Madison Metropolitan School District
Board of Education Policies and Procedures

POLICY	MATERIALS	3661 Instruction

Sponsorships

It is the policy of the Board to encourage and approve sponsorships that benefit the District, its schools, employees or students by the District accepting money, goods and/or services in exchange for the District acknowledging the sponsor's contribution. The Board recognizes that it would be financially beneficial to allow the sponsorship of the District, its schools, school programs, Interscholastic Athletic programs, extra-curricular activities, and other school activities, events, publications, TV channel, newsletter, news releases, etc. in exchange for the District's acknowledgement of such sponsor's contribution. However, all sponsorships shall meet the criteria set forth herein which provides, among other things, that the sponsorship shall not be contrary to the District's mission, conflict with Board Policy or undermine the District's educational objectives. No sponsorship shall be construed as or constitute an endorsement by the District, Board or school of the sponsor or its product, service or program, etc., and the Board, and the schools reserve the right to refuse or decline the offer of any sponsor for any reason.

Sponsorship is defined as a person, company, business, corporation or other entity providing money, goods and/or services to support the District, its school, school activities, etc., in return for the sponsor receiving an acknowledgement by the District or school indicating that money, services and/or goods were donated by the sponsor or the activity was sponsored by or sponsored in part by the sponsor.

Acknowledgement is defined as the recognition of the support provided to the District or a school by the sponsor. An example of the Acknowledgement of a Sponsorship is the placement of a sponsor's logo or the sponsor's name, address, web site, internet address on the District's web site, a yearbook, newsletter, program of an event, etc. Acknowledgement does not include endorsement, price information or an indication of savings or value and/or quality of the sponsor's product or services, such as the sponsor has the lowest prices, makes the greatest product or that the sponsor is having a sale. Qualitative Statements about a sponsor's product or services may be allowed by the Board under its Advertisement Policy.

Except for adhering to the criteria set forth in paragraph 2 below, this Policy and Procedure do not apply to community sponsorships under Board Policy 5013 relative to the Madison School & Community Recreation Program.

PROCEDURE	MATERIALS	3661 Instruction

Sponsorships

1.  
   1. To request a sponsorship in which an acknowledgement is given by a school for the school, a school event, school program, program for a school event, school calendars, school schedules, yearbook, student newspaper or school newsletter in exchange for money, goods or services, the sponsor shall contact the principal of the school or his/her designee to make arrangements for the sponsorship. Provided the sponsorship meets the criteria that are set forth below in paragraph 2, the principal may determine, without Board approval, whether or not to allow the sponsorship. There is no minimum amount of money, goods or services that are required for a sponsorship pursuant to this provision in paragraph 1a.
   2. To request a sponsorship in which an acknowledgement is given by the District in exchange for the provision of money, goods and/or services, a prospective sponsor shall notify the Superintendent or his/her designee of its interest in being a sponsor by indicating: (1) the nature of the goods, services and/or the amount of money to be provided to the District that is valued at no less than $500 and (2) how the sponsor would like the acknowledgement to be made. The acknowledgement choices include, but are not limited to, making an announcement at a District event, the placement of a sponsor's logo, and/or name, address, web site, internet address in a District program of a District event, in a District publication, on the District's TV channel, on the District's web site, in a District news release, etc. and notwithstanding Board Policy 6700 and 6701, the right to name a District building, facility or area within a school or school campus.
   Sponsorship, pursuant to this section of the policy, requires a minimum contribution of at least $500 or goods and/or services equal to $500.
2. Taking into consideration on a case-by-case basis the criteria set forth below, the principal or his/her designee shall review all the sponsorship requests made pursuant to paragraph 1a above, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall review all the sponsorship requests made pursuant to paragraph 1b above, and the Director of Madison School & Community Recreation Department shall review all the sponsorship requests made under Board Policy 5031.

   Whether the sponsorship would be a conflict with District and Board policies.

   Whether the sponsorship would adversely affect the District's reputation or image.

   Whether the sponsorship promotes the engagement of illegal activity.

   Whether the sponsorship is contrary to the ethical principles and beliefs of the District or the Board.

   Whether the sponsorship creates an endorsement of a political cause, political activity, candidate for a political office or political position, etc.

   Whether the sponsorship would appear to exploit or demean a person based upon, among other things, the person's protected status.

   Whether the sponsorship promotes the use of tobacco products, gambling or alcohol.

   The benefit the sponsorship will provide to the District, an individual school, school program, school activity, students, employees or the community, etc.

   Whether accepting the sponsorship will be in conflict with the mission of the District or the District's curriculum and/or instructional program.

   Whether accepting the sponsorship is consistent and compatible with District and Board priorities and educational objectives.

   The effect the acceptance of the sponsorship will have on the District, an individual school, students, employees and the community.

   The fiscal condition of the District and any financial limitations of the District.

3. In accordance with paragraphs 1b and 2 above, if the Superintendent or his/her designee determines that the sponsorship should be approved by the Board, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall recommend that the Board approve the sponsorship. If the Board approves the sponsorship, the District shall enter into a written agreement with the sponsor which shall require, among other things, that the goods, services or money be given to the District prior to the District making the acknowledgement.

7/17/06

Last Updated: Thu Sep 13 11:01:15 2007
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