candidate for election, adoption of any bond/budget issues or any public questions submitted at any general or municipal election. 

7. Be vulgar, obscene or pornographic or in opposition to the mission of the Windsor Locks Public Schools. 

8. Promote any religious or political organization. 

9. Promote the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco or tobacco products, firearms or the use or possession of other products or substances deemed unsafe and/or prohibited by Board policy. 

10. Appropriate and use any District or school logo without prior approval of the Superintendent nor appropriate the likeness of any student or staff member, school or school district property for use in an advertisement or promotion without the prior knowledge and approval of the Superintendent of Schools or Board as well as the prior written permission of the individual(s) whose image(s) or likeness(es) are to be used. 

Disclaimer 

The inclusion of advertisements in school district publications, on school grounds or on school district property or in school facilities should not be construed to constitute explicit endorsement or approval by the Board or District of the advertised product, service, organization, business, entity or activity 

Legal References: 

Policy adopted: June 1973 

Revised: November 1984, June 2019 

R-1105 

Advertising and Distribution and Promotion of Products, Services and Informational Materials - Advertising on School Grounds 

The purpose of this regulation is to establish guidelines for the advertising, distribution and/or promotion of products, services and informational materials in the Windsor Locks Public Schools to District students and their parents. The goal in creating such guidelines is to protect District students and their parents from potential exploitation by private interests, including, but not limited to, commercial, cultural, economic, environmental, organizational and political exploitation and to protect student privacy. 

The Board also believes that the schools have a responsibility to provide instruction pertaining to the critical reading and thought processes necessary to protect students’ from such exploitation. 

For the purposes of this policy and its regulations, “advertising” means allowing access to students, staff and/or parents in exchange for money, services, materials, or other tangibles. 

The following are guidelines for advertising and promotion in the Windsor Locks Public Schools: 

1. Permission to post notices and/or distribute materials for one specific school may be granted by that school’s principal. The principal shall consult with the Superintendent in instances where the advisability of posting or distributing a particular notice or materials is questionable for any variety of reasons.

 2. Materials that will be posted at and/or distributed to more than one school require the specific approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee. Approved materials shall not be directly distributed to schools, but must be distributed to schools through the Superintendent’s Office. The Superintendent’s Office shall direct a distribution format for such notices/materials. 

3. Only the following will be considered for approval by either the school principal or the Superintendent or his/her designees for posting or distribution: 

a. Advertising and promotion related to school sponsored programs and activities; 

b. Notices of materials advertising events, programs or services provided by schoolaffiliated groups (e.g. PTA, Booster Club, etc.); c. Notice of Materials advertising events, programs, or services provided by the Town of Windsor Locks (e.g. Department of Parks and Recreation); 

d. Notices or materials advertising events, programs or services provided by a non-profit organization. Schools may cooperate in the furthering of the work of any non-profit community-wide social services agency, provided that such cooperation does not restrict or impair the educational program of the schools. Any non-profit event or program in conflict with district events or programs will not be approved for posting/and or distribution. 

e. Notices or materials advertising events, programs or services provided by service groups where funds are donated back to the District (e,g, Rotary Club) or are for student scholarships or learning opportunities. 

f. Acknowledgment of sponsorship in the form of a banner, placard, or other items displaying identification of sponsor without promotional advertisement. 

4. This policy and its Regulations should not be construed as preventing a teacher or other certified staff member from using instructional or informational materials even though the materials might include reference to a brand, a product or a service. 

5. A company or outside organization that wishes to supply the District with items of goods, services, or advertisements displaying the company’s name or logo must have its proposal submitted to, and accepted by, the benefitting school, Department, or organization, who will submit the propose to the Superintendent for his/her approval. 

6. Recognizing a company or outside organization for its support of the District, a school, or a school activity is appropriate; however, advertising a company or outside organization for the purpose of promoting a specific purpose or product is not allowed. 

Windsor Locks Public Schools 

REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO 

DISPLAY OR DISTRIBUTE MATERIALS

 In an effort to maintain a healthy and effective learning environment for our students, Windsor Locks Public Schools reserves the right to regulate all forms of announcements and advertisement made in the schools. Before making application, please refer to Board of Education Policy #1105 on the reverse side of this page.

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Date of Application ____________________ 

Name ____________________________________________________ Phone _________________________ 

Organization Represented ____________________________________________________________________ 

Address __________________________________________________________________________________ 

Permission is requested to (please check all that apply):

  Post □ Distribute □ Announce □ 

Dates: From _____________________________________ To _____________________________________ 

Location(s)   North Street School □ South Elementary School □ 

Windsor Locks Middle School □   Windsor Locks High School □ 

Signature ___________________________________________________ 

ATTACH a copy of the flyer, poster, letter, announcement text, etc. EXACTLY as it shall appear, if request is granted.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 (FOR SCHOOL USE ONLY): 

Date Received _________________________ 

Permission Granted Permission Denied 

Comments or Restrictions __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 _______________________________________________ _________________________________________ 

Superintendent of Schools Date

 ATTACH a copy of the flyer, poster, letter, announcement text, etc. EXACTLY as it shall appear, if request is granted.