Media Guidelines

Hamshire-Fannett ISD is committed to working cooperatively with the news media. It is the role of the Communications Department to assist schools in contacting media representatives related to campus news, events and activities, preparing for an on-site visit and responding to news outlet inquiries.

All media inquiries should be directed to the Communications Director, including those sent via email. Exceptions include routine athletic and/or extracurricular activity news coverage during games, tournaments and/or performances open to the general public and conducted outside the normal school day.

The Communications Department should be contacted immediately when a representative of the media requests to visit a campus or arrives at a campus or district facility without prior approval. If a member of the media is on site without prior approval, he/she should be asked nicely to leave. Please contact the Communications Director at 409-243-2133.

Interviews

A member of the media may interview staff or students during the school day with prior approval. Media representatives may be allowed access to a classroom only at the discretion of the campus administration and/or the Communications Department, and only if the campus principal, classroom teacher and/or appropriate staff member(s) have been notified and have agreed that it will not be disruptive to the learning environment. The taking of photographs, audio or video is at the discretion of the campus administrators and the Communications Department.

Prior to any media visit, appropriate time must be given to district administrators to verify student privacy preferences and provide appropriate notification to the campus and building administrators.

Hamshire-Fannett ISD strictly enforces student privacy preferences and releases student information as outlined in the  Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).