Page: Page 1 of 7 MONROE PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD POLICY PROCEDURE P9500 USE OF DISTRICT FACILITIES The following terms, conditions and procedures shall be utilized for the use of District facilities by individuals and groups, except as more specifically addressed in the Facilities Use Agreement which the Board of Directors may authorize for the use of District facilities where appropriate. A. Scheduling Procedures 1. Individuals or groups without a proper facility use permit will not be allowed use of any school facility. Requests for a facility use permit must be received at least two (2) weeks prior to the proposed use. 2. An application for facility use may be obtained online at the District website. After approval, payment of fees and receipt of written verification of insurance, a permit will be issued to the applicant. 3. Facilities available shall be limited to those specified on the Facility Use Permit. 4. Needs of school groups will be given priority over requests of other organizations, regardless of application date. We will make every attempt not to cancel or disrupt community groups, organizations, and facility users within two weeks of their scheduled event unless absolutely necessary. 5. A single application may be made for a series of scheduled meetings of like character for the same facility. However, a separate application must be made for meetings which deviate from the original application, or for multiple sites. 6. Applications will not be approved for any use which, in the judgment of the superintendent, or designee, may be contrary to the best interest of the district. Satisfactory sponsorship, adequate adult supervision (as determined by the district), appropriateness of activity, care of facility and equipment, following district rules, regulations, and the law, and proper police and fire protection (where necessary) are all conditions of approval. 7. Keys to buildings or facilities will not be issued to users. Facilities will be opened and closed by school district personnel only according to the location listed on the Facility Use Permit.
Page: Page 2 of 7 8. The facility rental fee does not include the use of school equipment that is not expressly authorized in writing. A fee for the use of school equipment may be applicable, depending on the equipment being requested. Requests for the use of equipment will be approved by the Director of Facilities, with input from the building principal or site director. 9. Applicant agrees not to discriminate against any person or group regardless of sex, race, creed, color, religion, ethnic origin, age, sexual persuasion, gender identity, or disability. 10. Facility use permits are approved for no more than a one (1) year period beginning September 1 of each year. 11. When a school is closed because of inclement weather or other emergency, activities and facility use will be cancelled as well. 12. School facilities will not be rented for public dances or private parties without prior written approval of the superintendent, who may refer the use request to the Board of Directors for action. Possession or use of tobacco or tobacco products, intoxicating liquor, marijuana or marijuana containing products, drugs or other controlled substances, are all prohibited on any school property even when rented out for a private party. It shall be each user group's responsibility to enforce this provision for group participants and/or guests. 13. School facilities may not be available during regularly scheduled school vacation and holiday periods. B. Fees, Liability, and Insurance 1. Charges are based on a minimum two (2) hour usage during regularly scheduled custodial hours. If the event takes place outside regularly scheduled custodial hours meaning on weekends, holidays, or evenings during spring, summer or winter breaks there will be an additional charge of ½ hour prior to the event and one hour after the event. The time before and after the scheduled time of the event is to cover unlocking, setup, take-down, clean-up, and securing of the facility. This additional time may be increased if previous use history indicates that 30 minutes for setup, and/or 60 minutes for take-down and clean-up is inadequate. This is the basis for the minimum fee. 2. Fees for school facility use shall be in accordance with the current District fee schedule. Full fees or a 30% deposit, depending upon the usage, are to be paid to the Monroe School District at least five (5) full working days prior to the first day of the event so as to allow sufficient time for the issuance of a permit for use of the facility. Groups using facilities for a long-term period may be invoiced on a monthly basis. Each amount must be paid upon receipt of invoice. A $5.00 fee may be imposed for any date changes after the initial request is received.
Page: Page 3 of 7 3. The user agrees to protect, indemnify and hold harmless the district, its elected and appointed officials, employees, agents and staff from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, expenses or rights of action, directly or indirectly attributable to the user s activities and/or use of premises, except for the sole negligence of the district. 4. Groups using school facilities on weekends, during school holidays, or at such times as district staff are not available, must pay the regular rental fee and the actual cost of staff responsible for opening, closing, or supervising the facility. 5. When a custodian is required, normal custodial service shall include unlocking and locking doors, operating lights, setting up chairs, and normal cleanup. Groups receiving free facility use are obligated to assist the custodian in setting up, removing chairs, and assisting with general cleanup. Failure to do so may result in a fee. 6. When the building, field, site, or equipment is damaged or left in an unsatisfactory condition, the responsible group will be billed for cost of repair, replacement, and/or cleaning of the facility and will be denied the use of school facilities until payment is received. 7. A certificate of insurance is required. The facility user shall name the district as additionally insured on their insurance policy, with liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 combined single limit. This insurance shall be primary. NOTE: A user who doesn t have coverage in effect at the time of application may apply for low cost, special events liability insurance, available through the school district s carrier, Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc. C. Applicant's Responsibility 1. The applicant must state in detail on the application, the intended use of the facility. Any use other than that stated on the application shall result in cancellation of usage and forfeiture of the fee. If such a change becomes known only after the fact, the user or group may be barred from use of school district facilities for up to three years. 2. The applicant shall certify to be personally responsible for any damage or abuse to school facilities and equipment resulting from applicant s usage. The applicant shall agree to abide by and enforce the rules and regulations of the Facility Use Permit and Facility Use Guidelines. 3. User organizations must conform to all local ordinances including police and fire department regulations and are solely responsible for obtaining any necessary permits.
Page: Page 4 of 7 4. All meetings must terminate, and the facility be vacated by the ending time specified on the facility use permit or user will be subject to overtime charges. 5. Supervisors of organizations using school facilities will remain with their groups during the scheduled use and will be responsible to the district for observance of all rules. The supervisor shall check in and out with the responsible district employee. No one will be admitted until the supervisor arrives and checks in. The supervisor shall be the last to leave and shall inform the district representative in charge that the facility can be secured. 6. Profane language, possession or use of intoxicating liquor or controlled substances, the possession of firearms, boisterous conduct, betting or other forms of gambling,and the use of marijuana or marijuana containing products, tobacco or tobacco products are all prohibited on any school property as is the use of open flames, candles, and fires of any type inside the facilities. It shall be each user group's responsibility to enforce this provision for group participants and/or guests. 7. Each user group agrees that people not directly related to the sponsoring group shall not be allowed admittance to or use of district facilities assigned to the user group. 8. The user organization will be responsible for the enforcement of the above stated regulations and shall be responsible for all participants, spectators, and affiliated personnel. Non-compliance will result in cancellation of the facility use and potentially being barred from use of district facilities for up to three years. 9. Notification by a group of its cancellation of a facility use must be submitted to the District Office at least two (2) full working days prior to the scheduled time of use or the full fee will be forfeited. Cancellation must be made during office hours (8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). 10. Users are requested to wear non-marking gym shoes in gymnasiums and multipurpose rooms for all activity-type programs including, but not limited to, basketball, volleyball, and badminton. 11. When kitchen facilities are to be used, a district approved kitchen staff member qualified to work in the kitchen is required for supervision of the facility. Wages due this person will be added to the listed fee. This requires at least 14 days advance notice. 12. No decoration or the application of material to walls, ceilings, or floors will be permitted without the permission of the building principal. 13. When the play fields of the Monroe School District are used extensively during the fall and winter months, usage and wet weather may require the district to close or place limits on the use of school fields. Therefore, the District reserves the right to cancel field use on short notice.
Page: Page 5 of 7 D. Regulations Regarding Field Use 1. Individual schools use of their fields shall take priority over any other uses. 2. The Marshall Field Baseball Complex may not be used for adult softball/baseball practice or games. 3. Artificial turf regulations are in effect while using the Monroe High School Stadium: These include the use of turf shoes or molded cleats but no metal spikes. No food, beverages, gum, seeds, heat or flames will be allowed out onto the synthetic field. 4. Any consumption or use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco or tobacco products, marijuana or marijuana containing products, drugs or other controlled substances on school property prior to, during, or following play will result in cancellation of usage and forfeiture of the fee. If such use becomes known only after the fact, the user or group may be barred from use of school district facilities for up to three years. It shall be each team's responsibility to enforce this provision for group participants and/or guests. 5. Teams are to keep the area clean by picking up paper and other trash and depositing it in approved receptacles. 6. All other rules, regulations, and procedures applicable to use of any district facility shall apply. 7. When using the Marshall Field baseball complex the asphalt parking lot at the west side of the fields is not available without a separate agreement with St. Mary of the Valley Church. It is the user s responsibility to secure this agreement and failure to do so will result in cancellation of field use. The gravel lot off W. Columbia Street, adjacent to Memorial Stadium is owned by the district and available for use without such agreement. E. Permit Revocation or Cancellation 1. The district reserves the right to cancel any permit and refund any unused portion of the payment made for the use of its school facilities when there is non-compliance with any of the facility use regulations or when it deems such action advisable and in the best interests of the district. 2. The district reserves the right to cancel non-school activities in favor of school activities whenever the two conflict. Whenever possible, the district will notify non-school users of cancellation at least two (2) weeks in advance of their scheduled event. The district will make every attempt not to cancel or disrupt community groups, organizations, and facility users within two weeks of their scheduled event unless absolutely necessary. Inclement weather or building closure may require short notice on the cancellation of a permit.
Page: Page 6 of 7 F. User Classification and Priorities The official programs and activities of the Monroe School District shall receive first priority for scheduling. Groups with inter-local agreements with the Monroe School District for ongoing, long-term facility use shall receive second priority for scheduling, and their fee or the process for determining their fee shall be as articulated in the agreement. All others shall be determined according to the type of use to be undertaken on any given date. (e.g., use of a basketball court by a church recreational league shall be billed at Class III or Class IV rates, depending on the participants involved. Use of a district facility by an athletic team or league performing fundraising activities to benefit a non-profit entity such as Toys for Tots shall be billed at Class I rates.) Class 1: Fundraising and School Support o Organizations or entities performing charitable fundraising activities, for district school, programs, or the school district as a whole o School-related groups and organizations (e.g., PTO/PTG, Booster Clubs, etc.). Class II: Civic, Service, and Education o Non-profit organizations, civic groups, or governmental units providing direct services to students. o Non-profit organizations, civic groups, or governmental units engaged in child welfare or student character building activities (athletics excluded). o Non-profit organizations, civic groups, or governmental units providing free educational opportunities to students. o Chartered youth groups (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, 4H, etc.). o Fundraising by local and regional non-profit organizations that have the potential to benefit students within the district boundaries o Political party caucuses or meetings. Class III: In-District Youth Sports o Youth sports teams/leagues and select teams from within the district boundaries (e.g., at least 50% of the participants must reside within the Monroe School District Boundaries). o Fundraising by regional, national, or international non-profit organizations that may not directly benefit students within the district boundaries Class IV: Adult Sports, Out of District Youth Sports and Other Non-Profit o Youth sports teams/leagues and select teams from outside the district boundaries, and adult sports groups, teams, or leagues. o Non-profit organizations activities other than fundraising.
Page: Page 7 of 7 Class V: Private Interest o Includes all individuals, businesses, or groups using district facilities for profit, or who do not meet the guidelines for other classifications. Waiver or Discount of Fees There shall be no wavier or discount of facility use fees unless the group or entity can prove, and provide sufficient documentation of, reciprocity that directly benefits the school district or students of the district. 1. Documentation shall be provided in written form, and shall include such back-up information as the Superintendent, or designee, deem necessary to substantiate the claim of reciprocity or student benefit. i. Reciprocity shall mean a substantiated value that either decreases the overall cost to the school district, or provides a service to the school district that adds value to the operations of the district. ii. Student benefit shall mean an activity or commodity that is provided to school district students or families in which a monetary value can be readily established. (e.g., tickets to a cultural event, tutoring or homework support, educational materials, books or magazine subscriptions, or other items that provide an educational, cultural, or general welfare benefit. 2. The fee shall be reduced on a dollar for dollar basis, utilizing the standard fee generated by the hours of use and appropriate use classification and the documented value of the reciprocal or beneficial service provided by the organization or entity. 3. In no case shall the use fees of the school district become negative as an outcome of this process. Any reduction in fee shall maximally result in a full waiver of the facility use fee, but shall not result in the school district owing any group or entity any funds. NOTE: Groups receiving a discount or wavier of facility use fees are obligated to assist the site custodian in setting up, putting chairs and tables away, and in general clean-up of the area used. Failure to do so may result in a fee being assessed or increased. Continued failure to assist in minimizing the impact to the facility and school district may result in being banned from use of school district facilities for up to three years.