THE NORTHFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION FILE CODE: 1330
Northfield, New Jersey Monitored
X Mandated
Policy X Other Reasons
USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES
The district facilities belong to the community, which paid for them for the primary purpose of offering a full educational program for its children. Prudent use and management of school facilities outside of the regular operating schedules, providing that such use does not interfere with the orderly conduct of a thorough and efficient system of education, allows the community to benefit more broadly from the use of its own property.
The Board will permit the use of school facilities when such permission has been requested in writing and has been approved by the Superintendent for:
A. Uses and groups directly related to the school and the operations of the school;
B. Uses and organizations indirectly related to the school;
C. Departments or agencies of the municipal government;
D. Other governmental agencies;
E. Community organizations formed for charitable, civic or educational purposes.
The use of school facilities shall not be granted for the advantage of any commercial or profit‑making organization, private social functions, or any purpose which is prohibited by law.
In the event the Superintendent deems it advisable, any application may be submitted to the board of education for action. Additionally, an updated list of Use of Facilities applications, as of the date of each monthly Board of Education meeting, will be provided to the full Board for review.
The Superintendent or Board of Education may refuse to grant the use of a school building whenever in their judgment there is good reason why permission should be refused.
Smoking is prohibited at all times in any district building or on school grounds. For purposes of this policy, “smoking” means inhaling the burning or vapor of a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, electronic smoking device or any other matter or substance which contains tobacco. Chewing tobacco is also specifically prohibited by this policy. No one may bring alcoholic beverages onto any school property. All facility use shall comply with state and local fire, health, safety and police regulations.
The buildings may be available for community use during holidays, vacation periods, or during the time school is not in session over the summer unless the programs interfere with cleaning and maintenance schedules.
Use of school equipment in conjunction with the use of school facilities must be specifically requested in writing and may be granted by the procedure by which permission to use facilities is granted. The user of school equipment must accept liability for any damage to or loss of such equipment that occurs while it is in use. Where rules so specify, no item of equipment may be used except by a qualified operator.
Use of district equipment on the premises by non-school personnel is limited to the equipment that is an integral part of the facility being used, i.e., the stage lights and piano in the auditorium, the basketball baskets in the gym. No district equipment shall be removed from the premises for use by non-district personnel.
The Board shall require that all users of school facilities comply with policies of this board and the rules and regulations of this district. Each user will be required to present evidence of the purchase of organizational liability insurance to the limit prescribed by such rules.
Any person, or organization, independently using the Northfield Community School District’s facilities through the Use of Facilities process and who is not sponsored through the District is responsible for completing a criminal background check for all of their volunteers who engage in regular ongoing positions with regular contact with students. The Use of Facilities applicant shall bear the cost of the background checks.
Authorization for use of school facilities shall not be considered as endorsement of or approval of the activity, person, group or organization nor the purposes they represent.
Insurance, Additional Insured Coverage
The applicant shall obtain and present proof to the Northfield Board of Education Business Administrator, in the form of a properly executed Certificate of Insurance, for insurance coverage to the applicant for all of its activities arising in, from or on the Northfield Board of Education property while being used by the applicant and the applicant’s members, guests or invitees. The insurance shall be obtained by a reputable insurance carrier with a rating of either A+ or AAA. The minimum insurance limits shall be in the amounts and for categories that are approved by the insurance carrier for the school at the time of use.
The applicant shall add the Northfield Board of Education, its agents, employees as Additional Insureds to its General Liability Insurance policies in effect for the effective time of the agreement. A properly executed Certificate of Insurance evidencing the coverage described above shall not result in any diminution of the coverage, rights and policy amounts to the detriment of the Northfield Board of Education, its agents, employees. Any proposed changes shall be immediately brought to the attention of the Northfield Board of Education within three (3) days prior to the scheduled applicant use of the Northfield Board of Education property and an appropriate revised or amended Certificate of Insurance shall be filed for the protection of the Northfield Board of Education, its agents, employees.
Political Activity
As used in this section, “school property” shall mean a building or buildings used for school operations.
Candidates for elective public office, holders of elected public office or their agent or representative are prohibited from soliciting campaign contributions on school property. No person shall make contributions, directly or indirectly, to or on behalf of any candidate for elective public office, or the candidate committee or joint candidates committee of any such candidate, while on school property.
This shall not apply to persons or groups reserving or renting school property for a nongovernmental purpose as a meeting location.
Any person in violation of this policy may be reported to the Election Law Enforcement Commission and liable to a penalty of not less than $5,000, for each violation.
Adopted: March 26, 2012
NJSBA Review/Update: October 24, 2016
Revised: March 27, 2017; December 2017; Janaury 2020
Key Words
Use of School Facilities, Use of School Equipment, District Facilities, Facilities Equipment
Legal References: N.J.S.A. 2C:33‑16 Alcoholic beverages; bringing or possession on school property by person of legal age; penalty
N.J.S.A. 18A:11‑1 General mandatory powers and duties
N.J.S.A. 18A:20‑34 Use of schoolhouse and grounds for various purposes
N.J.S.A. 19:44A-19.1 Solicitation on state owned property prohibited; certain
circumstances
N.J.S.A. 26:3D-55 et seq. New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act
N.J.S.A. 18A:54‑20 Powers of board (county vocational schools)
N.J.A.C. 6A:26-12.2(a)4 Policies and procedures for school facility operation
20 U.S.C.A. 4074 et. seq. – Equal Access Act
GOALS 2000: Educate America Act (Pro Children Act of 1994), Pub. L. 103-227
Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Pub. L. 114-95, 20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.
Resnick v. East Brunswick Twp. Bd. of Ed., 77 N.J. 88 (1978)
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, 120 S .Ct. 2446 (2000)
Good News Club v. Milford Central School, 121 S. Ct. 2093 (2001)
*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.