Policy: 6114
Administration
Gifts, Donations and Memorials
The Board of Directors recognizes that individuals and organizations in the community may wish to contribute additional supplies or equipment to enhance or extend the instructional program.
Any gift or donation to the district of real property can be accepted only by Board of Directors’ approval. Additionally, any gift or donation to the district or to an individual school, department or program of money, materials or equipment having a value of $3,000 or greater will be subject to Board of Directors’ approval. In no event shall any commitment be made by a staff member or other individuals in return for any gift to the district or to a school, department or program without the Board of Directors’ authorization.
The district may not authorize acceptance of gifts or donations that are inappropriate, which carry with them unsuitable conditions, which will obligate the district to future expenditures from the general fund, or which are out of proportion to the value of the gift. Unless authorized by this policy or otherwise approved by the Board of Directors, all gifts and donations will become district property and will be accepted without obligation relative to use and/or disposal.
The superintendent will establish criteria to be met in the acceptance of all gifts or donations to the district, regardless of whether they are solicited or unsolicited.
Unsolicited Gifts or Donations to the District
Money or additional supplies and equipment donated by booster clubs or other groups or patrons to support specific teams or extra-curricular activities are not to result in unacceptable levels of disparity of allocation favoring one team or gender.
Solicited Gifts or Donations to the District
Certificated staff seeking donations for their classroom must obtain prior approval from the building principal. Other staff or administrators seeking donations to benefit an entire school or the district as a whole must obtain prior approval from the Superintendent or his/her designee. In no event will any commitment be made by a staff member or other individuals in return for any gift to the district or to a school or department without the Board of Directors' authorization.
Gifts to Staff
The Board of Directors recognizes that students and/or parents may wish to express their appreciation to school staff by giving gifts. In recognition of the fact that not all families can afford to show their appreciation with gifts, the Board of Directors encourages the giving of letters of appreciation instead.
Donations to the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District Family Center
The Board of Directors recognizes the purpose of the family center’s operations is to support student academic achievement by focusing on students; and their families’ overall health and well-being, including supporting children and strengthening family units, empowering families to become self-sufficient and successful, increasing community support for children and families and enhancing parenting skills through education.
Donations to the family center will be used in accordance to donor’s requests consistent with this purpose, including but not limited to, clothing, food, lodging, utility payments, etc.
The Board of Directors is not under any obligation to accept gifts or donations.
Memorials
From time to time the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District must confront the issue of dealing appropriately with the death of an individual. The purpose of this policy is to set forth uniform guidelines when responding to the death of an individual. When an individual dies it is generally a school wide (if not a community wide) tragedy. Schools are immediately identified as having some responsibility to make sure the life is recognized and honored. The District welcomes this opportunity and desires to help in the grieving and healing processes.
The District is obligated, however, to exercise caution in the method used to recognize a deceased individual. Research indicates two potential problems.
First, physical memorials have the potential to communicate immortalization, essentially glamorizing the death in the minds of some students. People who suffer from depression or other psychological problems and are at risk for suicidal behavior are often motivated to take their own lives when they are exposed to a memorial immortalizing the death of an individual.
Secondly, memorials can be an ongoing visual reminder of what happened, leading people to worry if it will happen again or wondering if they could be next. From this perspective, memorials in the school or on school property pose a significant risk simply because a school is a “closed” environment. It becomes almost impossible for individuals to avoid the physical reminders of a death when a memorial is located on school premises. Memorials need to be an opportunity of choice, as we all grieve differently. For some, it is healthier not to be reminded.
The District does not allow:
- Funerals on school property.
- Memorial services that may alter the routine of a regular school instructional day.
- Memorials that require the altering of school property.
- Memorials that require the altering of school activities or the activity schedule.
- Memorials that infringe on the separation of church and state.
- Memorials that require the use of public funds to purchase, develop, or maintain.
- Memorials that include plaques attached to any object on school property.
- Memorials that draw attention or have the potential to glamorize the death.
- Memorials that consist of a monument on school property.
- Memorials in the yearbook.
- Memorials attached to a wall or in a trophy case.
Acceptable memorials/activities may include:
- Scholarships established in the name of the individual.
- Collection of money to be donated to the deceased’s family or charity of their choice. Fund raising or dedication ceremonies will be conducted outside of the regular school day.
- A sympathy card from the school (possibly signed by students) and flowers at the funeral.
The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District appreciates that individual or groups may wish to make contributions to the District to establish memorials. All memorials are gifts to the District and must be accepted by the Board of Directors with the exception of scholarships that are maintained outside of the District.
All District buildings will be named by the Board of Directors in accordance with District policy.
Cross References:
Board Policy 4120 – School Support Organizations
Board Policy 5251 – Conflicts of Interest Board Policy 3515 - Student Incentives
Board Policy 6100 - Revenues from Local, State and Federal Sources
Procedure 6114P- Gifts and Donations
Legal References:
RCW 28A.320.030 Gifts, conveyances, etc., for scholarship and student aid purposes, receipt and administration
WAC 392-190-025 Recreational and athletic activities.
Management Resources:
2015 - June Policy Issue
Policy 6114 updated: 10/2020
Previously Policy 4232 which was adopted in 11/2012
Revised: 01/2021