May 25, 2010
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Two brief updates:
• Teacher Gifts I have received a few inquiries from parents and principals about the appropriateness of giving presents and gifts to teachers to thank them for their work with your children. Under the State’s Conflict of Interest Law, public employees, including school teachers and staff, are prohibited from receiving a personal ‘gift’ valued at $50 or more from anyone with whom they have a professional relationship. Gifts can include money, gift cards, free or discounted items or services, meals, entertainment event tickets, travel expenses and the like. This law applies to teachers, coaches, and administrators who often receive holiday or end-of-year gifts from students and their families.
The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission has provided recent clarification about whether the ‘$50 rule’ also applies to class or team gifts comprised of individual contributions equal to or less than $50. The Ethics Commission has confirmed that the prohibition applies equally to gifts given by a class or team, which are comprised of smaller contributions, if the aggregate value equals $50 or more. In other words, it is not appropriate to bundle together several individual gifts valued under $50 and present them as one large gift if the total values exceeds $50.
The $50 rule does not apply, however, to gifts presented for the purpose of purchasing materials for a classroom, school, or team. Since these gifts are not for the personal benefit of the teacher or coach, the limitation does not apply in those circumstances. All gifts given for educational purposes must be reported to the Principal, or in the case of money, turned over to the Principal, who then makes a recommendation for acceptance to the School Committee. Under State law, the School Committee must vote to accept all gifts given for educational purposes, before they may be used or expended within the School System. The School Committee reserves the right to reject any gift or donation, when it deems acceptance to be inappropriate. You may learn more about state laws governing ethics at
www.mass.gov or by clicking on this link: State Ethics Laws: Gifts to Public Employees
By the way, one way to thank teachers and staff is to make a donation in their name to the Needham Education Foundation (NEF). The NEF provides grants and funds to enrich the classroom experience for children in Needham. Your gift on behalf of a teacher is meaningful and will go a long way for Needham's students and schools.
• Newman Renovation This Thursday, May 27th at 7:00 p.m. there will be an informational meeting and workshop about the upcoming Newman renovation and repair project. The architect and contractor will provide an overview of the project and allow parents and community members to ask questions and offer input into the plans. The meeting will be held in the school's media center.
Sincerely,
Dan Gutekanst