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COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES - ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS
I. Application
Application forms may be obtained from the business office or at the schools. A copy will be mailed to the applicant after official action has been taken on the request. Applications should be filed at least two weeks in advance of the time the use of the premises is desired.
Applications for users or by users not covered in the Civic Center Act shall be approved only upon specific authorization of the Board of Trustees acting in accordance with the Education Code (EC 40040-58).
The applicant for use of school facilities shall not have as his/her object, or one of his/her objects, and shall not be affiliated with any group, society, or organization which has as its object, or any of its objects, the overthrow or the advocacy of the overthrow of the present form of government of the United States or the State of California by force or violence or other unlawful means. (EC 40056) No person at any meeting in a school building shall be permitted to utter remarks, sing songs, or distribute literature of a seditious nature or tending to incite unlawful resistance to or the overthrow of the government of the United States, the government of the State of California, or of any of the subdivisions of either, by force, violence or any other unlawful means.
II. Eligibility
Only community organizations of groups recognized by the Board of Trustees may obtain the use of school premises. At least 75% of the membership of the organization must be residents of the Pleasanton Unified School District in order to qualify for free use of the facility. School facilities shall not be used by non-school groups in such a way as to compete with private industry.
All juvenile organizations or groups must have satisfactory adult sponsorship and supervision.
III. Conditions
All permits will be issued for specific rooms and for specific hours. It shall be the responsibility of the organization to see that the unauthorized portions of the building are not molested and that the premises are vacated as scheduled.
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If a group or organization finds it necessary to cancel a scheduled meeting, the business office should be notified as soon as possible, and at least 24 hours prior to meeting time. The group or organization will be charged for any expense incurred in opening the school should they fail to comply with the provisions of the application. Any permit may be revoked without previous notice for violation of rules or where conflicting dates have resulted or where need of the property for public school purposes has subsequently developed. For other causes, permits may be revoked at any time upon reasonable notice. All permits are terminated automatically on June 30 of each year. (EC 40043)
Smoking shall not be permitted in classrooms or other rooms used for instruction. However, smoking may be permitted in other parts of school buildings and premises when proper receptacles are provided. Alcoholic beverages or narcotics shall not be used, nor shall profane language, quarreling or gambling be permitted. No games of chance or lotteries, as defined by the California State Penal Code, will be permitted on school premises.
Only school employees are permitted to use the school office or equipment. The school office telephone is available only to employees for official business, except in emergencies and when a pay telephone is not available.
IV. Availability
Use of school facilities is discouraged on Saturdays, Sundays, school holidays, including winter and spring holidays, or two weeks prior to the September opening of school. Such usage is restricted to events which cannot be held during the school week. Use of facilities on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays when school is not in session is subject to additional charges for overtime wages for school personnel involved.
Facilities may be available at no cost (free usage) to qualified applicants throughout the entire year from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at all schools and the district education center Monday through Friday with the following exceptions:
A. In elementary and middle schools, civic center hours will be from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. during school days.
B. In high schools during school days, civic center hours will be 3:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. during non-school days.
C. School facilities shall be available only when usage does not interfere with the educational functions of the school.
V. District Representative
The duly authorized representative of the school district shall open the building only upon presentation of a permit properly issued and signed. Only those facilities and that equipment approved thereon shall be made available.
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For Pleasanton Unified School District, this representative may be either a school district employee or an adult leader of an established organization who has received authorization from the school principal.
Prior to checking out a key, the authorized representative shall be required to sign an agreement to:
A. Reserve school facilities at least five working days in advance of the event. (Meeting dates for a full school year may be reserved in advance, but groups of less than twelve participants are asked to schedule meetings in non-school facilities, so that they shall not pre-empt the rights of larger groups to use school facilities as needed.)
B. Limit use of school facilities to the multi-purpose rooms at facilities where the multi-purpose room can be secured independent of classroom/office areas. Each of these schools shall provide users with (a) multi-purpose room key and key to restroom on large ring (to minimize chance of loss); (b) directions for use of specific facility, including lock-up checklist and location of mop, broom, etc.; (c) user shall comply with regulations established by school principal.
C. File with application form a copy of the group's liability insurance and medical insurance.
D. Pick up keys the day before the meeting and return them the following day at a time and place designated by school personnel. In order to receive the keys, the individual shall be required to sign for them. Keys shall not be copied, loaned, or given to an unauthorized person. Keys are not to be left unattended. Loss of key shall result in a fee to cover the total cost of rekeying all affected locks (estimated cost is $10-$200, depending upon the number of locks which must be changed).
School personnel will issue a list of special instructions with keys for use of the facility.
E. Maintain a ratio of at least one adult supervisor per eight students when using the school facility.
F. If restroom facilities are separate from meeting room, keep these facilities locked except when group member requests use, and send adult with key to accompany any child using restroom.
G. Supervise clean-up by group members which restores the facility to the way it was found before the meeting (including precise furniture arrangement). Floor is to be swept or mopped when food and/or drinks are brought into the room.
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H. Walk around outside of building to test all doors, since public facilities' panic hardware (crash bars) make it possible for group members to have left ajar a door which never was unlocked. A second adult shall monitor this activity and double-check each door.
I. Understand that loss of key or infraction of any of the above rules may result in permanent exclusion of your group from school facilities under the privilege of the "district representative" clause of these regulations for the remainder of the school year.
VI Use of School Property, Furniture and Equipment
The District Superintendent working through the business services division shall develop administrative regulations pertaining to the use of school property, furniture and equipment. The use of school property shall be denied when in the opinion of the Board of Trustees there is a possibility of damage or injury to school property. In the event that loss or damage does occur to school property, the person or group signing the request shall be fully responsible and liable and shall assume liability before being granted use of school premises.
A. Furniture and equipment, other than stage equipment, normally kept in the schools' multi-purpose or multi-use rooms may be available for the using organization without special permit. Any additional school-assigned equipment required must be obtained through arrangement with the principal's office. The group must furnish its own operator if projectors, public address system, tape recorder or other audio-visual equipment are required, and satisfactory evidence must be presented to the principal that the operator is competent. In signing the agreement the applicant agrees that the group will pay for any damage to the equipment while in their use.
B. The loan of school furniture and equipment to individuals for personal or private purposes off school premises is strictly prohibited. Requests for approval to remove equipment from school premises must be submitted by letter through the school principal to the Assistant Superintendent, Business Services.
C. School property must be protected from damage and mistreatment and ordinary precautions for cleanliness maintained. Groups shall be responsible for the condition in which they leave the school building. In signing the application form, the applicant agrees that in cases where school property has been damaged or abused beyond normal wear, or where unusual cleaning work is required, the cost will be paid for by the organization involved. The use of any material on floors is strictly prohibited.
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D. Where a stage is to be used, full details of equipment needed must be requested with the application form. This includes such items as spotlights and curtains. Normally, no personnel other than the custodian in charge shall be furnished by the District. Those who wish to employ the services of other district personnel shall make their requests in writing through the principal to the Assistant Superintendent, Business Services. Persons or organizations whose permit includes the use of a stage and stage equipment shall not be permitted to move or change furniture or equipment, including lights, curtains, ceiling pieces, except as cleared by the appropriate person: the elementary principal, high school principal or director of stage crafts of the school involved.
E. In cases involving the use of the multi-purpose or multi-use room, the number of people admitted or seated shall not exceed the regular capacity as established in the California Safety Code. Any properties used shall be flame-proofed, as required by law. Arrangements for the decorating of school facilities must be made through the school principal's office. Any decorations shall be erected in a manner that will not be destructive of school property, and such shall be approved by the custodian on duty. All decorations shall be removed at the termination of the activity.
F. Horseback riding, bicycle riding, or the operation of equipment which constitutes a hazard or a public nuisance, and the use of motor-driven vehicles on any school grounds, except if specifically authorized, are prohibited.
G. Pianos shall normally not be moved from room to room nor moved between the stage and an auditorium or multi-purpose room unless permission has been obtained from the principal and arrangements have been made to cover the cost of tuning the piano after return.
VII. Fees
Where appropriate, a fee shall be charged for the use of school property in accordance with a fee schedule developed by the business services division for this purpose. Checks shall be made payable to the Pleasanton Unified School District. (EC 40053-54)
Organizations and individuals are prohibited from offering or making any payments directly to school employees for services rendered. All payments to school district employees for services rendered shall be made on payroll warrants issued by the school district.
The Business Office will develop a fee schedule to be applied for use of school facilities. The schedule will be reviewed annually.
A. Organizations Qualifying for Free Use of Facilities
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Organizations such as parent clubs, Parent-Teacher Associations, Scouts, Brownies, 4-H Clubs and other non-profit clubs and associations formed to meet the recreational, educational, political, economic, artistic and moral interests of the community and recognized by the Board of Trustees, will not be charged a fee for use of facilities providing the activities meet the following criteria:
1. Must admit public.
2. May not be religious services.
3. Membership must be more than 75 percent residents of the district.
4. Must have the betterment or general welfare of citizens of the district as the central purpose for the meeting.
5. Use must be during the civic center hours established for the facility. Only when the district co-sponsors the event will use be free outside of normal civic center hours.
6. Must not be charging admission; or, if donations are solicited or admissions charged, the proceeds are to be expended for the welfare of the pupils of the districts.
B. Organizations Qualifying for Cost Rates
Nonprofit community organizations and associations recognized by the Board of Trustees, which would normally qualify for free use will be charged a fee if: