Guidelines for Photographing or Videotaping a School Event

Prepared by the West Woodland Advisory Council

Photographs and videos of school events provide a wonderful and lasting record of your children’s school years. However in today’s digital age, images can be easily shared with broad audiences, via websites, YouTube, Facebook, and blogs. Such ease of dissemination presses us to think about courteous, appropriate, and safe use of digital images and video captured on school grounds. Ultimately, the safety and privacy of our students is paramount.

To address this issue, the West Woodland Advisory Council developed the following guidelines. They align with the school community’s efforts to build and maintain a learning environment characterized by our I-CARE attributes: inclusion, compassion, accountability, respect and engagement.

These guidelines apply to all pictures and video captured at school by parents, students, and staff. Parents are responsible for sharing this policy with their children and monitoring their children’s use of pictures taken at school.

Guidelines:

1. School staff has the responsibility of deciding if and when photography or videotaping will be permitted.
2. In instances where photography and/or videotaping will not be permitted, staff will clearly inform parents and students.

• In instances where photography and/or videotaping are permitted, staff may offer guidelines (e.g., where to stand to minimize disruption to the activity, appropriate picture taking opportunities, etc.).
• Photographs and videos taken at school events should not be shared on public websites (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, blogs, websites) without the written consent of all parents whose children are captured in the images/video.

• Images and video taken at school events should capture positive moments that place all in our community in the best light.
• Staff, parents, and students should immediately alert a staff person if they notice unfamiliar people taking pictures or video of students on school grounds.