I. Communications with the Public
	I. A. Citizens
	I. B. News Media.
	II. Relations between School Personnel and the Public
	II. A. Parental Complaints
	II. B. Parent Organizations
	III. Access to School Property
	III. A. General Public
	III. B. School Board Members
	III. C. Invited Guests
	III. D. Campaign Materials on School Property
	IV. Public Comment at Board Meetings

I. Communications with the Public

I A. School Corporations operate more successfully when the citizens support the schools. Therefore, the board is committed to communicating with citizens, employees and students of the School City of Hobart in order to maintain and improve community support by:

I A 1. Encouraging attendance at regular school board meetings.

I A 2. Involving citizens, staff, and students on problem-solving, for example, ad hoc advisory committees.

I A 3. Encouraging the creation and existence of P.T.A.s, P.T.O.s, and/or individual school advisory committees.

I A 4. Cooperating with the various new media.

I A 5. Encouraging newsletters and bulletins from individual schools and teachers to parents.

I A 6. Providing communication channels to the board for redress of grievances.

I A 7. Encouraging visitation to the schools, in accordance with established procedures.

I A 8. Encouraging parent-teacher conferences to discuss the strengths, weaknesses, needs and problems of children, both formally and informally.

I B. News Media.
The board encourages a sound relationship with the press and other community news media. The superintendent and other administrators shall keep the press informed of school sponsored activities and information of community interest concerning the schools and various phases of the school program.

II. Relations between School Personnel and the Public.
Teachers shall make the necessary contacts to establish closer relationship between the home and school in the interest of more efficient instruction.

Teachers shall help the pupil prepare to take his place in society.

The Board of School Trustees recognizes the need for good communication between the school and the home. Therefore, the Board encourages all teachers to establish such communication through teacher-parent conferences.

II A. Parental Complaints

II B. Parent Organizations

III. Access to School Property

III A. General Public
The School Board encourages parents and other citizens of the district to visit the schools and classrooms at any time to observe the work of the students, teachers, and other employees. The board believes that there is no better way for the public to learn what the school is actually doing.

In order to assure that no unauthorized persons enter the school with wrongful intent, all visitors will report to the school office when entering, and receive authorization to visit elsewhere in the building. (This policy does not apply when parents have been invited to a classroom, assembly, or school program.)

Any unauthorized person on school property will be reported to the principal. The person will be asked to leave. The police may be called if the situation warrants.

III B. School Board Members
Members of the School Board are encouraged to visit the corporation schools and supportive departments. Such visits should be made in accordance with the following guidelines:

School visits should be scheduled through the building principal.

The principal or available staff member will accompany the Board member on the visit if the member so desires.

Such visits will be for the purpose of becoming acquainted with school programs, personnel, operation, and facilities.

A Board member will not give directions, or make suggestions to personnel during the visit. If a school visit leaves a Board member with a concern, this concern should be addressed through appropriate channels, i.e., -- discussed with the principal and/or the superintendent.

A Board member may also visit a school as a parent, and in such instances will follow the policy as noted in Part A above. The member should make his or her status clear at the beginning of the visit.

III C. Invited Guests
In as much as the community contains a wealth of experience, expertise and knowledge which can be employed by the effective teacher, invited guests should be more than welcome (in appropriate numbers) in the classroom.

Teachers planning to invite guests to the classroom should inform the principal and obtain approval.

Arrangements should be made to receive the guest in an hospitable and courteous fashion.

If a controversial issue is to be considered in the classroom setting, reasonable efforts will be made to see that all appropriate viewpoints are represented in a fair and reasonable fashion.

If any "high profile" persons are expected to visit the school, appropriate central office personnel should be advised.

III D. Campaign Materials on School Property.

Political materials not related to student elections will not be permitted on school property except for:

III D 1. use in an appropriate class, such as government or social studies; such materials will be bi-partisan and balanced between opposing viewpoints.

III D 2. the outside of any section of a building used as a polling place on election day; such materials must be posted in compliance with state and federal laws.

IV. Public Comment at Board Meetings.
The board has adopted guidelines for public comment at board meetings as part of Article III, subsection IV(B) of this policy. Please refer to that section.