File: DE

PRIVATE FUNDING

 

The following is intended to authorize and encourage individuals, corporations, charitable foundations, and/or businesses to gift, bequeath, devise and/or grant monies, goods, services and/or financial consideration to the consideration to the Gardner Public Schools District (hereinafter, the district) for the sole and specific purpose of benefiting the welfare of the students and/or staff of the district.

 

The district shall, at all times, conform to its long established and practiced policy of equal opportunity for all persons when overseeing and distributing contributions of monies, goods, services and/or financial consideration.

 

The Gardner Public Schools School Committee must approve any program, project, event and/or activity not funded in the current fiscal year’s budget prior to accepting any monies, goods, services and/or financial consideration from benefactors (those who contribute).  Therefore, the School Committee may disapprove any proposed program, project, event and/or activity prior to and subsequent to; any monies, goods, services and/or financial consideration being accepted so long as such disapproval does not violate established district polices and regulations.

 

Benefactors may generally designate, with School Committee approval, a program, project, event and/or activity their contribution(s) may support but may not designated and detail specific expectations related to those contributions.  Any promotion or advertising associated with a contribution is subject to School Committee approval.

 

Contributions may be made to those programs, projects, events, and/or activities that have been established and/or those that may be established within a period of time that is mutually agreed upon by the School Committee and benefactor.

 

Once contributions are made and the benefactor has designated (if appropriate) to which program, project, even and/or activity his/her contribution shall be made, the district shall ensure that other programs, projects, events and/or activities shall not suffer as a result of accepting said contributions.

 

Acceptance of any and all private funding must be done in full and complete compliance with standing district policies/practices, state and federal laws/statutes and contractual obligations. 

 

All of the questions listed below should be considered before any decision is made in regard to private funding.  Different weight may be given to different questions and/or answers depending upon the attendance circumstances.

 

However, nothing contained within this policy is intended to preclude the School Committee from wholly and without condition, rejecting an offer of private funding if the answer to one or more of the below proposed questions or other logical, related and fair minded questions is contrary to law, a district policy, a district practice, a contractual obligation which may impact the district or is financially and/or educationally disruptive or unsound.

 

Questions to be Considered Prior to Decision

 

  1. Is acceptance a financially sound decision?  Will the district incur acceptable or unacceptable additional financial obligations as a result of the School Committee’s decision?
  2. Is there a positive educational or other program need which is satisfactorily addressed by acceptance?
  3. Is there sufficient participatory interest in the program, project, event and/or activity?
  4. Does the district have available or readily available, satisfactory staff and/or supervisory/administrative support?
  5. Has the proposal been reviewed by appropriate administrative personnel and has that review been communicated to the School Committee?
  6. Does the district have available or readily available, satisfactory supporting and necessary materials, equipment and/or supplies (i.e., classroom, playing field, books, etc.)?
  7. Can the program, project, event and/or activity be sustained at an educationally sound level of the projected duration and if applicable, thereafter?
  8. Does acceptance violate or conflict with any federal, state or municipal law, any district policy, any district practice or any contractual obligation?
  9. Is the proposal submitted in a timely manner, which would not unduly hamper the implementation?
  10. Is acceptance based upon the district principals of fairness and equity?

 

The above does not constitute an exhaustive list of the questions to be asked before any decision is to be made in regard to private funding.

 

The district greatly appreciates the generosity of benefactors who are willing to make such selfless contributions solely for the benefit of the students and staff.

 

Legal References:  MGL, c. 71, s. 37A; MGL, c. 44, s. 53A

 

[Adopted: November 2004]