FILE:  KF

Cf:  EB

 

USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

 

 

The Lafayette Parish School System recognizes the functions of school buildings and grounds shall be to accommodate approved school programs for students and to assist in meeting the educational, cultural, civic, social and recreational need of communities.  Use of school buildings by the community shall be considered a secondary function so as not to interfere with regular school-day programs of the students.

 

ALCOHOL/SMOKING/TOBACCO USE ON SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY

 

The sale and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages in school facilities and on Lafayette Parish School Board property shall be prohibited at all times.

 

All property of the Lafayette Parish School Board shall be a smoke-free/tobacco-free environment.  Refer to Policy EB, Buildings and Grounds Management, for further provisions applicable to smoking/tobacco use on and in School Board property and vehicles, and at all school-sponsored or school-approved functions.

 

REQUIREMENTS

 

When the use of school facilities by the community is desired, the person, organization or group must receive the approval from the Superintendent or his/her designee.  Before approval can be given, the person, organization or group shall do the following.

 

  1. The person or representative must sign and submit to the Superintendent or his/her designee at least fifteen (15) days prior to the anticipated date of usage an Application and Agreement for Use of School Facilities form, which shall contain, but not be limited to, the following.

 

  1. The form shall include a waiver of any and all rights of recovery from the School Board, its members, and the school district for any injuries or damages resulting from the use of the school building facilities or grounds.  The person, organization, or group shall provide a certificate of insurance showing liability coverage for personal and property damages for the event being held, with a minimum of $1,000,000 general liability per occurrence.  The Lafayette Parish School Board, its members, the Lafayette Parish School District, and employees, shall be listed on the policy as additional named insured.  A certificate verifying the purchase of such insurance shall be presented to the school principal or building level administrator and the Superintendent, at least two (2) weeks prior to use of the facilities, otherwise, the event may be cancelled.  The School Board reserves the right to require additional insurance coverage than that stipulated above if the use of the property is determined to have an increased liability exposure.

  2. The form shall include a statement that the person, organization, or group lessee shall assume ALL responsibility for damages and/or maintenance expenses invested in the building, directly or indirectly resulting from lessee's use, including utilities and upkeep of the buildings and grounds.

  3. The form shall contain a statement that no school facility shall be used for hazardous activities.

 

  1. The person or organization shall in no way violate any law or ordinance in the use of the property.

  2. The person or organization shall provide security as determined by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

  3. The person or organization shall pay a damage deposit as set by the School Board.

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

The School Board shall direct the Superintendent to maintain appropriate administrative regulations and procedures governing the use of school facilities.  These regulations shall assure the following.

 

  1. The school principal or building level administrator shall be responsible for assuring that access to and use of school facilities by any person, organization, or group is within School Board guidelines.  Use of facilities for other than school activities during school hours or when in conflict with school activities shall be prohibited except by special permission of the School Board.  Areas of any facility not intended for use shall be locked and properly safeguarded.

    The school principal or building level administrator shall designate one or more custodians to be scheduled to be on the premises whenever facilities are used by any person, organization or group, from the beginning through clean-up time.  The custodian shall be responsible for disarming/arming of any security system and the locking of exterior doors.  The custodian shall assist with cleaning.  However, as stated in the agreement, the group using the building shall be responsible for assuring that everything is clean and in order at the end of each usage.  The custodial fees shall be charged as indicated in the Table of Fees.

  2. The use of any School Board-owned or operated facility shall be prohibited for the purpose of political activities, campaigning or debates, or by individuals for any private use such as weddings, showers, or funerals.  Use of facilities shall not be permitted for activities prohibited by state law and/or School Board policies or considered in any way contrary to the best interests of the school system.

  3. All persons attending the function or use of the school facility requested shall also be required to obey all rules and regulations of the School Board relating to school facilities, and the person, group, or organization shall be responsible for the conduct of all such persons.  The organization shall provide adequate adult supervision of children.

  4. The use of food service facilities by any person, organization, or groups outside of the food service department and/or food service organization shall be in accordance with the regulations outlined by the Superintendent and staff.

  5. No person, group, club, or organization granted permission to use school facilities shall bring, or permit to be brought, into or onto or about such school facility any alcoholic beverage, drug, or weapon as defined by the laws of the State of Louisiana and/or policies and regulations of the School Board.

  6. No person shall be excluded from any meeting, program, or use because of that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, sex, religious or political preference.

  7. The falsification of any information required or the failure to comply with all policies, regulations, and/or procedures shall result in the group or organization being prohibited from using any school facility in the future.

  8. The School Board reserves the right, through the Superintendent, principal, or other designated person to cancel the use of any School Board-owned or operated facility at any time when deemed in the best interest of the school system.

  9. If the services of law enforcement, security personnel, and/or fire personnel are required by the School Board, the person, group or organization shall be responsible for making the necessary arrangements for such services and shall fully apprise the principal or building level administrator of said arrangements prior to usage.

  10. No person, group, or organization granted approval to use facilities shall be permitted to move equipment into a facility during the school day.  Programs or activities shall not begin before the end of the school day.  All equipment, props or related materials shall be removed from School Board property prior to the beginning of the next school day.  Equipment used on School Board property not involving a specific school site shall be removed as soon as possible, but no later than twenty-four (24) hours from termination of lease.

  11. All exterior doors shall be kept closed when air conditioning or heating unit(s) is (are) in use.

  12. No hoofed animals shall be permitted on the athletic fields and/or any other area specified by the principal.

  13. This policy does not affect the Lafayette Parish School Board/Lafayette Consolidated Government Intergovernmental Agreement (LPSS/LCG IG) for official activities covered in the LPSS/LCG IG.

  14. The Principal may not issue gate or building keys to any outside party, with the exception of individuals with organizations covered under the LPSS/LCG IG.  In the case where a Principal lends keys to an authorized party under the IG, the Principal must specify the period of time the individual may use the key.  The individual must return the key at the end of the sport season or program.

 

FEES

 

Rental fees charged for use of School Board facilities shall be in accordance with the schedule of fees approved by the School Board.  It should be noted that the School Board cannot waive any fees or absorb any cost for use of its facilities by groups or organizations not considered part of the school, as this would be a donation of public funds which is prohibited by the state constitution.  All fees, once calculated, shall be paid directly to the School Board at the time the application is submitted.

 

SPECIAL PROVISIONS

 

Voting Precincts

 

Use of school buildings for voting or polling places shall be authorized by the School Board on the condition that election officials in charge on Election Day shall permit no loitering on the school premises and usage is in accordance with agreements with the Lafayette Consolidated Government.  The principal or building level administrator shall determine where voting shall be held on school campuses in accordance with state statutes.

 

Arrangements for opening and closing the facilities shall be made with the principal of the school involved.

 

Civil Defense

 

The Civil Defense director is authorized to use any and all necessary school facilities for emergency shelters or accommodations to help provide services to the public in the event of any declared emergency, in coordination with the Superintendent and/or his/her designee.

 

Long Term Use

 

Long term use of school facilities (a use greater than that required for a single event or a use exceeding one (1) week) by any outside person, organization or group for any activity not involving tutoring or enrichment activities for Lafayette Parish students shall be initially approved by the School Board and shall not exceed a three (3) month lease term.  In deciding whether to approve the long term use of a facility as described in this paragraph, the School Board shall determine that the proposed use does not interfere with the use of the facility for educationally intended purposes.  Thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the initial term, or any additional term, the lessee shall notify the Superintendent or his/her designee of its intent to renew with preference over others who apply for the use of the facility.  If the lessee fails to notify timely the Superintendent or his/her designee of its intent to renew its contract for use of the facility, the School Board may lease the facility to any other person or entity, or decide to use the facility for other purposes.

 

Nothing in this policy shall obligate the Lafayette Parish School Board to provide a facility for the lessee’s use if the facility under contract becomes unavailable due to mechanical failure, fire, flood, or any other condition making the facility unfit for use.

 

Adopted prior to 1975 Revised:  December 2, 2015
Revised:  October 16, 1985 Revised:  November, 2017
Revised:  April 3, 1996 Revised:  December 5, 2018
Revised:  November 7, 2012  

 

 

Ref:    Constitution of Louisiana, Art. VII, Sec. 14

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§14:91.7, 17:81, 17:240, 40:1291.2, 40:1291.3, 40:1291.11, 40:1291.21

Board minutes, 10-16-85, 4-3-96, 11-7-12, 12-2-15, 12-5-18

 

Lafayette Parish School Board