Big Horn County School District #3

Communications Plan

Big Horn County School Dist. #3 including all schools within the district will provide parents with forms and information in the language/ method they understand. Besides home language, this also includes methods appropriate to accommodate deaf and/or blind patrons. The district will make use of school staff and computer software to translate the forms and information when appropriate. The audiences to receive district and school information are listed below. 

Internal Audiences

•       Certificated staff
•       Administrators
•       Board of Trustees
•       Support Staff
•       Professional support staff

             External Audiences

•       Students
•       Parents
•       Parent-Teacher organizations
•       Prospective employees
•       Prospective residents
•       Neighborhood groups
  •       Business owners
  •       Churches
  •       Other organizations

Communication Channels:

•       District and School letters to parents
•       PowerSchool parent portal
•       District Website
•       PowerSchool Alert system
  •       Email
  •       Phone
  •       Text
•      Email
•      Facebook

Policy KA

SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS GOALS

The Board, in an effort to enhance the possibilities for excellence in public education, endorses the statement below on school and community relations because of its conviction that (a) the public schools belong to the people who created them by consent and who support them by taxation; (b) the schools are only as strong as the intelligent and informed support of the people of the community; and (c) the support of the people must be based upon their understanding of and their participation in the aims and efforts of the schools.

The Board, therefore, declares its intent:

--to keep citizens regularly and thoroughly informed of the policies, programs, and planning of the school district, and to carry out this policy through its own efforts, those of the superintendent, and such information officers as may be appointed.

--to encourage the participation of the people through advisory committees selected from the community and appointed to consider problems which affect the future of our children.

Policy KBA

PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW

The meetings and records of the Board are a matter of public information. Educational matters shall be discussed and decisions made at public meetings of the Board, except for such matters as are properly and legally discussed in executive session.

The official minutes of the Board, its written policies, and its financial records are all public records within the definitions of Wyoming Public Records Act and shall be open for inspection at the office of the superintendent. Any citizen desiring to examine them may request to do so during hours when the administration offices are open. However, no records pertaining to individual students or staff members shall be released for inspection by the public or any unauthorized persons, either by the superintendent or other persons responsible for the custody of confidential files. Inspection of confidential records shall be in conformance with applicable provisions of the Public Records Act and Board policy.

The Board supports the right of the people to know about the programs and services of their schools and shall make every effort to disseminate information.

Policy KMA

RELATIONS WITH PARENT ORGANIZATIONS

The Board of Trustees believes that parents and parent organizations can be an essential element in the development of the close partnership that must exist between schools and the community if our young people are to be given the best possible opportunities for learning.

The Board shall offer its full cooperation to those organizations which it officially recognizes. Such recognition shall be granted in accordance with the following:

1. The organization must have as its main objective the educational welfare of the students, families, and teachers of the district. It must not seek to control district policies and regulations nor to direct their administration.
2. Parent organizations must be formed and governed in accordance with democratic procedures, including the election of officers.
3. Any parent organization wishing official recognition by the Board, must submit their organizational plan and rules of operation to the Board, through the superintendent, for approval. Once approved by the Board, the organization shall be expected to follow the plan and rules approved by the Board.
4. Each organization must also place on file with the superintendent a list of names and addresses of their officers.
5. When a parent organization wishes to organize at the school level, the Board shall grant official recognition to only one such organization for each school. Similarly, if parents wish to form a district wide organization, only one district wide organization may be granted official recognition by the Board.