Communication Policies
Links
Relevant District Policies
- Social Media Guidelines
- ACC - Trademark Policy
- KB - Public Information Program
- KBB - Media Access to School Campuses
- KE - Social Networking/Websites that Represent OSSD
- KJ - Advertising in the Schools
Social Media Guidelines
Ocean Springs School District encourages public interaction and communication about the content we post on all our social media channels. However, this does not mean that we support or agree with the content, opinions, or views that are expressed with any comment on our social media accounts. The user who posts the original comment is solely responsible for the content of the comment.
OSSD does not discriminate against views or opinions posted to our district-owned accounts, but we reserve the right to remove any comment made on any of our channels. Public comments will never be modified or edited by OSSD; the comment will be deleted in its entirety. Below is a list of reasons we may remove a comment or ban an individual:
- Abusive, vulgar, obscene, racist, threatening, or harassing comments made in the direction of others
- Libel, slander, or personal attacks of any kind, including the use of offensive terms or slurs that target specific individuals or groups
- Spam, including content that promotes products or services or contains gratuitous links
- Makes unsupported accusations towards district employees, students, or other parents
- Comments that suggest or encourage illegal, dangerous, or destructive activity
- Vulgar or obscene language
- Duplicate posts
- Clearly off-topic
- Political campaigning
- Misrepresentation/misinformation of Ocean Springs School District
- Posing as Ocean Springs School District
- Fake/duplicate accounts
- Comments using the names of students/staff that contain information that could violate FERPA guidelines
WARNING: it is against policy to impersonate an official Ocean Springs School District social media account or post false information about or from the school system under an anonymous account or alias. Depending on the nature of the post, such action may result in notification to local law enforcement. If made by an employee or student, it could result in disciplinary action.
ACC - Trademark Policy
It is the intent of the Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) Board of Trustees (BOT) that individuals adhere to the provisions of state and federal trademark law. The OSSD BOT realizes that severe penalties are provided for the unauthorized use of registered trademarks unless an exception falls within the bounds of fair use.
Therefore, any person who shall:
- Use, without the consent of the registrant, any reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or colorable supimitation of a mark registered under the provisions of state and federal trademark law, in connection with the sale, distribution, offering for sale, or advertising of any goods or services on or in connection with which such use is likely to cause confusion or mistake or to deceive as to the source of origin of such goods or services; or
- Reproduce, counterfeit, copy or colorably imitate any such mark and apply such reproduction, counterfeit, copy or colorable imitation to labels, signs, prints, packages, wrappers, receptacles, or advertisements intended to be used upon or in connection with the sale or other distribution in this state of such goods or services; shall be liable in a civil action by the registrant for any and all of the remedies provided under Mississippi Law. MS Code § 75-25-23.
Likewise, the OSSD BOT is authorized to register and protect the OSSD’s trademarks relating to OSSD operations and activities and prevent the unauthorized use of its name and logo. Any unauthorized use of OSSD’s intellectual property, including but not limited to, OSSD’s logo, name, and/or mascot is prohibited. Any individual person, home based business, not for profit business, local business, or national business, excluding OSSD officials or OSSD affiliated groups (i.e. PTO, booster clubs, athletics) for district-related events and instruction materials, who wish to use these symbols may do so only after receiving express permission from the Superintendent or his/her designee. OSSD has the right to revoke access to any OSSD trademark owned material at any time.
Political candidates and political campaigns are not allowed to use the OSSD registered trademarks.
Funds from OSSD Trademarks
Under Mississippi Law, OSSD BOT is authorized to receive funds in exchange for permitting the use of its name and logo, but such funds become public funds and must be accounted for in the same manner as other public funds. Any agreement between OSSD and a third party authorizing the use of OSSD’s name or logo must meet all statutory requirements applicable to public schools or governmental entities for such agreements.
A local business means a privately owned business that primarily sells its products and services to consumers in its own city, town, or geographic area.
A national business means any publicly owned business and any privately owned business which does not meet the definition of a local business. The fees are as follows unless otherwise outlined in the annual contractual agreement:
- home based businesses & not for profits: fee waived upon approval
- local businesses: minimum of $250
- national businesses minimum of $500
Application available upon request for approval through the superintendent or his/her designee.
All employees will be advised of this policy. OSSD employees who willfully disregard the law and/or the provisions of this policy do so at their own risk and assume all liability. The legal and/or insurance protection of OSSD will NOT be extended to anyone in violation. The OSSD BOT authorizes the superintendent to establish administrative procedures consistent with this policy.
KB - Public Information Program
COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC
School-Sponsored Media
The superintendent and his/her staff are encouraged to use all available school-sponsored media for communication to keep the goals, programs, achievements, and needs of Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) before interested stakeholders.
The superintendent may delegate authority to the communications director, and to the school principal as he/she sees fit. The ultimate responsibility for OSSD’s dissemination of information to the public is the superintendent’s.
The superintendent and communications director are responsible for all informational services to and from the public and are the only individuals permitted to speak on behalf of OSSD, except for such matters the OSSD Board of Trustees (BOT) may wish to deal with publicly itself.
Announcements to Parents and the General Public
Materials for district-wide distribution will be released through the central office and carry the approval of the superintendent or the communications director at the superintendent’s direction.
The principal of each school is responsible for routine school announcements to the parents of his/her school, and he/she should keep a copy of all such releases for needed future reference and documentation. All such announcements and releases of individual school activities must be cleared by the principal before being released.
School-Sponsored Publications, Radio, and Television
Publications issued by, and in the name of, the schools of OSSD shall reflect the high regard and aspirations of the people for their schools.
High-quality editorial content and effective format will be used when publications are released.
Regular and special radio and TV programs shall be consistent with the mission and vision of OSSD. It is important that such programs also reflect the high regard and aspirations of our people for their schools.
Individual School Publications
Each school may, with the approval of the building principal, establish a school newspaper for the students of the school and their parents. Such publications should be carefully prepared and professional in nature, as well as positively reflect the mission and vision of OSSD.
The principal is responsible for supervising such publications to conform with the guidelines of board policy on communications with the public.
Communications from Outside the Schools
Students and faculty of the schools shall be protected from intrusions on their time by announcements, posters, bulletins, and communications of any kind from individuals and organizations not directly connected with OSSD. All outside requests to disseminate materials to the schools must be approved by the superintendent or communications director.
Administrators shall interpret this policy strictly. Exceptions may be made when, in their judgment, the best interests of the students will be served. In case of differences of opinion, the decision of the superintendent is final.
Publications, Radio, and Television
The BOT invites and welcomes the active interest and participation of newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and other forms of mass communication in promoting the accomplishments and events of OSSD students and staff.
Media coverage of OSSD and its students, staff members, and activities, must be presented in the public interest.
As outlined in OSSD BOT Policy KBB, media coverage involving the names, footage, or images of OSSD and its students and employees must first have permission from the superintendent or communications director. No identification of the schools with the promotion of any commercial or political enterprise shall be permitted. Students and staff members of OSSD and its properties, both physical and intellectual, who appear in the media during or after school hours shall not be permitted to associate the name of a particular school, school activity, or the school district with the promotion of any commercial or political enterprise.
Commercial Mass Media
It is the responsibility of the principal and communications director to be advised of and to supervise all media appearances made in, or involving the individual school.
It is the responsibility of the OSSD Director of Communications to inform the building principal or supervisor of media appearances being conducted in their facility or with their employees. Students who represent OSSD through such media should have prior permission from the principal, who should obtain full information concerning the appearance, including parental consent for online media located in PowerSchool.
The communications director should be assigned the responsibility for informing the news media of newsworthy school activities. This information shall be communicated to the communications director by or with the permission of, the building principal. Staff members should be informed that suggestions for such releases must be channeled through the principal or supervisor.
KBB - Media Access to School Campuses
It shall be the policy of the Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) Board of Trustees (BOT) that media access to school campuses shall be granted by the superintendent or communications director. Without such authority having been granted, all representatives of the media will be denied access to the campuses, buildings, staff, or students of the schools. Principals will comply and, along with the communications director, coordinate access to schools when it is not an intrusion to the instructional programs for students.
OSSD is committed to providing up-to-date information about the district and its activities in a timely and appropriate manner. It is the intention of the BOT and the responsibility of the superintendent to maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning with as few disruptions as possible.
All media requests should be directed to the communications director, whose responsibility it to coordinate and approve media access to school campuses. Employees and administrators should forward such requests to the communications director.
KE - Social Networking/Websites that Represent OSSD
Social Networking/Websites that Represent OSSD
Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) recognizes the benefit in maintaining a web presence via social media and other websites. OSSD encourages open dialogs that these types of venues create. OSSD encourages public interaction and communication about the content posted on all social media channels. When comments are made and participation by the public occurs, the former “public forum” environment is transformed to a “limited public forum,” meaning the space is designated for speech by certain groups or for discussion of certain topics. This does not mean that OSSD supports or agrees with the content, opinions, or views expressed with any comments on OSSD social media accounts. The user who posts the original comment is solely responsible for the content of the comment speech by certain groups or for discussion of certain topics. OSSD also recognizes that when OSSD allows for an open dialog in a public setting that individuals may abuse that by posting information that will be viewed as disrespectful or hurtful. Furthermore, when community groups, clubs, or parent organizations create sites/pages that represent any OSSD entity, OSSD must be assured that this representation is in compliance with OSSD policies and that they promote the mission of OSSD.
OSSD does not discriminate against views or opinions posted to our OSSD-owned accounts, but OSSD reserves the right to remove any comment made on any of our channels. Public comments will never be modified or edited by OSSD; the comment will be deleted in its entirety.
Below you will find OSSD’s Rules of Engagement that must be published on any social media site that represents the OSSD. This provides a list of reasons OSSD will remove a comment or ban an individual or account.
Rules of Engagement
The goal of using social media and websites by OSSD, including all of the schools in the OSSD and teachers or sponsors associated with those schools, is to share important information with our public and engage in an open and respectful dialogue. To help accomplish this goal OSSD asks individuals to abide by the following guidelines:
- Participants must not engage in abusive, vulgar, obscene, racist, threatening, or harassing comments made in the direction of others.
- Participants must not engage in libel, slander, or personal attacks of any kind, including the use of offensive terms or slurs that target specific individuals or groups.
- Participants must not engage in using spam, including content that promotes products or services or contain gratuitous links.
- Participants must not engage in unsupported accusations towards OSSD employees, students, or other parents.
- Participants must not engage in comments that suggest or encourage illegal, dangerous, or destructive activity.
- Participants must not engage in vulgar or obscene language.
- Duplicate posts, off topic comments will be removed.
- Political campaigning or lobbying will be removed.
- Misrepresentation/misinformation of OSSD will be removed.
- Postings incorrectly made as an OSSD representative will be removed.
- Comments made by fake accounts will be removed.
- Participants must not engage in open conversations or personal issues.
- Participants must not engage in personal attacks or comments that are deemed offensive to any member of our community as they will not be tolerated.
- Questions for a specific employee should be communicated via their school email.
- Participants must be aware of the purpose. The purpose of the OSSD is education. Be certain that your comments are appropriate for an educational environment and participants of all ages.
OSSD and individual schools may use social media sites and services for communications, marketing, and other purposes. Control and management of those pages are only by OSSD designated individuals. No one may create any official OSSD or school social media page without the express consent of the Superintendent of Schools.
Participants, including any accounts of association, who repeatedly fail to adhere to the rules above are subject to being blocked on OSSD-owned social media channels.
KJ - Advertising in the Schools
School activities sponsored or authorized by the Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) Board of Trustees (BOT) as a part of the curricular or extracurricular program may be advertised in and on OSSD-owned facilities.
Information relating to community organizations may be permitted on school premises with the prior approval of the Superintendent or communications director.
It will be the responsibility of the building principal to determine the advertising placed in the teachers’ lounge for the attention of the employees. There should be nothing advertised or displayed which would cause disruption or interference with the teachers’ duties nor the teachers’ use of the lounge for its intended purpose.
Advertising displays may be affixed to glass or ceramic surfaces or posted on bulletin boards in a manner to be designated by the building principal. The use of any adhesive device on painted or varnished surfaces is prohibited.
The distribution of handbills and/or fliers to students or parents on school property without prior approval from the superintendent or his/her designee is prohibited. The application of bumper stickers, decals, or any other adhesive material to vehicles parked on school premises is prohibited except when such materials are attached by the owner of the vehicle.
DURING SCHOOL HOURS
Business, industrial, commercial, religious, or political advertisements and announcements shall not be permitted during school hours when students are present.
EXTRACURRICULAR & DISTRICT-AFFILIATED EVENTS
Appropriate advertising will be permitted in district publications, including school newspapers, yearbooks, and in programs and/or fliers, prepared in conjunction with authorized school events for athletic, dramatic, and music events and programs.
Appropriate business, industrial, and commercial advertising may be displayed at athletic and extracurricular events when such advertising has the specific approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee, acting in accordance with the intent of this policy statement. Political advertising is not permitted at OSSD-affiliated extracurricular activities or facilities at any time.
NON-DISTRICT EVENTS
When school facilities are rented for non-school purposes, it shall be the responsibility of the school principal to arrange for the inspection of the facilities after the rental and to require that all displays be removed in accordance with the intent of the above paragraph.