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POLICY 1001: COMMUNITY RELATIONS

POLICY 1001: COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Revised: March 10, 2025

I. PURPOSE

Westonka School District believes that planned, systematic, continuous, two-way communication is the responsibility of each board member, individually or through a spokesperson, and each district employee to actively build positive long-term relations with community members in order to prepare learners to achieve their personal best.

The goal of community relations shall be to develop and implement communication strategies that help the school district achieve its goals, especially those related to student achievement.

Westonka Public Schools belong to and derive their strength from the people of the community. For a community to be supportive of its schools, residents must be knowledgeable of the aims and efforts of the district.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

The Board shall make every effort to engage in a community relations program that:

  1. Keeps the public informed about the policies, administrative operation, objectives, and educational programs of the schools.
  2. Provides the means for furnishing full and accurate information, favorable and unfavorable, together with interpretation and explanation of the school plans and programs.
  3. Adheres to a policy of openness and honesty in communicating with citizens, staff, the news media and other organizations.
  4. Establishes and supports appropriate and effective communication between the administration and other district employees.
  5. Produces print and electronic publications, and activities and programs, as needed, to keep citizens informed about educational services, achievements, needs, costs, revenues, and expenditures.

The Office of Community Relations will oversee the district’s efforts to foster good communication and develop positive long-term relationships with those served by the school system and will, among other functions:

  1. Support, plan, and execute appropriate direct communications between school and home, and between administration and staff;
  2. Provide the appropriate liaison services between the district and the news media;
  3. Assess the public’s knowledge and attitudes about the schools, and use this information in planning a communications program;
  4. Assist in ensuring that communications plans and skills exist in schools and departments throughout the district; and
  5. Assist with publicity for district programs, as requested.

Adopted: July 25, 1977