8220 - Gifts and Bequests
The Avery County Board of Education encourages individuals and organizations to consider making a gift or bequest to the school district. Such gifts foster community support for the schools and improve the school district for the benefit of students and others.
The superintendent will evaluate any offers of gifts or bequests that are not revenues or gifts of nominal value. The superintendent will consider the gift's suitability, any safety hazards and costs to maintain the gift and will make a recommendation to the board.
Upon receiving notification of a donor’s intent to offer a gift to a school, a principal will give written notification to the superintendent that states the nature of the gift and the purpose for which it is donated. The superintendent will ensure that any offered gift imposes no undue financial burden or obligation to the school district.
The board establishes the following conditions for the acceptance of gifts. Other conditions may be set as the board deems appropriate.
- The superintendent may accept gifts up to $1,000.00 on behalf of the board. The superintendent will report any gifts accepted at the next board meeting. The board reserves the right to determine in each particular case the appropriateness of any contribution and may accept or reject a contribution as the board sees fit.
- Gifts of real or personal property will be accepted only if the donor can demonstrate that he/she has clear and free title to the property.
- The donor may request that a gift or bequest be designated for use in a particular area.
- The specific manner in which funds are expended within a designated area will be determined under the direction of the superintendent.
- A gift must not impose any undue financial burden or obligation to the school district.
- All supplies and equipment purchased with funds from any donor becomes the property of the board and the title to such property will remain with the board.
- The board has no responsibility and makes no promises to continue any program initiated with donor contributions once the donated funds are expended.
- Any gift or donation that includes advertisement must be consistent with policy 5240, Advertising in the Schools.
- The board may reject any gift or donation that the board determines is in conflict with the educational mission of the school district.
- The superintendent or designee must approve the design, location and construction material before the installation of major gifts that will become a permanent part of the school facility or grounds, such as playground equipment, bleachers, scoreboards, outdoor lights or fences, etc. Any such gift also must meet any required safety standards.
Any gift or bequest constituting revenues that is accepted by the board will be deposited in the proper fund.
The superintendent will develop and implement the means of recognizing contributors.
Unless otherwise specified in a written agreement approved by the board, any gift or bequest becomes the property of the school district. If the board at any time determines that such property is unnecessary or undesirable for public school purposes, the board may sell such property in accordance with state law.
Gifts and Bequest/Equipment/Materials Donation
Avery County Schools recognizes that donated equipment, although free, may have costs associated with inspection, setup, maintenance, operation, and disposal. The investment that Avery County Schools makes toward obtaining and utilizing donated equipment should be founded on decisions that enhance the educational program. The Information Technology Services department welcomes donations from the community that follow the guidelines developed by the department. The Information Technology Services department will evaluate all donated technology equipment following the established quality standards for donated equipment.
Procedure for Evaluating and Accepting Technology Donations
- The Information Technology Services department should be contacted by the donating party.
- The Information Technology Services department will review the donation based on the quality standards.
- The donating party will be notified if the donation has been accepted or rejected.
- All computer equipment donated should be delivered to the Board of Education Building unless other arrangements have been made to accept delivery.
- Equipment will be allocated to schools in greatest need unless otherwise specified by the donating party.
- All donations become property of Avery County Schools.
- The Information Technology Services department can not assess nor determine the value of donated equipment. A letter of acceptance may be requested.
- Schools receiving the donated equipment will sustain all associated costs such as instructional software, additional hardware needed, and network upgrades unless other arrangements have been made. All associated costs will be discussed with the individual school before donation acceptance is made.
- The Information Technology Services department will deploy all donated equipment to the designated schools as outlined by the Avery County Schools’ Hardware and Software Deployment Procedure.
Quality Standards for Donated Equipment
- Must be fully functional and operational.
- Must include operating/system software.
- Must have all applications removed unless the donation includes a copy of all software and associated licenses.
- Donating party accepts responsibility for personal, private, and/or other sensitive information not removed from donated equipment.
- Avery County Schools cannot recover data from the donated computer and is not liable for donor’s loss of data.
- Must be compatible with existing infrastructure and hardware.
- Equipment that does not meet the quality standards will not be supported by the Information Technology Services department.
Legal References: G.S. 115C-36, -47, -518; G.S. 115C, art. 35
Cross References: Technology in the Education Program (policy 3220), Advertising in the Schools (policy 5240)
ADOPTED: 2005-12-05
REVISED: 2008-01-07; 2010-12-15