Use of School Facilities
FACILITY USE POLICY AND REGULATIONS ADMINISTRATION:
District facilities are made available by the Board of Education for community use after regular school day hours, when they are not required for after-hour instructional or other school purposes, and when they are not reserved in anticipation of such purposes. The office of Operational Support Services provides technical assistance and works with building principals and staff to facilitate the administration of these policies and regulations. The building principals are responsible for the administration of this policy and regulations as they relate to facility use at their respective sites.
Read About:
- GENERAL CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES OF FACILITY USE
- APPLICANT OBLIGATIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES
- SPECIFIC CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR FACILITY USE
- RENTAL CATEGORIES (See KG-E for applicable fees)
- TERMS
- FACILITY USE FEE DISTRIBUTION
GENERAL CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES OF FACILITY USE:
Procedure Overview District facilities are available for community use within the above-stated parameters. Individuals, organizations, and/or groups wishing to use district facilities shall complete a Permit for Building and Facility Use. The permit and the Guide to Community School Rental may be secured at any school office or at the OSS office in the district Administration Building (800 South Taft Avenue). The Permit for Building and Facility Use must be completed at least two weeks prior to the use date required. All fees for single day usage and multiple-day usage must be paid when the Permit for Building and Facility Use form is submitted. When a permit is approved, the activity will be added to the building master calendar and copies of the Permit for Building and Facility Use will be distributed.
Use During District Break Periods All individuals and/or groups applying for the use of a school or facility during the summer break may obtain permit forms from the OSS office. Summer use will be limited to schools where summer programs are already being held. Principals will be responsible for informing the OSS office of the date and time of all building activities and the rooms reserved prior to leaving for the summer. Special circumstances for summer use may arise and be approved by the building principal or OSS Executive Director. Any of the above individuals will contact the appropriate staff and arrange for building coverage. No schools will be rented during the month of July. Events during winter break, spring break and other district-designated down time will be booked at the discretion of the building principal, designee or appropriate director.
Special Facility Arrangements:
Gymnasiums/Auditoriums (other than Thompson Valley High School)/Athletic Fields:
- Applications for use of these facilities should be made at the office of the Assistant Principal (Athletic Director) or designee at the desired school.
NOTE: Patterson Field has special rental costs associated with its use. Any Patterson Field rental should be handled through the Athletic Director's office at Thompson Valley High School.
Pools/Thompson Valley High School Auditorium:
- Applications for the use of these facilities should be made with the respective managers at Loveland High and Thompson Valley High Schools.
Kitchens:
- Applications for the use of any district kitchen should be made at the school with the respective kitchen manager. Kitchen areas shall be used under the supervision of a Nutritional Services employee.
APPLICANT OBLIGATIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES:
Legal Considerations The applicant shall be considered the legal agent of the organization and/or group and, as such, shall be responsible for compliance with all conditions identified in the permit. The applicant may not assign or transfer the permit to another individual or group. The applicant agrees to indemnify the district for any damages occurring to the building, classroom furnishings and adjacent grounds during the periods such property is rented by the applicant. The applicant agrees to hold the district harmless from liability for any injury or accident arising during the course of the rental. The applicant shall also hold the district harmless for any damage or loss to the property of any person attending the sponsored rental activity.
School Site Expectations, Rules, Supervision, Security Concerns The applicant for use of a facility at any district school or site shall meet with the principal, designee or director at the location of intended use at least two weeks prior to the date of use. This meeting will allow the applicant and district administrator to review all rules, protocols or practices unique to the school or site to be used. It also allows the site administrator to meet the person(s) who will be using the building. Another important issue to be discussed at this meeting is the level of adult supervision to be provided by the applicant (where youth activities are involved). Finally, the expectations with respect to facility security will be discussed at this time.
Equipment Needs Microphones, rostrums, chairs, stage lights and other equipment are available upon request. It is the applicant's responsibility to note these needs at the time the permit is completed. Such equipment may need to be set up and operated by district staff. Charges for this equipment are determined at each school based on the suggested fees listed in KG-E.
Approved User Identification Upon approval by the principal, designee or director and receipt of payment, the applicant's copy of the Permit for Building and Facility Use will be given directly to the applicant. The applicant's copy will serve as a receipt and will identify him/her as a valid user. This copy will be presented to the designated staff member working the event upon arrival at the time of use. District staff is required to deny use to any party without a valid Permit for Building and Facility Use.
SPECIFIC CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR FACILITY USE:
Individuals, groups or organizations applying for the use of school district facilities are subject to the following conditions and procedures:
Permit No individual and/or group will use district facilities without having a completed and approved Permit for Building and Facility Use. The building principal, designee or appropriate director has the responsibility and authority to accept or deny requests for permits.
Reservations A rental may be reserved up to one year in advance but be paid for no less than two weeks prior to the event or it will be canceled. A charge will be assessed for each individual room(s) that are used.
Supervision Adequate adult leadership and supervision shall be required at all times for activities in which minors are participating. This also includes the time before and after the event during which the youth are on school district property. Neither the applicant nor members of his/her group will be admitted to any district building without showing the Permit. Children will not be permitted in the building without a supervising adult.
Insurance School district insurance coverage does not extend to the conduct of community or other groups utilizing school facilities. The district may require a certificate of insurance from the user.
Religious Organizations School facilities shall be available for religious purposes. The continuous use of a facility by a religious organization shall not exceed one district fiscal year unless special contract negotiations have been made. In an emergency, an extension may be approved by the OSS Executive Director.
Facility Use of Specialty Areas Rental requests for specialty areas including science rooms, industrial education shops, computer rooms, home economics rooms or other spaces with specialized equipment will be evaluated by the principal or designee and, if determined to be acceptable, rental arrangements may be made. Additional fees may be charged for specific equipment used during the rental. NOTE: A licensed staff member or technician is required to be present during the rental of these areas to protect the district's investments and the occupants. The hourly fees for additional personnel (see KG-E for applicable fees) apply unless a qualified staff member elects to volunteer his/her time to supervise a particular rental.
Facility Use Outside Normal District Hours of Operation Facilities may be rented Mondays through Fridays as space is available and as such rental does not interrupt or disturb regular school activities. Saturday and Sunday use of school facilities may be permitted and will be subject to staff availability.
All facilities should be vacated no later than 10:00 p.m. unless special arrangements have been made. Any individual, group or organization using school facilities on weekends, holidays, summer break or after 10:00 p.m. must make special arrangements for a designated staff person to be on site for the entire length of rental use. Applicant will pay the hourly personnel fee(s) for the entire period of use (see KG-E for applicable fees).Safety All applicable fire and safety laws/regulations governing use of school facilities must be observed at all times including:
- Auditorium exit lights must be used
- Open flame (including candles) is prohibited
- Room capacity is not to be exceeded
- Temporary electrical or mechanical modifications are prohibited
- Use of flammable holiday or other decorations must be approved by the school principal or designee
- Stairways, corridors and entrance/exits must be kept free of obstruction at all times
- No equipment, scenery or decorations of any type shall be used within the building or on the premises except as specifically provided in the permit. Such equipment, scenery or decorations shall be of a slow burning nature and shall conform to all local and state regulations governing such equipment, and shall not be attached to the walls floors or ceilings (except to anchors presently provided).
Illegal and Prohibited Activities Alcohol and Drugs: Use or possession of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs is prohibited. Failure to comply will be dealt with by local law enforcement agencies.
Tobacco Use: Tobacco use is strictly prohibited in or on all school district property. Weapons: No weapons of any kind shall be allowed on school district property. Unlawful possession of a deadly weapon, as defined by state law, shall not be allowed on school property or in school buildings unless an individual:- is an officer of the law, or
- is presenting an authorized public demonstration for the school or organized class, or
- has possession of the weapon for use in an approved educational program which includes, but is not limited to, any course designed for the repair and maintenance of weapons.
Locations All permits will be issued for specific rooms or fields. It shall be the responsibility of the permit holder to restrict the activities of the group to that specific area except for necessary hallways and restrooms. Failure to do so may result in revocation of facility use privileges.
Furnishings, Equipment and Supplies District furnishings, equipment and supplies in areas to be used are not to be disturbed, consumed or moved. Users must make arrangements with the building principal, designee or director to temporarily store their equipment and supplies on site, if space is available, and may be charged on a monthly basis. The school district assumes no liability for damage or theft of such merchandise.
Advertisement Materials Posters, flyers or other advertising materials to be used to promote activities at district facilities are subject to review by the building principal, manager, designee and/or the OSS Executive Director.
RENTAL CATEGORIES (See KG-E for applicable fees):
Category 1 - Thompson School District
Includes facility use for groups or individuals that are:
- Comprised of district staff doing routine district business, or
- School-affiliated as approved by the building principal, designee or director, or
- District-affiliated
Category 2 - Youth
Includes facility use for groups or individuals that are:
- Specifically for youth (K-12 in the Thompson School District), and
- Non-profit
Category 3 - Personal/Community and Service Clubs
Includes facility use for groups or individuals that are:
- Intended for general population, or
- State or national youth organizations, and
- Non-profit
Category 4 - Business
Includes facility use for groups or individuals that are:
- Intended for general population, and
- For-profit
Category 5 - Contract, Lease and Intergovernmental
This category includes businesses, governmental or educational entities, churches and other users who have negotiated a contract or intergovernmental agreement for long-term, multiple use of district facilities.
TERMS:
Single Bookings/Payments Payments must be made in full with the submission of the Permit for Building and Facility Use. Checks should be payable to Thompson School District R2-J and sent to the OSS office along with the original of the permit.
Multiple Bookings/Payments Payments must be made in full with the submission of the Permit for Building and Facility Use unless other arrangements are made by the OSS Executive Director for monthly payments. Checks should be payable to the Thompson School District R2-J and sent to the OSS office along with the original of the permit.
Supplemental Staffing Any organization or individual, regardless of classification, will be required to pay the cost of a designated staff member if its use of the facility would result in direct costs to the school district. For those facilities where a custodian is regularly on duty during the rental, there will be no additional charge unless substantial additional work is required related to the use. In such situations, an additional fee will be charged or additional district staff may be assigned at the discretion of the principal, designee or OSS Executive Director, and the user will be charged appropriately.
Additional Costs Any additional costs incurred by the school district due to facility use will be billed to the applicant. This will include any unforeseen additional custodial time, repair to any structural damages incurred or any missing/stolen equipment or supplies, or trash removal. It is the applicant's responsibility to be sure there are no substantial damages to school property prior to the actual use. If such damage is noted prior to facility use by the applicant, it should be brought to the attention of the designated supervisory staff in the building.
Cancellation Retainers Cancellation notice received at least 7 days prior to scheduled use: 15% of the total fee will be retained by the district for processing fees up to a maximum of $100.00. (If the total Facility Use fee is less than $100.00, the cancellation will be processed without charge to the applicant.) Cancellation notice received 3 to 6 days prior to scheduled use: 25% of the total fee will be retained by the district for processing fees. (If the total Facility Use fee is less than $50.00, the cancellation will be processed with no charge to the applicant.) Cancellations not received within 2 days prior to scheduled event will result in 100% loss of fee by applicant. If a scheduled facility rental is canceled because of school district use or school closing, the rental fee for that day shall be refunded in full to the rental party.
Fee Schedule Revision Fees are listed in KG-E. These fees are subject to review and revision by the superintendent and approval of the Board of Education.
FACILITY USE FEE DISTRIBUTION:
All fees associated with renting a district facility (except for personnel and equipment fees) are divided among several departments to offset the costs associated with the rental. The distribution percentages of the revenue are as follows:
The school where the rental event occurs normally receives 50% of the facility use fees collected and 100% of any equipment fees collected. Funds to pay for designated personnel may be deducted from an individual school's share of those fees if the Permit issues and approved by the school did not charge for the required staff.
The general fund account from which public utilities are paid (i.e., electricity, water and natural gas) will be credited with 25% of all facility use fees collected district-wide.
The general fund account which funds facility maintenance services and energy management activities will be credited with 10% of the facility use fees collected district-wide.
The capital reserve fund account which funds replacement of capital equipment in schools will be credited with 10% of the facility use funds collected district-wide.
The general fund account which funds custodial disposal materials (such as paper, plastic and cleaning chemicals) will be credited with 4% of the facility use collected district-wide.
The general fund account which funds the programmatic costs necessary to sustain the facility use system at the district level (i.e., forms, guides, mailing, etc.) will receive 1% of the total facility use funds collected district-wide.
Fees for designated personnel who work rental events will be accrued centrally to be dispersed to staff members who submit time sheets for special even work and to cover payroll-related costs such as benefits and workers' compensation.
