SCHOOL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS (SSO) | Policy Manual

9215 - SCHOOL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS (SSO)

The Board believes that school support organizations (SSOs) provide invaluable assistance to the students of this District and its programs and appreciates the efforts of all organizations whose objectives are to enhance the educational experiences of District students, to help meet educational needs of students, and/or provide extra educational benefits not provided for, at the time, by the Board. The Board encourages parents and staff to participate in such organizations.

Definitions

For purposes of this policy, the following terms are defined as follows:

SSOs: include the following: Booster Club, Foundation, Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), Parent Teacher Support Association, or any other nongovernmental organization or group of persons whose primary purpose is to support a District, school, school club, or academic, arts, athletic or social activities related to a school, that collects or receives money, materials, property or securities from students, parents or members of the general public.

Donation: Any gift or contribution of money, materials, property or securities from any nongovernmental source received by a school official or employee for the benefit of a District, school, school club, or academic, arts, athletic or social activity related to a school.

Internal School Funds: Any and all money received and accounted for at individual schools by school administration, and specifically include, but are not limited to: (a) Any donation or grant made to the school, a school club, or any academic, arts, athletic or social activity related to a school; (b) Funds for cafeteria services operated at the school; (c) Fees collected by the school; (d) Funds transferred to the local school from the school board that are to be accounted for at the local school level; (d) Funds raised through cooperative agreements with outside organizations; (e) Rental fees charged outside entities for use of school facilities; and (f) Student activity funds.

The Principal is authorized to provide support and assistance as appropriate upon the request of such an organization.

Recordkeeping Requirements

All SSOs shall maintain, at a minimum, the following:

detailed statements of receipts and disbursements;
minutes of any meetings; and
a copy of its charter, bylaws, and documentation of its recognition as a nonprofit organization.

SSO Officer Responsibilities

The SSO officers shall be responsible for the following:

safeguarding the SSO funds;
assuring that the funds are spent only for purposes related to the goals and objectives of the SSO; and
adopting and maintaining appropriate written policies for the SSO specifying reasonable procedures for accounting, controlling, and safeguarding any money, materials, property, or securities collected or disbursed by it.

Limitation of Liability

The District Administrator shall require each SSOs fundraising activities comply with all applicable Board policies, including, but not limited to, the requirement that, if approved, fundraisers that involve the sale to students of food items or beverages to be consumed on campus can only be conducted from thirty (30) minutes following the close of the last lunch period until thirty (30) minutes after the end of the school day.

All disbursements of donations shall comply with State and Federal law as well as the provisions in Policy 6608 - Accountability and Oversight of Fundraiser and Crowdfunding Disbursements.

SSOs shall indemnify and hold the Board harmless from and against any and all claims and causes of action arising out of or related to the SSOs' acts and omissions in carrying out their activities. The District, Board, or any Board staff member shall not incur any liability for the recognition of an SSO or the SSO's failure to safeguard school support organization funds.

Required Compliance Measures

Any organization described in this policy must obtain an advance written cooperative agreement from the District Administrator before using any of the District's logos or name.

Nondiscrimination

SSOs shall allow participation by parents, staff, and community members. All meetings should be communicated to the District and/or school and be open to the public. SSOs shall not discriminate on the basis of a class of individuals protected by State and/or Federal law (collectively "protected classes").

Persons shall not be excluded from participation in SSOs based upon the extent or level of their past participation.

Other Rules and Procedures

The following additional rules and procedures shall govern the working relationships between the Board, staff, and any approved SSO. The Board may revoke formal recognition and suspend fundraising privileges of any SSO that fails to comply with these rules:

The Board relies upon approved SSOs to operate in a manner consistent with public expectations for the schools and reserves the right to withdraw sponsorship from any outside support organization that violates the bounds of community taste.
Membership should be available to staff, as appropriate, and members of the community in addition to parents.
SSOs shall work in cooperation with the Principal and other staff members and shall abide by the policies of the Board. It shall be the responsibility of each outside support organization to monitor its activities to assure compliance with Board policy.
SSOs are encouraged to set goals that are consistent with those of the particular programs, activities or sports being supported as articulated by the coach/advisor and/or athletic director of such program, activity or sport, to avoid duplication of effort and to maximize the benefit to the organization or group.
SSOs must abide by the policies and procedures established for the use of Board facilities and grounds. Projects that require any modification or alteration to Board property must be pre-approved by the District Administrator.

Revised 4/22/24