The Montpelier School Board is committed to maintaining school property and facilities in good condition for the public education of the students of the Montpelier School District. Use of Montpelier School District property and facilities for public, education, and on an occasional basis, other purposes for the benefit of the students and taxpayers of Montpelier is also permitted, so long as such use does not conflict with, detract from, or otherwise limit, school-sponsored activities. Use of facilities shall be consistent with the following priorities and conditions.
The school facilities covered by this
policy include the Montpelier School District’s classroom buildings,
administrative office building, recreation center, Montpelier swimming pool,
playing fields and playgrounds adjacent to classroom buildings, playing fields
on Elm Street, and Dog River recreation fields.
Facilities shall be made available so as
to preserve the following priority of uses:
Category
1. School Activities and
School-Sponsored Activities.
First priority is that all facilities be
available for public school purposes, including, but not limited to,
instruction, extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, and other
school-sponsored activities and events. Such purposes shall have the first
priority as to use. No school facility or portion thereof shall be contracted
for or dedicated to any other purpose, except on an occasional basis as further
set out below, so as to maintain this availability.
Category
2. School-Related and School-Supporting
Activities.
Second priority shall be use by the
Montpelier Recreation Department and organizations or groups, the express
purpose of which is to provide benefit and support to the Montpelier School
District. Such uses may include, but are not limited to, use by parent-teacher
organizations, booster clubs, and fund-raising activities whose purpose is to benefit
the Montpelier School District.
Category
3. Student Groups.
Third priority is use by student-led
groups that are not school-sponsored, but whose members are drawn solely from
the Montpelier School District, and whose activities and meetings are organized
and conducted solely by Montpelier School District students.
Category
4. Other Groups Providing Student
Benefit/Services.
Fourth priority includes activities
designed to provide educational opportunities that will allow a student to
benefit from curricular, extra-curricular or post-secondary endeavors that
enhance further educational opportunities for Montpelier School District
students generally. Examples include, but are not limited to, SAT preparation
classes, non-profit athletic, artistic or similar groups offering activities
that provide opportunities for enrichment of Montpelier students’ experiences,
and of a kind or at a level not otherwise generally available to the Montpelier
student population.
Category
5. Use by Other Public Entities.
Fifth priority is use by other public
entities, for events or programs that are open to the public. Such uses
include, but are not limited to, use for post-secondary education offerings by
a public post-secondary school or use as a site for a public civic function,
such as a public meeting on a legislative or municipal issue. Public entities
include municipalities, local, state, and federal governmental entities,
including subdivisions, agencies, organizations, or programs operated by such
entities.
Category
6. Use by Private Groups for Courses.
Sixth priority is for private entities
offering occasional post-secondary courses for credit at an accredited program
of post-secondary education to residents or teachers or staff of the Montpelier
School District.
Category
7. Other Occasional Uses.
Use by an entity not described in the
previous categories may be permitted by the Superintendent for an educational,
charitable, or community purpose, where such use would not otherwise conflict
with the goals of this policy, and subject to specific terms and conditions
consistent with this policy.
The following guidelines and conditions
of use shall by applied by the Superintendent or his or her designee in
deciding what uses will be allowed, and what terms and conditions will be
applied to a use. In the event of a conflict between potential users or uses,
or an issue concerning terms and conditions of use, the Superintendent shall
have the authority to decide the conflict.
1. Nondiscrimination. All users of school facilities must agree in
writing not to discriminate on the basis of disability, race, color, national
origin, sex, age, religion, ancestry, sexual orientation, or place of birth.
Failure to adhere to this agreement shall result in cancellation or termination
of the use.
2. Maintenance of the
Facility. All
users shall agree in writing to use school facilities appropriately, to oversee
treatment of the facilities by those involved in the use, and to leave the
facility in at least as good condition as it was in at the time they commenced
their use.
3. Non-endorsement
Clause. Use of
Montpelier School District property or facility by any group or entity other
than those described in categories 1 or 2 above shall not constitute and shall
not be considered an endorsement of said group or entity, or of its use or
activity, policies, opinions, agendas, actions, or beliefs. Any person or entity
using the facility for a purpose other than categories 1 and 2 above shall
clearly state the identity of the presenting entity or individual in all
promotional materials, advertising, signs, and descriptions of the activity or
event, and shall clearly state that the activity is not sponsored or endorsed
by the Montpelier School District.
4.
Special
Purpose vs. General Purpose Facilities. Before committing any special purpose
facility for use for a non-school purpose, particular care shall be taken to
avoid creating a general unavailability of such facilities for high priority
uses in category 1. This may mean taking measures to assure ongoing
availability for school uses that may arise over time. Such measure might
include imposing a strict limitation on the availability of a given special use
facility to all outside users. Special use facilities include auditoriums,
libraries, playing fields, gymnasiums, cafeterias, and other special purpose
rooms and facilities.
5.
Schedule
of Fees. Keeping
in mind that the ultimate goal is to maintain the facilities for use in
educating the students of the Montpelier School District, and that the tax
monies appropriated by the School District are intended to be used for the
education of those students, the Superintendent shall develop and charge
appropriate fees for use of school facilities and related equipment for uses in
categories 4 though 7. The fees charged shall not be less than the cost of the
use, taking into account costs such as utilities, custodial services, security,
and maintenance. The Superintendent may waive the fees for uses in category 4
and 5 based on his or her assessment of the level of benefit the activity
provides to the Montpelier School District.
6.
Insurance. The Superintendent shall include as an
express condition of use, where appropriate, a requirement that the user submit
proof of insurance as specified for the particular use, prior to commencement
of the use.
8. Duration of Use. Uses in categories 5 through 7 shall be limited to occasional use,
meaning use of limited duration and frequency. Although uses in category 4 need not be limited to occasional use,
before the Superintendent permits non-occasional use by a category 4 user, he
or she must take into account the needs for facilities use of known and
reasonably foreseeable potential users of space in categories 1 through 3. When
an occasional use by users in categories 5 through 7 involves a series of
weekly activities or events on more than one date, such use shall not be for
more than a two-month period. Upon a showing of special circumstances, the
Superintendent may extend the period by an additional two months. The
Superintendent must promptly report any such extension to the Board.
9. Equipment. Users in categories 2 though 7 may only use
equipment related to the facility if prior permission is obtained from the Superintendent.
Equipment used shall be limited to that which is negotiated in the agreement
with the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall factor in the cost of use of
the equipment in the fees charged. Examples of equipment related to the
facility are sports equipment, scoreboards, theater lights and sound equipment.
Warned: July
9, 2004
Adopted: July
21, 2004