Community Relations

Rules for Facilities

                                                                                                           

The board subscribes to the belief that public schools are owned and operated by and for its patrons.  The public is encouraged to use school facilities but shall be expected to reimburse the district for such use to insure that funds intended for education are not used for other purposes.  On recommendation of the superintendent, the board shall set the rental rates schedule.

 

The superintendent is authorized to establish procedures for use of school facilities, including rental rates, supervisory requirements, restrictions, and security.  Those using school facilities shall maintain insurance for accident and liability covering persons using the district’s facilities under the sponsorship of the organization.  For rental rate purposes, organizations seeking the use of school facilities have been divided into three categories:

 

School or Child-related Groups include those organizations whose main purpose is to promote the welfare of boys and girls within the local community of the Blaine School District #503 or to provide members of the community access to government programs or opportunities for civic participation.  Examples are:  Scouts, Campfire, PTA, 4-H, city or county sponsored recreation groups, polling places, political caucuses and governmental groups.  When facilities are used outside of regular school hours, or the district incurs extra utility, cleaning or supervision costs, a fee, to be established by the superintendent, shall be charged to recoup those costs.

 

Nonprofit Groups or Other Government Agencies include those organizations which might wish to use school facilities for lectures, promotional activities, rallies, entertainment, college courses, or other activities for which public halls or commercial facilities generally are rented or owned.  Wedding and funeral services shall be under the supervision of a licensed or certified director or person(s) approved by the Facilities Supervisor.  Facilities are available for these uses on weekends and after 5:30 PM on school days.  Caskets are not allowed. 

 

The district shall charge a rental rate in excess of costs incurred, except that such excess charges may be waived when a service club or other nonprofit group is raising funds for charitable purposes.  To be granted this exception, the charitable organization must be recognized by the Philanthropic Division of the Better Business Bureau.  Professional fund raisers representing charities must provide evidence that they are registered and bonded by the state of Washington.  Such fund-raisers must provide evidence that the charity will receive at least sixty (60) percent of the gross revenues received from the public prior to approval to use the facilities.  Similar treatment may be granted public universities and colleges when offering college courses within the community or when any university/college is offering a course for staff at the request of the district.  Nonprofit groups of the kind that in most communities have their own facilities (churches, lodges, veterans groups, granges, etc.) who wish to use district facilities on a regular, but temporary, basis may do so under this rental rate, but for no more than two years and may not average more than twelve hours of use per week.

 

Commercial Enterprises include profit-making organizations and business-related enterprises.  While the district would prefer these organizations use commercial or private facilities, facilities may be rented for non-regular use at the prevailing rate charged by commercial facilities in the area.

 

District-sponsored activities, including curricular and co-curricular functions, retain first priority in use of facilities.  Authorization for use of school facilities shall not be considered as endorsement of or approval of the activity group or organization nor for the purposes it represents. 

 

 

 

Legal References:

 

RCW 28A.320.510

 

RCW 28A.335.150

 

RCW 28A.335.155

 

RCW 4.24.660

 

AGO 1973 No. 26, Initiative No. 276

 

 

 

Legal References:

 

RCW 28A.320.510

Night school, summer schools, meetings, use of facilities for.

Every board of directors, unless otherwise specifically provided by law, shall:

(1)     Authorize school facilities to be used for night schools and establish and maintain the same whenever deemed advisable;

(2)     Authorize school facilities to be used for summer schools or for meetings, whether public, literary, scientific, religious, political, mechanical, agricultural or whatever, upon approval of the board under such rules or regulations as the board of directors may adopt, which rules or regulations may require a reasonable rental for the use of such facilities.

 

RCW 28A.335.150

Permitting use and rental of playgrounds, athletic fields or athletic facilities.

Boards of directors of school districts are hereby authorized to permit the use of, and to rent school playgrounds, athletic fields, or athletic facilities, by, or to, any person or corporation for any athletic contests or athletic purposes.

 

Permission to use and/or rent said school playgrounds, athletic fields, or athletic facilities shall be for such compensation and under such terms as regulations of the board of directors adopted from time to time so provide.

 

RCW 28A.335.155

Use of buildings for youth programs—Limited immunity.

In order to facilitate school districts permitting the use of school buildings for use by private nonprofit groups operating youth programs, school districts shall have a limited immunity in accordance with RCW 4.24.660.  Nothing in RCW 4.24.660, including a school district’s failure to require a private nonprofit group to have liability insurance, broadens the scope of a school district’s liability.

 

RCW 4.24.660

Liability of school districts under contracts with youth programs.

(1)     A school district shall not be liable for an injury to or the death of a person due to action or inaction of persons employed by, or under contract with, a youth program if:

(a)     The action or inaction takes place on school property and during the delivery of services of the youth program;

(b)     The private nonprofit group provides proof of being insured, under an accident and liability policy issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in this state, that covers any injury or damage arising from delivery of its services.  Coverage for a policy meeting the requirements of this section must be at least fifty thousand dollars due to bodily injury or death of one person, or at least one hundred thousand dollars due to bodily injury or death of two or more persons in any incident; and

(c)     The group provides proof of such insurance before the first use of the school facilities.  The immunity granted shall last only s long as the insurance remains in effect.

(2)     Immunity under this section does not apply to any school district before January 1, 2000.

(3)     As used in this section, “youth programs” means any program or service, offered by a private nonprofit group, that is operated primarily to provide persons under the age of eighteen with opportunities to participate in services or programs.

(4)     This section does not impair or change the ability of any person to recover damages for harm done by: (a) Any contractor or employee of school district acting in his or her capacity as a contractor or employee; or (b) the existence of unsafe facilities or structures or programs of any school district.

 

AGO 1973 No. 26, Initiative No. 276

School district – Use of school facilities for presentation of programs – Legislature – Elections

 

 

Blaine School District

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