Media Relations & Social Media Guidelines
Media Guidelines
The Normandy Schools Collaborative recognizes the important role the media plays in reporting news and information about its policies, programs, services, events, students and employees. The Normandy Communications Department is committed to providing information to the media and making every effort to work within media deadlines.
Interviews with Students or Staff
All media requests to interview, videotape or photograph Normandy employees, students or board members must be made through the Communications Department. When requests for student interviews are granted, the Communications Department will determine the site of the interview to minimize the loss of instructional time and disruption to the learning environment.
Visiting the Normandy Schools Collaborative
The Normandy Schools Collaborative understands that members of the media will need to visit our schools to follow through on NSC stories. Members of the media are required to notify the Communications Director prior to gaining access to school property. As a safety and security precaution, the media — like all visitors to our schools — will be asked to sign-in and obtain a pass from the building's main office.
When videotaping, taking a still photograph or conducting interviews while in the school district, a member of the Communications Department, or designee, will accompany the media at all times to minimize disruption at the school and to assist with any additional requests.
If the topic of an interview or photography is sensitive or controversial in nature, parental consent is required.
At all times, the Communications Director, designee and/or an adult representative of the school must be present when students are interviewed or photographed in conjunction with a school or Normandy school function. The presiding adult may intercede in the interview or photography any time he/she judges the questions or images to conflict with the best interests of the student or Collaborative.
Photographing Students and Staff
The Normandy Schools Collaborative operates in compliance with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This law allows students and parents to opt out of the release of certain information about students, including photographs. The Communications Department will work with each school to determine who cannot be photographed and interviewed according to FERPA guidelines. Before taking photos, video and quotes from Normandy students and staff, please verify the legality of photographing these individuals with the FERPA opt-out list in the school office or the Communications Department.
Board of Education Meetings
We welcome media to observe the business and educational meetings of the Normandy Joint Executive Governing Board (JEGB). Media may film and/or record these meetings. We will gladly assist you with placement of cameras and microphones as needed.
A table for reporters is provided near the front of the meeting room and an area is designated for cameras in the back of the room. To avoid disruption of the meeting, reporters and photographers are not allowed to approach board members, guest speakers or members of the audience inside the board room during the meeting. Interviews must be conducted outside the boardroom in the hall or in a pre-arranged conference room. Interview conference rooms can be arranged through the Director of Communications.
Copies of the board agenda, informational brochures and other materials are available for media at each board meeting or by contacting the Communications Department.
Information is also available on the Board Docs section of the Normandy website.
Social Media Comment Guidelines
The Collaborative is active on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin. We appreciate the feedback on our social media platforms as a means of keeping communication in Normandy open and thriving. Please be respectful when joining the conversation, and note the following Normandy social media participation guidelines.
1. Stay on topic. Comments not related to the subject will be deleted.
2. No spam! Please do not use our social media pages as a means of selling a product or service.
3. Be respectful. If you disagree with a post, we’d like to hear from you. However, please refrain from personal attacks or being disrespectful of others.
4. Keep it legal. Laws that govern use of copyrights, trade secrets, etc., will be followed.
5. Use appropriate language. Profane or provocative language, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive or derogatory content, threats, obscene or sexually explicit language will be immediately removed.
6. Please refrain from discussing ballot measures and campaigns. Electioneering policy states that school resources may not be used to urge a vote for or against any candidate, group of candidates or ballot issue.
*Normandy Schools Collaborative reserves the right, but is not obligated, to block fans or remove their comments on our social media pages that violate the above guidelines, or that otherwise violate the social media sites' Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.
Contact Us
For more information about these policies, or to request access to a school/campus, contact Normandy Director of Communications, Chris Trahan, at 314-493-0438.