4311 - Visitors

The Board welcomes visits to District schools by the many volunteers who support District programs and by all parents in support of their students’ learning. The guidelines stated in this policy are intended (1) to maintain these traditions because they are a foundation of our excellent schools and (2) to provide a structure for safe and well-managed schools. It is the intention of the Board to maintain the District’s school buildings as “nonpublic forums” during the school day, and to allow “limited public forums” in the District’s school buildings at other times.

1. DEFINITIONS.
   For purposes of this Policy, the following definitions apply:
   1. The “school day” is the timeframe in each school building, which begins with the start of the first instructional period and ends with the conclusion of the last instructional period.
   2. “Secondary schools” are all middle and high schools in the District.
   3. “Elementary schools” are all District elementary schools.
   4. “Parents” are natural parents, adoptive parents and guardians of students attending a particular District school.
   5. “Adult relatives” are adult relatives of students attending a particular District school, including grandparents, aunts and uncles but excluding siblings.
   6. “Volunteers” are persons who volunteer their services in support of District programs with approval and supervision of District officials.
   7. “Student groups” are groups of students attending a particular District school who initiate and conduct voluntary meetings before or after the school day.
   8. “Invited guests” are those visitors to schools who are not parents of students at the school and who have been specifically invited to the school by school officials for the purpose of carrying out the educational program.
   9. “Other visitors” are those visitors to schools who are not parents of students at the school and who have not been specifically invited to the school by school officials.
2. ACCESS TO DISTRICT SCHOOLS BY PARENTS, ADULT RELATIVES, VOLUNTEERS AND INVITED GUESTS.
   
   During the school day, only parents, adult relatives, volunteers and invited guests are allowed to visit any District school. Parents, adult relatives, volunteers, and invited guests will continue to have access to all District schools before and after the school day in order to confer with and directly assist teachers, staff and students; provide support for District programs; and observe or participate in school sponsored activities. Parents/adult relatives/volunteers/invited guests visiting a school during the school day must register at the school’s office upon arrival at the school, must comply with any safety procedures/directives indicated by the principal/designee, and must not engage in any activity or behavior which is disruptive to the educational process. Additionally:
   1. Volunteers must provide their services in support of District programs with the approval and under the supervision of District officials.
   2. If a parent, adult relative or invited guest wishes to observe a classroom, the time shall be arranged after the principal/designee has conferred with the teacher.
   3. If the purpose of a visit by a parent, adult relative or invited guest is to observe learning and teaching activities, the parent, adult relative or invited guest may be required to confer with the teacher before or after the observation to enhance understanding of the activities.
   4. The principal/designee may withhold approval if particular events (such as testing) would, in the judgment of the principal/designee, be adversely affected by a visit.
   5. If the presence of a parent, adult relative, volunteer or invited guest becomes distracting or disruptive, the principal/designee may withdraw approval. In either case, the principal/designee shall give reasons for the action.
   6. If a dispute arises regarding limitations upon or withholding of approval for visits by parents, adult relatives, volunteers or invited guests, the parents/adult relatives/volunteers/invited guests shall first discuss the matter with the principal/designee. If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, the parent/adult relative/volunteer/invited guest may request a meeting with the Superintendent/designee. The Superintendent/designee shall promptly meet with the parent/adult relative/volunteer/invited guest, investigate the dispute and render a written decision, which shall be final, subject only to the parent’s/adult relative’s/volunteer’s/invited guest’s right to raise an issue in open meeting at a regular session of the school board.
3. ACCESS TO DISTRICT SCHOOLS BY OTHER VISITORS.
   
   Other visitors will not be permitted access to any District school during the school day or to elementary schools when students are present, before or after the school day. Other visitors will be allowed access to the District’s secondary schools when students are present before and after the school day as follows:
   1. Before and after the school day, other visitors may visit secondary schools in areas designated by school officials subject to the following conditions, which are designed to allow District officials to provide safety through proper, nondiscriminatory supervision:
      1. All such other visitors must check-in with the principal/designee when arriving on campus and comply with any safety procedure/directions indicated by the principal/designee.
      2. The principal/designee may restrict such visits to specified location(s) within the school campus, and such other visitors must comply with such designations.
      3. Such other visitors may meet informally with students before or after the school day if they do not promote products, solicit for commercial purposes or engage in illegal activity.
      4. The principal/designee may limit, withdraw or revoke the access provided by this subsection if the presence of any other visitor becomes disruptive or if another visitor fails to comply with the restrictions specified in this subsection. If such a revocation occurs, the other visitor must immediately leave the school campus. The principal/designee may also make the revocation effective for a specified time period into the future.
   2. In accordance with the terms of the federal Equal Access Act, student groups have the right to initiate and conduct voluntary meetings before or after the school day. Other visitors invited by student groups may attend their meetings so long as they do not direct, conduct, control or regularly attend such meetings.
4. EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
   
   None of these provisions apply to, nor should they be construed to apply to attendance at school events which the District opens to the public, such as concerts and sporting events.