Communications & Guidelines
May 19, 2015
Overview
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Methods of Communication/Distribution
Fundraising & Financial Guidelines
Usage of School Facilities
Volunteers & Security
Class Lists/Directories/Yearbooks
Methods of Communication/Distribution
With principal approval, PTA messaging may be included in the following campus
communication tools. PTA members should work with principals to determine how
to best communicate with the school community and staff.
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eNews
Website
Social media
Public address (PA) system
School marquees
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Y/O packets (i.e., Thursday folders or
electronic equivalent)*
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News media
Meetings
Phone messaging system
*Ask your Council of PTAs about utilizing the Plano ISD Copy and Distribution Center.
Methods of Communication/Distribution
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PTA-based distribution resources (website, social media, newsletters,
etc.)
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Certain district restrictions do not apply (e.g., advertising is permitted).
School-based distribution resources
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PTA sponsored events and initiatives can be posted in campus eNews
with principal approval.
PTA newsletters may be sent using the campus eNews systems according
to district guidelines (e.g., no advertising or information about non-school
sponsored or non-PTA sponsored events).
District guidelines apply.
Methods of Communication/Distribution
School Marquees
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With principal approval, a “thank you” for a sponsorship is
appropriate to include on a marquee, but schools cannot sell
marquee space (e.g., birthday recognitions or other occasions) or
provide marquee space in exchange for donations.
Spirit night announcements are appropriate to place on marquees
with principal approval.
Methods of Communication/Distribution
 YES
 NO
Methods of Communication/Distribution
Y/O Packets (printed materials)
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PTA logo should appear on distribution items.
PTA newsletters should not contain information about non-school
sponsored* or non-PTA sponsored events if using Y/O packets as
method of distribution.
Distribution items require principal approval.
*E.g., Scouts, YMCA, Kids Beach Club, etc., should not
be featured in materials sent via Plano ISD communication tools.
Methods of Communication/Distribution
News Media
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Submit news and photos to the Plano ISD communications
department for consideration in district publications. (Signed
publication release forms must be on file for all students featured.)
PTAs are encouraged to share their news with local media provided
that:
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Media presence at campuses during the instructional day is coordinated
through the communications department and with the principal’s
approval.
Signed publication release forms are on file for any student featured.
Methods of Communication/Distribution
Yard/Car Pool Signs
 Yard/car pool signs are not allowed on school property with one
exception—to promote the non-school organization recruitment
events (usually scouts) once annually. At that time, they are limited to
three signs in the car pool lane or on school property on the day of
the event and they must be removed that evening.
 Fundraising or other such ads, even if promoted by PTA (including
spirit nights at local eateries), are not allowed.
 PTA can place their message on the campus marquee with principal
approval.
Note: Election signage is covered in GKD(LOCAL)
Fundraising & Financial Guidelines
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PTAs are encouraged to use district-approved fundraising vendors.
GE(LOCAL)
Door-to-door selling by students is prohibited. FJ(REGULATION)
For purchases of specific items or equipment by PTA for campuses,
the school must receive the funding so that they may initiate the
purchase in accordance with the district’s purchasing guidelines. All
items purchased in this manner become the property of the district.
GE(LOCAL)
Wish lists and other requests from staff should receive prior
approval from the principal before being submitted to the PTA.
Fundraising & Financial Guidelines
Supervision of the activity is the primary determining factor
regarding how fundraising dollars are handled. GE(LOCAL)
Supervision of the activity is the primary determining factor regarding
how fundraising dollars are handled.
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Student Organization – The district staff member is organizing,
controlling and supervising the event. All proceeds will be deposited
into the district’s student activity account.
Fundraising & Financial Guidelines
Supervision of the activity is the primary determining factor
regarding how fundraising dollars are handled. GE(LOCAL)
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PTA – There is no district staff member supervising the event. The
PTA is organizing, controlling and supervising the event. All
proceeds will be deposited into the PTA account. The responsibility
of the fundraiser lies entirely with the PTA including:
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Ordering
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Contracting with a vendor
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Selling
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Collecting and depositing all monies
Usage of School Facilities
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Request space through campus principal.
Once approved, provide campus with certificate of liability
insurance naming Plano ISD as the certificate holder and
additional insured. Insurance coverage will be reviewed and
approved by the risk management department.
Usage of School Facilities
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Criminal history checks are required if activity/program
participants will have contact with students on campus.
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If program/activity is being facilitated by unpaid volunteers (with no fees or charges
being paid or received by any group or person): Participants complete online
volunteer application and a Texas criminal history check will be performed. The
campus office manager will be provided with a list of cleared participants.
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If any activity/program participant is being paid, or if a fee is being charged for the
program (by anyone): Participants must be fingerprinted at their own expense and
submit to a national criminal history check. Forms required for this process are
available through the campus office manager. Forms should be submitted by the
program facilitator to the campus office manager/sponsoring PISD department, who
will approve forms for submission to the safety and security services department. The
office manager will be provided with a list of cleared participants.
Usage of School Facilities
Guidelines for Author Visits
 Building initiated author visits: The PTA president and/or officers should
work with the school principal and librarian to coordinate building initiated
events with visiting authors. Contracts for these author visits should be
handled by the school’s PTA and signed by the president or authorized
officer of the school PTA.
 Central administration initiated author visits: Learning media services will
coordinate author visits initiated by central administration and will handle
execution of contracts.
 Book sales from visiting authors: Book sales and pre-sales for building
initiated visits are permitted. All funds from book sales should be collected
by the PTA and deposited into the PTA bank account. No funds or purchases
should be handled through the school district accounts.
Usage of School Facilities
Bounce Houses/Inflatables
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Campuses cannot pay for inflatables/bounce houses at any time due to
liability issues.
Local PTAs may pay for inflatables, but they must have insurance coverage
due to liability restrictions.
During school hours, PTAs can have an obstacle course, basketball toss or
inflatable goal, but not an enclosed jump/bounce house or slide.
After school hours or during the weekend, PTAs may provide inflatables of
any sort as long as they have insurance and it is assumed that the child will
be escorted by an adult. As the event will be outside of the school day, the
school will not be responsible for the activity.
The primary goal is safety. If you do have such an activity at your school, please make certain
that you have sufficient adult volunteer supervision of children.
Volunteers & Security
Lockdown Procedures for Volunteers:
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Upon first serving at a campus, each volunteer should check with
their assigned staff member on what the lockdown procedures are
for that campus. What the volunteer does will be dependent upon
where in the campus they are when a lockdown is announced.
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A volunteer in the classroom should remain in the classroom and take direction
from the teacher (e.g. close and lock door, cover window, turn off lights, move
self and students out of sight.)
Volunteers working in the office should accompany office personnel to their
designated lockdown location.
Volunteers in hallways should immediately go to the first available room they
can get in to and lock the door or hide to the best extent possible.
Volunteers & Security
Criminal History Checks:
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A true volunteer does not ordinarily have to be fingerprinted.
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E.g.: A parent/guardian/grandparent who wants to volunteer to serve ice cream at field
day, assist in the work room or accompany students on a field trip would only have to
complete the online application.
Fingerprinting is ordinarily only required when a person provides services to a
campus under an agreement and has direct contact with students.
E.g.: A photographer provides services to the campus under an agreement with the district
or another group (like PTA or Booster Club). The photographer has direct contact with
students. The photographer must submit to fingerprinting and a national criminal history
check.
 E.g.: “Tumbler Kids” has been hired by the PTA (or booster club) to provide an afterschool
gymnastics class at the school. Workers for Tumbler Kids have direct contact with students.
Workers for Tumbler Kids who provide services on the campus must submit to
fingerprinting and a national criminal history check.
Note: There can be exceptions. This a very brief summary of criminal history requirements.
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Class Lists/Directories/Yearbooks
Class Lists:
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Plano ISD will provide class lists (minus students with forms flagged for
privacy) to cleared PTA volunteers in order to complete their volunteer
responsibilities. This information should be requested through the campus
office, not the classroom teacher. Class lists are not to be published in the
directory or elsewhere.
Campus Directories:
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If directories contain advertising, they may not be placed in the Y/O
packets or distributed to students during the instructional day. Principal
approved processes can be established to distribute directories containing
advertising.
Yearbooks:
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All photographs included in the yearbook including any candid photos taken
during school events should be filtered to exclude images of those students
flagged for privacy according to parent requests.
Yearbooks may include photos by grade level but should not be organized
according to classroom listings.
Questions?