Proposed School Visitation Policy POST-April 2002

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to inform the school community and the general public of the school board position on visitors to school buildings and other school property.

A. The school board encourages inters on the part of parents and community members in school programs and student activities. The school board welcomes visits to school buildings and school property by parents and community members provided the visits are consistent with the health, education, and safety of students and employees and are conducted within the procedures and requirements established by the school district.

B. The school board affirms its position on the importance of maintaining a school environment that is safe for students and employees and free of activity that may be disruptive to the student learning process or employee working environment.

III. RESPONSIBILITY

A. Each building principal may have individual requirements for visitors including but not limited to, notification of visitor presence to principal, visitor sign-in, and/or accompaniment of visitor by school district employee.

A. An individual or group may be denied permission to visit a school or school property or such permission may be revoked if the visitor(s) does not comply with the school district procedures and regulations or if the visit is not in the best interests of students or employees of the school district.

B. An individual or group who enters school property without complying with the procedures and requirements may be guilty of criminal trespass and thus subject to criminal penalty. Such persons may be detained by the building principal or a person designated by the building principal in a reasonable manner for a reasonable period of time pending the arrival of a police officer.

A. Parents and visitors who wish to make a classroom visit for the purpose of observing the classroom must contact the building principal at least three days in advance. (Emphasis added) The building principal reserves the right to deny a request for classroom visitation.

B. Parents and students observing the classroom are reminded of the importance of maintaining a school environment that is safe for students and employees and free of activity that may be disruptive to the student learning process or employee-working environment. The building principal may impose special limitations and restrictions to visitation privileges whenever visitor behavior is deemed to be in violation of reasonable standards.

C. If the building principal does deny a request to observe a classroom, other options and alternatives to room visitation may be explored

V. APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATIONS.

1. District #727 has a responsibility to maintain prevailing standards of acceptable conduct relative to the behavior of individuals and groups in communications with school staff and students during: conferences, school sponsored activities and community meetings, approved gatherings and events, meetings with staff, telephone conversations, e-mail communications and written communications.

2. Examples of inappropriate behavior and conduct may include but are not limited to:

a. Shouting or yelling at staff members, students or visitors
b. Using obscene, foul, insulting, demeaning, intimidating or threatening language in conversations with staff members, students or visitors.
c. The use of any physical force, including unpermitted or unwelcome touching of any staff member, student or visitor regardless of whether pain or injury results.
d. Videotaping, audio recording, digital reproduction or photographing of school related functions including but not limited to any classroom activity, meetings, conferences, student or staff activities without previous permission of the building principal or administrative designee. Extra curricular activities, performances, and events are generally exempted from this policy restriction.


3. Person(s) exhibiting conduct deemed inappropriate will be informed that the behavior violated district policy, by the supervisor of the given event or activity.

a. If the behavior continues, the offender's visitor privileges may be terminated at the supervisor's discretion and the offender may be mandated to vacate the premises. Failure to leave may be considered legal trespass.
b. A memorandum of the incident will be prepared by the supervisor and subsequently be submitted to the building principal or administrative designee and to the superintendent of schools
c. Offenders may have subsequent visitor privileges denied by the building principal or administrative designee.

INDEX TITLE: GENERAL PUBLIC RELATIONS
POLICY TITLE: VISITORS TO SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS AND CLASSROOMS/APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATIONS
SERIES NO. K
CODE NO. KM