This is an old revision of the document!
Policy KHB
Advertising and Publicity in Schools
School Board Approved: September 14, 2026
I. General Policy Statement: The Jaffrey Rindge Cooperative School District encourages community members and business owners to provide financial support for school activities. One permissible method of showing support is to buy advertisements or sponsor banners, posters, signs, etc., for display on school property, under the conditions and restrictions set forth by the Board.
JRCSD shall protect students and parents from exploitation and ensure that commercial activities do not interfere with educational programs. Except for instruction relating to advertising, students shall not be required to listen to, read, or be subjected to commercial advertising in the classroom or school-provided materials in curriculum-related activities, except as provided by this policy.
II. Definitions:
A. Advertisement: Any payment of money or other economic benefit to a school or to the school district that requires visual, audio, or video placement of a name, logo, slogan, or product message on a school district property, publication, or broadcast. The term advertisement does not include traditional fundraising activities, see Policy JJE , nor does it apply to public gifts and donations to which no quid pro quo is attached, see Policy KCD.
B. Sponsorship: Any payment of money or other economic benefit to a school or the district in exchange for recognition.
C. Publicity and Promotional Material: Newspaper and magazine articles, announcements on televised and radio programs, web sites, web publicity, public service announcements (PSAs), letters to the editor, Social Media outlets in accordance with Policy JICL.
D. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): 2025 updates strengthen rules against third party data-sharing and children’s data retention.
III. Regulations:
A. Advertisement/Sponsorship
No advertisement or sponsorship, as defined by this policy, shall be allowed unless it complies with this policy, fits one or more of the following categories, and is approved by the site administrator and/or superintendent or designee.
1. Paid advertisement in a school student publication or other district publication;
2. Instructional aides furnished by private sources when the advertising is reasonable, non-intrusive, and not inherent to the content;
3. Signs on school property or at school events that meet local sign ordinances and comply with this policy;
4. Advertising/sponsorship for an extra-curricular activity;
5. A pro-school sponsorship for an organization approved by the board of education.
6. The display of product names of vending machines is appropriately placed in the school for the use of students, staff, and the public.
7. Incidental advertisements that appear when students are using various Internet services. See
COPPA.
8. Any advertisement or sponsorship, announcement shall be strictly limited to identifying the group, organization, or business, as follows:
a. Name of group, organization, or business;
b. Address, phone, and email address of group, organization, or business;
c. No logos or symbols unless they are associated with identifying the specific entity or enterprise and do not represent viewpoint expression.
B. Publicity and Promotional Materials:
Non-school sponsored advertising and publicity may be permitted when the Principal and Superintendent judge that the content fits into the overall instructional objectives of the school and shall have prior approval of the Superintendent. Neither the facilities, the name, the staff, nor the children of any school within the Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District shall be employed in any manner for advertising or otherwise promoting the interests of any commercial or other non-school agency or organization, except that:
● The school may cooperate in furthering the work of any nonprofit, community-wide social service agency, provided that such cooperation does not restrict or impair the educational program of the schools.
● The District has agreements with non-profit organizations that may use advertising in facilities they have helped construct, and those organizations may solicit advertising and display advertising only in the respective facility for which they have raised funds by following the guidelines in this Policy without specific Superintendent approval.
● The schools may use films or other educational materials bearing only simple mention of the producing or sponsoring firm.
● The schools may participate in radio or televised programs under acceptable commercial sponsorship when such participation is supplementary or beneficial to the program of the schools.
● The Superintendent may, at their discretion, announce or authorize to be announced any lecture or other community activity of particular educational merit.
● The schools may, upon approval of the Superintendent, cooperate with any governmental agency in promoting activities in the general public interest which are nonpartisan and non-controversial and which promote the education or other best interests of the pupils.
● School publications may accept and publish paid advertising and publicity under established procedures. Promotional literature will not be distributed through the schools except for recognized educational and youth-oriented organizations.
C. Prohibited Commercial Activities:
No viewpoint is permitted. No advertising or sponsorship shall be accepted if it:
1. Advertises or promotes tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, or weapons;
2. Promotes hostility, disorder, or violence;
3. Contains vulgar, abusive, obscene, or sexually explicit language;
4. Is libelous;
5. Demeans any person or group based on race, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, or religion;
6. Advocates the violation of law or board policy;
7. Advances any religious or political purpose or interests;
8. Promotes, favors, or opposes a candidate for elected office or a ballot measure;
9. Is associated with any company or individual whose actions are inconsistent with JRSCD’s educational mission and goals or community values; or
10. It is otherwise in violation of the law.
D. Non-Endorsement:
Advertising and sponsorship permitted under this policy shall not be considered as an endorsement or approval by the board of any particular group, organization, or company, nor of any purposes, programs, activities, products, or services of any such group.
E. Cancellation:
The board reserves the right to cancel or amend, at any time, any agreement or contract, whether oral or in writing, between any school, parent organization, or booster club and a group organization or business regarding sponsorship or advertisement on school property or at school events. All advertisement and sponsorship contracts shall clearly state the board’s right to cancel the contract. The Board reserves the right to cancel or amend, at any time, any agreement or contract, whether oral or in writing, between any school, parent organization, or booster club and a group organization or business regarding sponsorship or advertisement on school property or at school events. All advertisement and sponsorship contracts shall clearly state the board’s right to cancel the contract.
F. Accounting:
Advertising revenues must be paid directly to the District, unless the revenue comes from contracts with one of the approved organizations for paying for a facility in the District, regardless of how the advertisers come to be willing to pay for advertising on District property or in District publications. The revenues may be acknowledged (credited) to the District organization involved with securing the advertising but that organization cannot have direct receipt and control of the revenues, except for an approved organization paying for a facility in the District. The revenues shall be accounted for and reported in compliance with the NH Bureau of School Finance legal requirements. A periodic report shall be made to the Board by the Superintendent, or designee, regarding the scope and amount of such revenues.
District Policy History:
First reading: August 17, 2026
Second reading/Adopted: September 14, 2026
District revision history: Adopted August 15, 2005
Page Tools
