BG - R2 - Policy Manual Style Guide

BG - R2 - POLICY MANUAL STYLE GUIDE

1. Purpose

The policy manual style guide is intended to define consistent structure and formatting for all Regional School Unit 21 policies to make them easier to read and understand.

Consistent language and formatting help promote transparency and clarity for students, families, staff, and members of the public who rely on our district policy.

*Note - Policies drafted, reviewed, or revised after 05/07/2026 will use this formatting.  

2. Document Structure and Numbering
   1. Policies shall follow a hierarchical structure as follows:
      1. Major Sections are labeled with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) and Title Case headings. Avoid ending headings with periods. Use consistent spacing (one blank line before major headings, no blank line after).
      2. Enumerated lists within a major section are labeled with lowercase letters (a, b, c)
      3. Sub-lists within an enumerated list are labeled with lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii)
   2. Policies should contain the following standard sections:
      1. Purpose: Each policy should start by laying out the legal rationale, educational philosophy, or other reason for the existence of the policy.
      2. Definitions: Any terms necessary to the understanding of the policy should be defined before proceeding to the policy language. If there are multiple definitions, they should be enumerated by lowercase letters and listed alphabetically. The term or phrase being defined should be surrounded by quotation marks, and each definition should be a complete sentence. If the term is defined in legislation, use the exact definition as contained in the statute.  Definitions in the text of the policy will be capitalized.
      3. Provisions or Standards: After laying out the purpose and defining any necessary terms, the main policy language will comprise the third section.
      4. Additional sections may be added if appropriate for the description of a particular policy.
3. Pronoun Usage
   1. Use gender-neutral pronouns to ensure inclusivity and clarity. Preferred pronouns are "their," "them," "they" for both singular and plural use. Example: "The student shall submit their completed form to the principal."
   2. When grammatically appropriate, policies may use alternatives to gendered pronouns, for example:
      1. Rewrite to use plural nouns: "Students shall submit their forms..."
      2. Use the position title: "The superintendent shall exercise the superintendent's authority..."
      3. Use articles: "The teacher must complete the required training..."
   3. Avoid the following:
      1. Binary constructions like "his/her," "he/she," or "his or her"
      2. Alternating pronouns (he in one section, she in another)
      3. Male default ("he") language
4. Naming Conventions
   1. District references shall adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. The first reference in a policy should be fully stated, i.e., "Regional School Unit 21 (RSU 21)"
      2. Subsequent references should use a shortened form, either “the District” or “RSU 21”. The short form used should be consistent within a given policy.
   2. Board references shall adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. The first reference in a policy should be fully stated as “Board of Directors” and include the district name if not previously stated in the policy.
      2. Subsequent references should be shortened to “the Board” (capitalized). Do not use “the board” (lowercase).
   3. Position titles shall adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. Titles should be capitalized when referring to a specific position, e.g., “the Superintendent,” “the Principal,” “the Director of Special Services”
      2. Titles should be lowercase when referring to positions generically, e.g., “all principals,” “department directors”
   4. School names shall adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. Use official school names without abbreviation in the first reference, e.g., "Kennebunk High School (KHS)"
      2. Abbreviations may be used in subsequent references if clearly established and not confusing, e.g., “KHS”
   5. Parent/guardian references shall adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. Use "parent/guardian" or "parent or legal guardian" in the first reference.
      2. This may be abbreviated to "parent" in subsequent uses.
5. Formatting Conventions
   1. Document spacing shall adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. Line spacing should be set at 1.15
      2. Include a single blank line between paragraphs
      3. Include a single blank line before section headers. Do not include a blank line between the section header and first paragraph of the section.
   2. Font emphasis shall adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. Quotation marks should surround the first appearance of a defined term or phrase.
      2. Italics should be used for legal case names
      3. Bold should not be used
      4. Underlining should not be used
      5. All caps should not be used in body text
6. Language and Tone
   1. Active voice is preferred, e.g., "the superintendent shall review..."
   2. Verb usage should adhere to the following guidelines:
      1. Mandatory requirements are indicated by "shall," "must," or "will."
      2. Discretionary actions are indicated "may."
      3. Recommendations are indicated by "should."
      4. Prohibitions are indicated by "shall not," "may not", or "will not."
   3. Use inclusive and accessible language as follows:
      1. Avoid ableist language
      2. Use person-first language: "student with a disability" not "disabled student"
      3. Respect identity-first preferences when known (e.g., "autistic student" if preferred)
   4. Use age-appropriate terms. “Student” is preferred over “child.” Use “minor” when referring to the legal definition.
   5. Strive for clarity of language by adhering to the following guidelines:
      1. Use short sentences (aim for 20 words or fewer)
      2. Avoid jargon or acronyms unless they are defined
      3. Strive to make policy easily understandable to the general community
7. References

At the end of each policy, first list all relevant legal references, then list cross-references to other related policies or procedures.

1. Legal and regulatory citations should adhere to the following standards:
   1. Federal Law: [Law Name], [Public Law Number], [U.S. Code citation] 
      • Example: "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq."
   2. State Statutes: [State Code] § [Section number] 
      • Example: "20-A M.R.S.A § 6001"
   3. State Regulations: [Code of Regulations] Ch. [Chapter], § [Section] 
      • Example: "Maine DOE Rule Ch. 125, §6"
   4. Case Law: Case Name, Citation (Court Year)
      • Example: Board of Education v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176 (1982)
2. Cross-references to other policies should be formatted as follows:
   1. "[Policy Code/Number] - [Policy Name]"
      • Example: "JE - Student Attendance"
3. When referencing another section within the same policy, refer to the appropriate section and sub-section number, for example:
   1. "See Section 3.a.ii."
   2. "(see Section 3.a.ii)"
   3. "Additional procedures are outlined in Section 3.a."
4. Online policy versions should also include hyperlinks, where possible, to the referenced statutes or policies. Use the same formatting described above, with the link embedded in the text. Do not include the link address as additional text.

8. Dates and Versioning

After listing legal references and cross-references, the policy should conclude with the date it was first adopted, as well as any subsequent revision/review dates.

1. Dates should be formatted as MM/DD/YYYY, e.g., 12/02/2025
2. Maintain the full revision history from the time the policy was first adopted. Include "Reviewed" dates to indicate if the policy was reviewed but no revisions were made, for example:
   1. Adopted: 11/15/2016
   2. Revised: 02/03/2019; 01/12/2022
   3. Reviewed: 09/30/2025