Public Relations Policy

January 1999

It is the policy of the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) to cooperate fully with the free flow of information regarding events, occurrences, emerging issues and responses relative to BCPSS to the public at large.

The Office of Public Relations (OPR) carries out the policy  by building positive and proactive relationships with the schools, communities, media and public at large.

OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

The OPR implements the BCPSS public relations policy by:

• Advocating for and supporting the mission, goals and objectives of the Master Plan for the BCPSS
• Establishing and maintaining mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance, cooperation between the BCPSS and the school community it serves
• Improving the image of and supporting the BCPSS with an effective communications program focused on systemwide achievement
• Increasing the level of public awareness about system activities, successes, and accomplishments

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Respond promptly to requests for information
• Coordinate the release of all BCPSS data, through the CEO and appropriate officers, relative to budget, finance, facilities, personnel and pupil information, and testing
• Address/resolve complaints from BCPSS staff and media regarding requests for information
• Convene regular briefings with the media
• Coordinate interviews with media (print and electronic)
• Correct inaccuracies reported in the media immediately upon notification
• Coordinate publicity for BCPSS special events

Officers, principals and staff of the BCPSS shall:

• Coordinate all public relations efforts through the OPR
• Provide immediate notification to the OPR of any issue or occurrence with the potential to generate press
• Insure that access to a BCPSS facility by the media has been approved by the building principal, AEO, and Director of OPR
• Provide immediate notification to the OPR of all scheduled and unscheduled visits by the media
• Provide a minimum of four weeks notice in advance of special events to ensure adequate public relations support (i.e., press releases, staff notification, pre-publicity, follow up with media, assignment of photographers, etc.)

GOVERNING POLICIES

Implementation of the public relations policy shall be guided by the following applicable rules, regulations, and laws:

• Rules of the New Board of School Commissioners (Article 1, Section 103.04,07; Article 2, Section 201.01,02; and Article 301.07; 506.09)
• Baltimore City Code (Article 24, Section 21)
• Annotated Code of the Public General Laws of Maryland (Article 10-611 – 628; Article 26-101 and 102)

All questions regarding the public relations policy should be directed to the Director of Public Relations at 410.396.8577.