Lower Dauphin School District

For the past five years, the district has experimented with an online community notice board for our community partners to post flyers and notices of various events and student opportunities.

That system will stay in place should they request it, but the school board voted to retire Policy 707.1 which prohibited flyers from being sent home with students. 

The District will approve flyers on Wednesdays only. Distribution will occur no earlier than the following Monday. The requesting organization must drop off the approved flyers at the appropriate schools on the closest business day prior to the Monday on which they want the flyer sent home with students. It is the responsibility of the requesting organization to ensure that the proposed flyer is submitted for review in accordance with the stated timeline.

As stated earlier, should the community organization request it, we will continue to post flyers at www.ldsd.org/notices, parents/guardians have the option to subscribe to receive email updates via an RSS feed when new notices are posted. When you visit the school page you’re interested in receiving updates from, simply click the RSS feed icon to subscribe.

If you have any questions about the online postings, please contact the school office or the community relations coordinator at 717-566-5307.

General Instructions

As part of our ongoing community engagement initiatives, the Lower Dauphin School District recognizes the important role that local governments, non-profit, and community organizations play in providing educational, cultural, and social service opportunities for students during non-school hours. As such, the District has partnered with such organizations to support their initiatives through the distribution of community flyers. General advertising through flyers or promotional materials by for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations, religious organizations, institutions of higher learning, and governmental organizations is governed by LD’s Relations With Special Interest Groups Policy (Policy 913). The District receives many requests to post and/or distribute flyers to its students and their families. The following regulations will govern the distribution and posting of flyers at Lower Dauphin.

Which organizations can distribute Flyers?

The District shall consider approval of flyers from local non-profit community organizations, institutions of higher learning, religious organizations, LD booster clubs or government entities that advertise a date-specific event or program. The District retains the right to request proof of non-profit status in order for approval. Please see 'General Guidelines and Distribution Procedures' below.

Requests may not be approved from the following entities:

• For-profit organizations that advertise a date-specific event or program will not be approved for general distribution. Such flyers may be considered for placement on singly in each school’s office.
• Nonprofit organizations and government entities not native to the Lower Dauphin School District’s five municipalities that advertise a date-specific event or program will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Such flyers not approved may be considered for placement singly in each school’s office.

General Guidelines and Distribution Procedures:

Flyers should be submitted to the Community Relations Office for approval. It is the responsibility of the requesting party to contact the Community Relations Office to see whether or not their flyer has been approved for distribution. Contact information for the Community Relations Office is as follows:

• By Mail or in Person: 291 East Main Street, Hummelstown, PA 17036
• By Email: cwolf@ldsd.org
• Additional Questions: (717) 566-5307

If the District chooses to distribute one flyer, it must distribute all flyers without viewpoint discrimination as long as it meets pre-established criteria. Viewpoint discrimination is generally defined as singling out a particular subject and treating it differently.

The mere distribution of flyers does not compel anyone to do anything. It is not an endorsement by the School District; it is simply a community service.

All flyers submitted for approval from entities not sponsored by the District must contain the following disclaimer (in a recognizable and readable font no smaller than 10-point size): THIS EVENT, PROGRAM OR GROUP IS NOT SPONSORED OR ENDORSED BY THE LOWER DAUPHIN SCHOOL DISTRICT.

If the function or program on the flyer is taking place on a Lower Dauphin campus, prior approval must be obtained in accordance with the District’s Use of Facilities Policy (policy 707). To avoid falsely advertising a program or service that is in our school buildings, proof of approval for building use must be submitted at the time the flyer approval is requested.

All flyers approved for distribution shall bear the name and contact information of the requesting organization.

Approval of the flyer does not imply District endorsement of any identified program, product, or service.

All flyers must advertise a date-specific event or program. General advertising through flyers or promotional materials by for-profit, non-profit, institutions of higher learning, and governmental organizations is prohibited.

Distribution Procedures

A copy of all approved flyers will be APPROVED and sent to the respective school buildings. Flyers will not be distributed to students by schools unless approved.

The District will approve flyers on Wednesdays only. Distribution will occur no earlier than the following Monday.

The requesting organization must drop off the approved flyers at the appropriate schools on the closest business day prior to the Monday in which they want the flyer sent home with students.

It is the responsibility of the requesting organization to ensure that the proposed flyer is submitted for review in accordance with the stated timeline.

For-profit organizations that advertise a date-specific event or program will not be approved for general distribution. Such flyers may be considered for placement on singly in each school’s office.

Nonprofit organizations and government entities not native to the Lower Dauphin School District’s five municipalities that advertise a date-specific event or program will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Such flyers not approved may be considered for placement singly in each school’s office.

Distribution and printing is the responsibility of the requesting organization. All approved flyers must be bundled per school according to the distribution list found below. For grade specific totals, contact the Community Relations Office at the contact information listed above.

Packet Sizes:

• Conewago Elementary School: 12 packets of 30
• East Hanover Elementary School: 17 packets of 30
• Londonderry Elementary School: 13 packets of 30
• Nye (Hummelstown) Elementary School: 16 packets of 30
• South Hanover Elementary School: 18 packs of 30
• Lower Dauphin Middle School: 5 flyers for office display
• Lower Dauphin High School: 5 flyers for office display
• Price School: 5 flyers for office display

Right to Refuse

The Superintendent or designee reserves the right to reject notices for distribution or display by any individual or organization at any time. The privilege of using the district distribution system and its display areas is meant to serve all residents of the district as a community service and not to divide the school community or to insult or offend anyone. The right to refuse to distribute or display literature is reserved when deemed necessary in the public interest.

Responses to notices from outside groups will not be returned or collected on District property or by any District personnel.

Complaints regarding the distribution or rejection shall be presented in accordance with Policy 906, Public Complaints.

The following guidelines will be used in interpreting the public interest:

1. The organization shall not conduct its meetings and activities or publish public notices in a manner that incites others to disorder or encourages hostility, violence, or disregard for violation of legal obligations.
    
2. The organization or its notice is not defamatory or abusive of other groups by reason of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation. 
    
3. Notices that promote any purpose that is unlawful will be rejected.
    
4. Notices that promote partisan politics, support or campaign for a particular political candidate, or advocate a divisive political issue that are contrary to the District’s interest in maintaining the appearance of neutrality will be rejected.
    
5. Notices that are obscene, indecent, vulgar, or outside accepted community standards will not be approved for distribution or display.
    
6. Notices that are libelous, or interfere with or advocates inference with the rights of any individual or the operation of the schools will be rejected.
    
7. Notices that promote the use of tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, illegal substances or paraphernalia will be rejected.
    
8. Notices that violate applicable copyrights, trademarks, or other legally protected interests will not be approved.