Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Branding Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Policy Committee forwards Policy 110 on use of Manchester School District name and logos to full board
Summary
The Policy Committee unanimously advanced Policy 110, which requires permission to use the Manchester School District name, school names and logos. The policy delegates approval of small fundraising uses (under $5,000 per year) to the superintendent and reserves recurring or larger uses for Board approval; the committee asked for a one-page
The Manchester School District Policy Committee on Oct. 15, 2025, voted unanimously to forward a proposed Policy 110 (Advertising/Sponsorship and Use of the District's Name, Logo and Likeness) to the full Board of School Committee.
Attorney and Executive Director for Legal and Policy Maddox presented the draft policy, saying the district had received requests to use the district's name and logos for events, fundraisers and other uses and that no formal policy previously governed such uses. Maddox told the committee he had worked with the superintendent on the draft and proposed an approach that requires groups to request permission to use the Manchester School District name, any school name or any school logo. He explained the draft would allow the superintendent to approve small fundraising uses that generate less than $5,000 per year to avoid requiring Board action for informal bake sales, while recurring or larger uses and organizations that use the district name on a regular basis would require Board approval.
Committee members asked about the mechanics and timing of approvals. Maddox said the plan is to create a one-page application and to reach out to known booster clubs and parent organizations for a mass approval on adoption, with approvals remaining in place until revoked. Committee member Parr asked whether board minutes would suffice as "written permission;" Maddox recommended a formalized application/approval record to avoid informal or unrecorded approvals.
Members asked whether the district should pursue trademark registration for logos. Maddox explained trademark registration can be expensive and that this policy is a cost-effective way to assert and protect reputational value under the tort of misappropriation. He said copyright law applies differently and does not substitute for trademark protection for logos.
Committee member Bonilla moved and committee member Potter seconded the recommendation to approve Policy 110 and forward it to the full board; the motion passed unanimously.
The policy as discussed would apply to the Manchester School District and all 20 schools and their logos, allow superintendent approval of small, one-time fundraising uses under $5,000, require Board approval for recurring or high-value uses, and create a district-maintained list of approved organizations.
