Code: KFD

USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES BY NON-SCHOOL STUDENT GROUPS

Philosophy

It is the purpose of the School Committee to make school facilities available for student group usage during non-instructional time. Applications by such student groups shall be given preference over non-student groups.

Definitions

A. School facilities are:

1. High school buildings or rooms in high school buildings; and

2. School grounds including playing fields and parking lots.

B. Non-school-sponsored groups are organizations or groups of secondary students from this school system which are not meeting as part of an official school-sponsored function.

C. Non-instructional time is the time during a scheduled school day before actual classroom instruction or "homeroom" periods begin and after actual classroom instruction or "homeroom" periods end.

Procedures and Regulations

A. School facilities shall be available to non-school-sponsored student groups on application by the particular group's representative to the high school principal.

B. The principal shall not deny access to any group on the basis of religious, political or philosophical reasons nor on the basis of the content of the speech at the proposed meeting, provided only that the meeting is held for lawful purposes.

C. Application for the use of school facilities shall be delivered to the office of the principal at least ___ school days prior to the date of the proposed use.

D. The principal shall notify the applying group of the decision regarding the application at least ___ days before the date of the proposed use, giving the designation of the room, field or place to be used and the approved hours of use.

E. The use of the particular facility shall be without charge and the using group shall be responsible for leaving the facility in a timely manner and in an orderly and clean condition. Failure to comply with this requirement may be the basis for the denial of that particular group's future use of the facility.

F. The using group shall comply with school regulations concerning personal deportment during the period of use of the facility.

G. The principal may assign school employees for the purpose of supervision of such activities, provided, however, that any school employee assigned to supervisory duty at any student religious meeting may attend but shall not participate in the group's meeting or activities in any way.

H. Student attendance at any unofficial student group meeting shall be strictly voluntary and student initiated.

I. Neither the school employees nor any other governmental agent or employee may sponsor any such meetings.

J. No meeting shall be approved by the principal which materially or substantially interferes with the orderly conduct of school educational activities.

K. No such meeting shall be approved by the principal that is sponsored, directed, controlled, conducted or regularly attended by persons who are not students of the high school.

L. School facilities shall not be used under this policy to conduct commercial ventures.

This policy applies only to the use of school facilities by non-school-sponsored student groups. This policy does not revoke, alter, or amend any other school-facility-use policies which control the use of school property by either employee groups or non-school community groups.

Adopted: 8-11-94