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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4240 School Support OrganizationsCOMMUNITY 4200 Page 1 of 7 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Community SCHOOL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS 1. Purpose Statement a. The Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Board of Trustees recognizes that parent, teacher, and student organizations are a valuable resource to District schools and supports their formation to support and strengthen specific activities conducted within a school or the District. b. School-support organizations are separate organizations from the District. They are not agents of the District and have no authority to direct District employees, establish District programs or requirements, obligate District funds, or act on behalf of the District unless specifically authorized to do so. c. School-support organizations shall maintain their own governance, financial records, accounts, and organizational records separate from those of the District. d. School-support organizations shall abide by all applicable District policies and procedures and shall comply with all provisions of this policy. e. While school-support organizations have no administrative authority and cannot determine District policy, their suggestions and assistance are welcome. 2. Approval and Oversight of School-Support Organizations a. All school-support organizations must receive the approval of the school principal, Superintendent, and Board annually in order to be recognized as a school-support organization. b. Each organization shall keep on file with the Superintendent or designee a current record of its officers, bylaws, mailing addresses, and other pertinent information as may be required. c. Annually, school-support organizations shall submit their tentative goals, objectives, and fundraising plans as part of the annual recognition process. i. Plans, projects, and activities proposed by school-support organizations shall be evaluated based upon their contribution to the curricular and extracurricular programs of the District and their benefit to students. ii. Material changes to those plans during the school year shall be communicated to the school principal. COMMUNITY 4200 Page 2 of 7 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Community 3. District Employee Participation and Conflicts of Interest a. Staff participation, cooperation, and support are encouraged in approved school-support organizations. b. District employees may serve as officers or members of the governing body of a school-support organization provided their participation does not create an actual or apparent conflict of interest with their District responsibilities. Employees who are also parents, guardians, or community members are not prohibited from serving solely because of their employment with the District. c. A District employee who has direct supervisory, coaching, advising, or financial responsibility for the District program supported by the organization shall not serve as president, treasurer, or another officer with direct control over the organization's finances without prior approval of the Superintendent or designee. d. No District employee shall authorize, approve, or participate in a school - support organization expenditure that results in direct personal financial benefit to the employee, except for reimbursement of documented expenses incurred on behalf of the organization, appreciation gifts permitted under Section 7 of this policy, or as otherwise specifically approved by the Superintendent or designee. e. District employees participating in school-support organizations shall maintain appropriate separation between their responsibilities as District employees and their responsibilities to the organization. Participation in a school -support organization does not authorize an employee to act on behalf of the District or to use District resources except as permitted by Board policy or approved by the Superintendent or designee. 4. Fundraising Activities and Voluntary Support a. Fundraising by school-support organizations is considered a usual and desirable function of such organizations. Fundraising activities conducted in connection with a District school, program, team, club, or activity, including activities occurring on District premises or during school hours, shall receive prior approval from the school principal. b. Fundraising activities involving more than one school, occurring at the District level, or presenting unusual financial, legal, safety, or operational concerns may be referred by the principal to the Superintendent or designee for review and approval. c. The principal shall be consulted before a school-support organization commits funds for a significant expenditure, purchase, or project intended for COMMUNITY 4200 Page 3 of 7 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Community the direct or indirect support of a District program or activity. Routine expenditures that are consistent with the organization’s approved purpose and customary activities, such as staff appreciation, meals, hospitality, or other minor support activities, do not require prior principal approval. d. Participation in fundraising conducted by a school-support organization shall be voluntary. A student shall not be penalized or denied participation in a District-sponsored activity because the student or the student's parent/guardian does not participate in fundraising or does not meet a fundraising goal established by a school-support organization. e. No student's participation, standing, playing time, performance opportunity, team membership, or access to a District-sponsored activity shall be conditioned upon a payment, donation, fundraising contribution, or other financial support made to a school-support organization. f. Announcements, solicitations, and communications regarding school -support organization events and activities shall clearly indicate that the activity is sponsored by the school-support organization and not by the school or District. 5. Required Student Payments a. School-support organizations shall not collect fees, charges, assessments, or other payments that a student or parent/guardian is required to pay as a condition of participation in a District-sponsored activity, team, club, program, trip, or event. b. All required student payments shall be identified and administered by the District in accordance with applicable law and Board policy. Relevant Board policies are identified in the Cross-References section of this policy. c. Required payments shall be classified by the District as either: i. A District fee approved and administered in accordance with applicable law and Board policy; or ii. A direct cost representing the actual cost, or the student's proportionate share of the actual cost, of a good or service purchased for or provided directly to the student. A direct cost shall not exceed the actual cost of the good or service attributable to the student. d. All required student payments shall be collected through the District's financial system or, when specifically authorized by the District, paid directly by the parent/guardian to an approved vendor. COMMUNITY 4200 Page 4 of 7 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Community e. Required payments shall not be collected, held, or administered by a school- support organization. f. A school-support organization may provide voluntary financial support, fundraising assistance, scholarships, donations, or program enhancements. Such voluntary support shall not be represented as a required payment or condition of participation in a District-sponsored program or activity. 6. Financial Records and Controls a. School-support organizations shall handle their own accounting and bookkeeping procedures and maintain financial accounts separate from those of the District. i. School-support organizations shall not represent themselves as the District or imply that their activities, fundraising, financial obligations, or other actions are requirements of the District. ii. School-support organizations may not use the District's tax identification number. iii. School-support organizations may not accept checks made payable to the District. The District may not accept checks made payable to a school- support organization. b. Only officers or other individuals authorized in accordance with the organization’s bylaws may be authorized signers on the organization's financial accounts. i. A District employee who has direct supervisory, coaching, advising, or financial responsibility for the District program supported by the organization shall not be an authorized signer on the organization’s financial accounts without prior approval of the Superintendent or designee. c. School-support organizations shall maintain complete, accurate, and auditable financial records at all times, including documentation sufficient to establish the source and purpose of revenues and expenditures. d. Upon request of the Superintendent or designee, a school -support organization shall make its financial records available to the District for review, including bank statements, receipts, invoices, financial reports, and other documentation reasonably necessary to account for the organization's receipt and expenditure of funds. COMMUNITY 4200 Page 5 of 7 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Community i. The Superintendent or designee may request such records to verify compliance with this policy, investigate a financial concern, or address another matter reasonably related to the organization's recognition by or relationship with the District. e. As part of the annual approval process, school-support organizations shall submit an annual financial report to the Superintendent or designee providing an accounting of the organization's income, expenditures, and account balances for the preceding school year. f. A District review of a school-support organization's financial records does not constitute an audit or approval of the organization's financial practices and does not make the District responsible for the organization's financial activities, debts, or obligations. 7. Dissolution a. The bylaws of each school-support organization shall include provisions governing the disposition of the organization's funds and property upon dissolution. b. The bylaws shall require remaining funds and property to be distributed in accordance with applicable law and the organization's tax-exempt purposes and governing documents. c. Organizational bylaws shall not permit the organization's remaining funds or property to be distributed for the private benefit of individual members, officers, District employees, or other private individuals upon dissolution. d. School-support organizations are encouraged to designate the Bonneville Education Foundation as the recipient of remaining funds and property upon dissolution, with a request that such assets be used to support the school, program, team, club, or activity the school-support organization was established to support, to the extent permitted by law and the Foundation's governing documents. 8. High School Activities Association Regulations a. The Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA) Rules and Regulations prohibit remuneration of any kind from any source outside the local Board in return for services rendered in instructing or coaching any high school athletic team. The District extends this same prohibition to coaches, instructors, and advisors of other District teams, clubs, groups, and activities. b. Coaches, instructors, and advisors may receive appreciation gifts from team members, students' parents, or community organizations consistent with COMMUNITY 4200 Page 6 of 7 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Community applicable provisions of IHSAA rules, the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators, Idaho Code, and Board policy. 9. Use of District or School Name, Logo, or Mascot a. Authorization to use the District or school name, logo, or mascot is granted as part of the organization’s annual recognition by the Board. b. The Superintendent or designee may revoke authorization to use the District's or school's name, logo, or mascot if the organization fails to comply with this policy, another District policy, or applicable District requirements. c. The Superintendent or designee shall notify the school-support organization in writing of the reason for the revocation. The organization may appeal the revocation to the Board, whose decision shall be final. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Board Clerk no later than five business days from the date of the Superintendent/designee's notice. 10. Donations a. Donations from school-support organizations shall be accepted in accordance with Policy 7700, Public Gifts: Donations to School. b. Any item that a school-support organization proposes to contribute to a school or the District must meet all applicable legal and safety requirements. c. Before accepting a donation, the administrator authorized to accept the donation under Policy 7700 shall determine whether adequate resources are available to install, operate, maintain, or otherwise support the donated property. d. All items accepted as donations become the property of the District. While the intent of the donation will be considered, the District reserves the right to modify its use if the needs of students or the District change. 11. Equity and Nondiscrimination a. Membership in school-support organizations shall be open without unlawful discrimination and subject to the organization’s bylaws and reasonable membership requirements. b. School-support organizations shall operate in compliance with applicable federal and state nondiscrimination requirements. c. Nothing in this policy authorizes a school-support organization or the District to provide benefits, participation opportunities, services, or other support in a manner prohibited by law. COMMUNITY 4200 Page 7 of 7 Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 Community 12. Noncompliance a. Recognition as a school-support organization and authorization to use the District's or a school's name, facilities, communication systems, logos, mascots, or other resources are conditioned upon compliance with this policy and other applicable District requirements. b. When appropriate, the Superintendent or designee may provide a school- support organization an opportunity to correct noncompliance before suspending or withdrawing recognition. Nothing in this provision prevents immediate action when necessary to protect students, District funds or property, or the interests of the District. c. Failure to comply with this policy, including failure to provide required financial reports or financial records requested by the Superintendent or designee, may result in suspension or withdrawal of the organization's recognition or authorization to use District or school names, facilities, communication systems, logos, mascots, or other resources. d. The Superintendent or designee may establish procedures necessary to implement this policy. 13. Cross References a. Policy 3440 — Student Fees, Fines, and Charges b. Policy 3460 — Increase in Non-Credit or Non-Curricular Fees c. Policy 5240 — Professional Conduct d. Policy 7360 — Student Activity Funds e. Policy 7700 — Public Gifts: Donations to School f. Policy 9610 — District Facility Rental / Use 14. Adoption and Revision History a. Adopted: 09-14-2005 b. Reviewed: 03-11-2020; 01-12-22 c. Revised: 01-12-22; 09-06-2026