4060 Procedure – Distribution and Display of Information

Bellingham Public Schools shares information with students, families or staff that is sponsored by the district, our schools, PTA’s/PTO’s or the Bellingham Public Schools Foundation. The district and our schools do not otherwise send flyers home with students or email, call or text families or staff or post/display information or signage on our website or district/school property  at the request of organizations or businesses. Instead, we use the following strategies to achieve a balance of sharing helpful information without adversely impacting our students, families or staff.

A. Encourage community organizations and businesses to use their own or other community marketing resources.  

B. Distribution: Staff will only send district, school, Bellingham Public Schools Foundation or PTA information home with students at a particular school. Please do not send requests to schools or the district office to distribute information/flyers home with students, email, post or display information or signage on our website or district/school property. Bellingham Public Schools occasionally partners with community-based publications or online calendar/event news sources geared for children and families. The Department of Communications and Community Relations may approve distribution periodically of these publications or news sources to elementary families based on the value for families and accessibility of activities being promoted. Example may include but not limited to the City of Bellingham parks and recreation Playbook.

C. School Community Bulletin Board/Staff Bulletin Board: Non-profit organizations (501c-3 only) may mail or drop off a flyer/information at a particular school for the principal’s consideration for posting on the school’s community bulletin board and/or in the staff lounge. Postings may not promote a fundraising or religious activity for the non-profit organization; may not promote commercial enterprises; may not violate existing laws, regulations or ordinances or school policy/ rules/regulations; may not contain language that is intimidating, demeaning, harassing or threatening on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, neurodivergence, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, including, but not limited to racial, sexual, or ethnic slurs; Postings must also have the following disclaimer “This event/service is sponsored by, (name of organization), a registered nonprofit organization. It is not sponsored by Bellingham Public Schools. The district assumes no responsibility for this service or conduct or safety during the event.” Information will be posted at the principal’s discretion.

D. School Newsletters and Signage (Print and Electronic): Non-profit organizations (501c-3 only) may email school secretaries a brief, 1-3 sentence informational item for the principal’s consideration for school newsletters and/or school interior/exterior reader boards or signage that follows the posting criteria (see C). Inclusion of information in newsletters or display will be at the principal’s discretion and may not include fundraising promotions for non-profits or promote commercial enterprises.

Adopted/Previous Revisions: 01/24/96; 05/08/08; 03/14/13; 01/14/14; 04/22/14; 03/23/15; 01/24/18; 09/03/21; 06/13/23

Last Revised: 09/29/25

Superintendent or Board Approved: Superintendent Approved