Community Use of School District Facilities and Equipment

905.1 Community Use of School District Facilities and Equipment

PHILOSOPHY ON GRANTING USE

The board believes that the school district facilities and equipment are valuable public resources and are an integral part of community life. With the exception of Bracewell Stadium, the school district’s buildings and facilities should be available for use by the general public especially when educational, cultural or recreational benefits may be derived and when public use will not interfere with or disrupt the education program or a school district activity. Due to the significant financial investment in and required maintenance of Bracewell Stadium, and in order to preserve and protect the investment and best interests of the community, the board will limit the use of Bracewell Stadium to school-sponsored activities and events. Exceptions to this practice may be made upon recommendation from the superintendent and approval by the board.

All parties interested in using school facilities and/or equipment must complete an application, pay any applicable fees, and follow the rules and procedures for use as outlined herein. In matters of the use of school district facilities and equipment, the scheduling of school functions and school sponsored activities will always be given priority.

Because of limitations of time and space, administrative supervision and control requirements, and restrictions imposed by the law, the school district will not schedule the use of school district facilities and equipment more than 3 months in advance and may not be able to accommodate all interested organizations. The board and the administration reserve the right to deny any individual, group, organization or company the privilege of using school facilities and equipment.

Entities that use school district facilities and/or equipment must leave the facilities and equipment in the same condition it was in prior to its use. Inappropriate use of school district facilities and equipment may result in additional fees charged to, or the inability of, the entity to use school district facilities or equipment in the future.

A facilities and equipment use rate chart is posted on the Burlington Community District website at www.bcsds.org or a copy can be picked up at the central office in the business department.

In special circumstances, the board gives the superintendent the right to waive any and all fees which would normally be charged for the use of facilities and equipment.

1. All rates apply to the use of facilities with the thermostats set at 55 degrees in the heating season and no air conditioning in the cooling season. Additional heat or air conditioning (where available) will require an extra charge listed on the ‘Facility Usage Fee Schedule’.

2. Rates for non-profit groups meeting on school days will become effective after 3:30 p.m.

3. Rates do not cover the costs of custodians, food service workers or other school personnel which may be required. When the services of such individuals are required, users will be billed for the overtime hours.

4. Commercial Rate – Any portion of a 4 hour block will be charged at the full 4 hour rate fee.

CLASSIFICATION OF GROUP REQUESTING USE

Group classification requesting use of facilities will be classified, in priority order, as A, B, C, D, E, F, with classification A having the highest priority for use when developing the annual master calendar. Thereafter, priority is on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no use of facilities during school district vacations, holidays, and no student occupancy days.

Group Classifications

GROUP A

Officially organized groups that are school district sponsored for students and employees of the school district, community education activities, youth organizations, parent-teacher associations, band and orchestra parent clubs, and similar organizations whose primary purpose is to initiate activities, programs or events for the benefit of the school district or jointly for the benefit of the school district and community.

These school-related organizations are subject to the following restrictions:

1. When several groups desire the use of the same school facility during a given week, it shall be the policy for the building principal to approve and coordinate the activity within the facility.

2. The building principal will submit to the supervisor of buildings and grounds office the application and contract for use of school district facilities and equipment form for scheduled activity.

3. Employees of the school district are subject to all fees charged if the event is not school district sponsored.

4. The funds accruing from such activities are to be applied to the work of the organization. Use fees will not be charged but actual expenses such as custodial services needed beyond the normal shift hours such as overtime hours will be charged to the organization having the event.

5. Depending on the activity or even the organization sponsoring may be required to provide its own liability insurance.

6. Events involving food being served requires custodial staff present.

7. Fees – No charge for facilities except custodial and kitchen staff overtime if required. Employees are subject to all fees.

GROUP B

School district related groups and organizations that do not require additional custodial services and/or are not engaged in fund raising activities (may include the following: parent teacher associations, school booster groups, boy/girl scouts, school district certified employee bargaining groups, and YMCA before/after school program).

1. The building principal will submit to the supervisor of buildings and grounds office the application and contract for use of school district facilities and equipment form for scheduled activities.

2. It will be the responsibility of the building principal to obtain the specific information for set up and schedule event within their facility.

3. Fees – No charge for facilities except custodial and kitchen staff overtime if required.

GROUP C

School district related groups and organizations for fund raising activities, parent-teacher associations, school booster groups, boy/girl scouts, and district clubs with public fund raising activities.

Requests need to be referred to the offices of the director of business services at the central administration office for approval and contract form.

1. It will be the responsibility of the central administration office of the director of business services to submit to the office of buildings and grounds the application and contract for use of school district facilities and equipment form for the scheduled activity.

2. If custodial or kitchen staff services are required beyond normal shift hours then the group or organization will be billed for actual time spent for facility supervision and clean-up at the applicable overtime rate.

3. Fees – No charge for facility.

GROUP D

Non-school district related community organizations or non-commercial organizations not engaged in fund raising activities. Such organizations are limited to the following.

1. AAU Organizations, YMCA/YWCA, non-public schools and colleges, civic clubs, charitable and character-building organizations, citizens and employee meetings, citizen basketball and recreation groups, fraternal organizations and those operating for the benefit of a restricted group when they contribute the net proceeds to local community or civic improvements. Religious organizations so long as the group’s purpose is extrinsic to the academic functions of the school and the use of school facilities would not be for religious instruction of school-aged children. At the school district’s discretion a time limit may be established for usage of a school district facility and a usage fee may be charged.

2. Activities that involve food being served require a custodian on duty to ensure proper clean up.

3. It is the responsibility of the building principal to oversee scheduling and submit to the office of buildings and grounds the application and contract for use of school district facilities and equipment form for the scheduled activity or event.

4. The following time zones shall be used for Group D in order to provide fair and maximum use to the community. Users will be expected to exit at the end time, there will be a 10 minute transition for exit to take place. The next user will start at their designated start time, not before.

Weekday Use Time Zones

    • 3:30PM to 5:30PM (reserved for school use)
    • 5:40PM to 7:10PM
    • 7:20 PM to 8:40 PM

Weekend Use Time Zones

    • 9:00AM to 11:00AM
    • 11:10AM to 1:10PM
    • 1:20PM to 3:20PM
    • 3:30PM to 5:30PM

5. Proximity cards will be issued to the group prior to the usage by the building secretary and are to be deposited in the building lock box after the scheduled event.

6. If the proximity card is lost a charge of $10.00 will be charged to the contract signee.

7. Fees – use facility use rate schedule.

GROUP E

Non-school district related organizations or non-commercial organizations for civic events and/or fund raising activities.

Requests need to be referred to the office of the director of business services at the central administration office for scheduling approval and contract form.

1. It will be the responsibility of the central administration office director of business services to submit to the office of buildings and grounds the application and contract for use of school district facilities and equipment form for scheduled activity.

2. Custodial and kitchen staff services will be required for the activity and will be billed to the group or organization for actual time spent for facility supervision and clean-up at the applicable overtime rate.

3. Fees – Use facility use rate schedule.

GROUP F

Commercial groups.

Requests need to be referred to the office of the director of business services at the central administration office for scheduling approval and contract form.

1. Custodial services will be required for the activity and will be billed to the group or organization for actual time spent for facility supervision and clean-up at the applicable overtime rate.

2. Requires group or organization to provide proof of liability insurance.

3. Requires deposit totaling 50% of use fee due at the time a contract is signed for commercial rate.

4. Commercial rate is based one 4-hour block.

5. Fees – Use commercial facility use rate schedule.

First Adoption:
2009-06-22
Revision Adoption:
June 21, 2009/ March 30, 2014/ December 13, 2015/ May 9, 2021

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