School Visitation Policy Adopted on May 23, 2002

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to set forth a common policy regardin visitors to school buildings and other school property.

A visitor is defined as any person, not currently enrolled as a student of Big Lake Schools or an employee of the district.

A. The school board encourages interest on the part of legal guardians and community members in school programs and student activities and welcomes visits to school buildings and school property by legal guardians and community members.

B. The school board affirms its position on the importance of maintaining a school culture that creates a positive, motivating learning environment that is safe for both students and employees.

C. Visits are to be consistent with the health, education, and safety of students and employees and are to be conducted within the procedures and requirements established by the School District.

III. RESPONSIBILITY

A. General guidelines are provided in this policy. However, each building principal and the district superintendent maintain the discretion to vary from the standard guidelines when individual circumstances warrant. Examples of case-by-case circumstances when exceptions may be in order include buat are not limited to, situations when student testing is in process, a significant number of visitors are already present, a visitor appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of narcotics, restraining orders may exist, or other such conditions arranting exceptions to the policy.

B. All visitors to district buildings must sign-in at the main office for that building.

A. A visitor may be denied permission to visit a school or school property or such permission may be revoked if the visitor(s) does not comply with the school district procedures and regulations or if the visit is not in the best interests of students or employees of the school district.

B. A visitor who enters school property without complying with the procedures and requirements may be guilty of criminal trespass and thus subject to criminal penalty. The building principal or his/her administrative designee may detain such visitor(s) in a reasonable manner for a reasonable period of time pending the arrival of laws enforcement.

A. Legal guardians of students are welcome to visit their child's class. Prior arrangements must be made with the classroom teacher with as much advance notice as is possible. The teacher will then coordinate with the building principal or his/her administrative designee for final authorization.

B. Visitation by non-legal guardians must be kept to a minimum. Any non-legal guardians, who wish to make a classroom visit for the purpose of observing the classroom, must contact the building prinipcal or his/her administrative designee at lease three days in advance.

C. Visitors observing the classroom are reminded of the importance of maintaining a school environment that is safe for students and employees and free of activity that may be disruptive to the student learning process or employee-working environment. The building principal or his/her administrative designee may impose special liminations and restrictions to visitation priviledges whenever visitor behavior is deemed to be in violation of reasonable standards.

D. If the building principal or his/her administrative designee does deny a request to oberseve a classroom, other options and alternatives to room visitation will be explored. Documentation of the denial will be provided if requested.

VI. APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATIONS.

1. District #727 has a responsibility to maintain prevailing standards of acceptable conduct relative to the behavior of individuals and groups in communications with school staff and students during: conferences, school sponsored activities and community meetings, approved gatherings and events, meetings with staff, telephone conversations, e-mail communications and written communications.

2. Examples of inappropriate behavior and conduct may include but are not limited to:

a. Shouting or yelling at staff members, students or visitors
b. Using obscene, foul, insulting, demeaning, intimidating or threatening language in conversations with staff members, students or visitors.
c. The use of any physical force, including unpermitted or unwelcome touching of any staff member, student or visitor regardless of whether pain or injury results.
d. Videotaping, audio recording, digital reproduction or photographing of school related functions including but not limited to any classroom activity, meetings (other than those covered under "open meeting" laws), conferences, student or staff activities without previous permission of the building principal or administrative designee. Extra curricular activities, performances, and events are generally exempted from this policy restriction.


3. Any vistitor(s) exhibiting conduct deemed inappropriate will be informed that the behavior violated district policy, by the supervisor of the given event or activity.

a. If the behavior continues, the offender's visitor privileges may be terminated at the supervisor's discretion and the offender may be mandated to vacate the premises. Failure to leave may be considered legal trespass.
b. A memorandum of the incident will be prepared by the supervisor and subsequently be submitted to the building principal or administrative designee and to the superintendent of schools
c. Offenders may have subsequent visitor privileges denied by the building principal or administrative designee.

VII. PUBLIC COMPLAINTS

Although no member of the community shall be denied the right to petition the Board for redress of a grievance, the complaints will be referred back through the proper administrative channels for solution before investigation or action by the Board

The Board advises the public that the proper channeling of complaints involving instruction, discipline, or learning materials is as follows:
1. Teacher
2. Building Administator
3. Superintendent
4. School Board

Any complaint about school personnel will be investigated by the administration before consideration and action by the Board.

Date of Revision: May 23, 2002
Date of Adoption: September 19, 1991
INDEX TITLE: GENERAL PUBLIC RELATIONS
POLICY TITLE: VISITORS TO SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS AND CLASSROOMS/APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATIONS
SERIES NO. K
CODE NO. KM