Belmont Public Schools
Office of the Superintendent

Dear Families of Belmont Students,

At this time of year, some families have made it a tradition to give gifts to staff members to show their appreciation. For those of you who have considered giving a gift, I need to inform you about laws and regulations affecting gift giving to school staff members.

School staff members are public employees, and as such are subject to the State's Conflict of Interest Law (Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 268A) and State Ethics Committee rules. The statute and Ethics Committee regulations state that school employees may not accept any gift that is of "substantial" value, that is, no more than $50. This includes meals, tickets to events, services, airline tickets, or holiday gifts, among other things. This $50 limit applies to groups of people with a common interest (for example, members of the same class). Therefore, families in the same class may not combine their resources to purchase a gift valued at $50 or more. This law was enacted to ensure that members of the public are treated equally and that no one has or might be perceived to have special advantages or influence. This applies even if the purpose of the gift is seen as a token of gratitude for a well-done job.

Besides the state law, there is sometimes discomfort about the appropriateness of gifts within the school context or the feeling that gifts might be expected. The School Committee thinks that the best gifts are your kind words of appreciation. If you do wish to give a gift, please consider making a contribution to the Foundation for Belmont Education in the staff member's name. The Foundation will ensure that the teacher will receive notification of the gift made in his or her name. Donations to the Foundation for Belmont Education are tax deductible, and all donations to the Foundation benefit teachers and programs in the Belmont Public Schools. The website of the Foundation is www.fbe-belmont.org, and the address is PO Box 518, Belmont, MA 02478.

We in Belmont are very fortunate to have such generous families who support us in so many ways, such as formal recognition programs, lunches, volunteering, participating in school activities, and sharing words of gratitude. The School Committee and I would appreciate your assistance in this matter. If you have additional questions about this law and regulation, please feel free to contact your building principal, the School Committee, or me.

Sincerely,

Peter Holland
Superintendent of Schools