707. USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

1. Purpose
SC 775
707-AR

The Pine-Richland Board of School Directors recognizes that school district facilities are provided by the taxpayers to meet the educational needs of the community. The facilities are primarily available to support the K-12 instructional and extracurricular programs. When such district facilities are not in use for these purposes they may be made available to community or non-community based organizations, subject to Board policies, regulations and prevailing fee schedules. The following regulations and restrictions, and those appearing in and appended to the Pine-Richland Facilities Use Application and Agreement are applicable to all user groups, except those which operate under separate or seasonal contracts, such as CCAC, WPIAL, and the Joint Recreation Board.

2. Guidelines

Use of school facilities by community and non-community based organizations cannot interfere with the District's instructional or extracurricular programs. All organizations granted permission to use the District’s buildings and facilities under this policy must provide adequate supervision of all spectators and attendees at all times, and shall provide police and/or security protection if so required by the school administration in its sole discretion. If the administration determines that police or security services are required, the organization requesting use of the building or facility in question shall be required to contract independently with the district's security firm or the Pine or Richland Township Police as a condition precedent to use of such building or facility. The requesting organization may also be required to present written verification that the required security arrangements have been made prior to and as a condition precedent to its use of the building or facility requested.

User Group Classifications

Class I: District-sponsored organizations, groups, clubs and activities, including District-recognized booster groups and PTO’s.

Class I-A: Nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organizations that have a primary place of business located in Pine or Richland Township and which provide programs or activities that provide artistic, cultural, recreational or educational benefits to the residents of these communities.

Class I-B: Township of Pine and Richland Township

*Class II : Community-based groups or organizations, such as adult programs and athletic associations or leagues, provided that at least 75% of the organization’s active membership and/or participants are comprised of residents of the Township of Pine and/or Richland Township.

Class III : All other organizations and groups, including without limitation non-community based organizations and for-profit businesses and organizations. Class III organizations may only be granted permission to use District buildings and facilities when such buildings are not otherwise scheduled or reserved for use by Class I, Class I-A, Class I-B or Class II organizations.

*Class II organizations may apply for a season permit. A season permit, if granted, permits the requesting organization to rent one district facility for one or more evenings per week, up to a maximum of twelve (12) weeks.

1. Applications for facility use must be made a minimum of forty-five (45) days prior to date of the intended use or scheduled event. Longer application periods may be established by the administration, in its discretion, for certain high-use facilities (including without limitation auditoriums and athletic fields and facilities) and/or during peak activity periods. Copies of the Pine-Richland School District Facilities Use Application and Agreement may be obtained on the District’s website at www.pinerichland.org or from any school office or the District’s Administrative Office. No request for use of a facility may be granted, and the administration may not issue a permit for use of any building or facility, unless the requesting organization has timely submitted a complete application and complied with all of the other terms of this policy.

2. The organization requesting use of any District building or facility will be responsible for prompt payment of all applicable rental, staffing and equipment fees, as described in the Pine-Richland Facilities Use Application and Agreement. The District’s fee schedules will be revised periodically, upon recommendation by the Superintendent and approval of the Board.

3. All Class II and Class III groups and organizations requesting the use of the District’s buildings or facilities are required to make a minimum security deposit of $100.00 upon approval of the organization’s application. Failure to remit payment of the security deposit within ten (10) days of approval of the application may result in revocation of the facilities use permit. The District may, in its discretion, require a larger security deposit or require pre-payment of all or a portion of the applicable rental, staffing and equipment fees depending on the nature and size of the requested event, the requesting organization’s status as a non-profit or for-profit enterprise, and/or the requesting organization’s payment history.

4. The security deposit and any pre-payment will be applied against the total fees and expenses incurred by the requesting organization. The requesting organization will be invoiced for the balance of all fees and expenses incurred within fifteen (15) days following the scheduled event, and payment will be due within thirty (30) days of the requesting organization’s receipt of the District’s invoice.

5. All Class I-A, I-B, II and III organizations must at all times carry and maintain comprehensive general liability insurance, providing minimum single limits of $1,000,000 for personal injury and property damage for each occurrence, from a carrier acceptable to the District. As part of the permit application process, the requesting organization must submit a certificate evidencing the required coverage. In addition, the certificate must :

• Name the Pine-Richland School District as an additional insured; and
• State that the organization’s insurance will be "primary" over any other liability insurance that the District may carry.

No organization requesting use of a District building or facility will be issued a use permit unless and until it has provided an insurance certificate meeting the requirements of this policy. Additional coverage may be required, in the discretion of the administration, depending upon the size, nature and location of the event.

6. Permits will not be issued for private use or for private parties.

7. Groups wishing to meet at regular intervals throughout the year may request a permit covering all regularly scheduled meetings.

8. Additional equipment may not be brought into any school or onto District property except with the prior written approval of the administration, as evidenced on the facilities use permit.

9. Depending upon the size, nature and location of the event, the District will designate a member of the Administrative Team, a professional or classified employee, the on-duty custodian and/or the District’s designated facilities manager to act as the District’s on-site representative. All groups and organizations granted a facilities use permit are required to fully cooperate with the District’s designated on-site representative at all times and to follow his or her lawful directions.

10. Food and beverages are not permitted on District property except to the extent expressly provided in the facilities use permit issued to the requesting organization.

11. The facility must be completely vacated at the time indicated on the permit. Groups and organizations shall confine their activity to the rooms and areas assigned to their use as indicated on the facilities use permit. No individual shall be permitted to use, access or enter upon any portions of the District’s buildings or property except to the extent expressly authorized in the facilities use permit.

SC 511

10 P.S. 311 et seq.

20 U.S.C. Sec. 7181 et seq.

35 P.S. 1223.5

1. Possession, use or distribution of illegal drugs and/or alcoholic beverages.
2. Possession of weapons of any kind, regardless of whether the individual possessing the weapon has a license to carry the weapon.
3. Conduct that would alter, damage or be injurious to any District property, equipment or furnishings.
4. Conduct that would constitute a violation of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code and/or any other local, state or federal law and regulation.
5. Gambling, games of chance, lotteries, raffles or other activities requiring a license under the Local Option Small Games of Chance Act, unless such acitivity(ies) has been expressly authorized by the Board or administration.
6. Smoking or the use of smokeless tobacco inside school buildings or anywhere on District property, including without limitation on athletic fields and stadiums.

VIOLATIONS

The District reserves the right to (1) revoke the permit of any group or organization; and (2) remove from the District premises any individual, group or organization that fails to comply with the terms and conditions of this policy and all other requirements and terms set forth in the Pine-Richland Facilities Use Application and Agreement. Any group or organization that violates the terms of this policy shall be prohibited from any future use of the District’s facilities or buildings, except upon prior approval of the Board.

School Code 511, 775

PA Code Title 22

Sec. 403.1

10 P.S. 311 et seq.

35 P.S. 1223.5

20 U.S.C. Sec. 7181 et seq.

20 U.S.C. Sec. 7905