Policies » Section K: School/Community - Home Relations » KF: Use Of School Buildings And Facilities

Policy Date: 07/29/2020

HSD File: KF
HOOKSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT
USE OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

It is the desire of the Hooksett School Board to grant the privilege of using the school facilities to those individuals, organizations, or groups who are members of the local community. This does not alter the fact that it is the responsibility of the Hooksett School Board to require the establishment of necessary regulations to protect the user, the School Board, the school, and the investment of the school district.

By both precedent and design, certain events shall receive first consideration during each school year, from July through June. These events include annual and special school district meetings, town meetings, School Board meetings, both scheduled and special, and special and annual municipal, State and Federal elections.
Authorization for use of school facilities shall not be considered as an endorsement of or approval of the activity, group or organization, nor the purposes they represent.

Priority of Usage
The following priorities are to be adhered to by the scheduling authority:
A. School Related Activities: All activities which are recognized by the School Board as being directly related to the education process.
B. Government Activities: All activities conducted by any governmental organization recognized under the laws of the United States, the State of New Hampshire, and the town.
C. Local Civic Organization Activities: Activities sponsored by any social, service, or fraternal organization which serves the community on a non-profit basis, and youth civic organizations will have priority in this section.
D. Local Civic Organization Activities: Activities sponsored by any social, service or fraternal organization which serves the community on a profit basis.
E. Non Local for profit or non profit

The right to authorize use of school facilities shall be retained by the Board as executed by the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee.

Written application shall be available in the school principal’s office, and should be completed at least fourteen (14) days prior to the requested use.
Regulations Governing Use
A. Parking Lots: Parking of all vehicles at events or activities shall be restricted to the parking lots and other designated parking areas.
B. Restrictions on Use: All persons utilizing the facilities during any event or activity shall restrict their use to the areas contracted.
C. Reorganization of School Property: Any School District property within the facilities being utilized may be arranged for purposes of permitting the planned event or activity to go forward but shall not be used or distributed except by prior arrangement. In the event of any rearrangement of said property, the items so rearranged shall be returned to their original locations at the termination of the planned event or activity.
D. Food and Drink: Food and beverages shall be restricted to areas designated for consumption. The use of any and all alcoholic beverages is expressly prohibited at all times on property owned by the district.
E. Safety: All safety regulations established by local and/or state officials shall be complied with at all times by those utilizing the facilities.

The calendar for building use will be maintained by the building principal.
The Board or its designee shall establish such fees as deemed reasonable and print these on the application form.

Organizations will be required to hire school district custodial personnel if no custodian is scheduled to work during the hours of proposed use.

Police and/or fire protection which may be necessary for certificate of insurance naming the corresponding school district on the declaration page as an additional insured prior to the use of any school facilities. In the event that property loss or damage is incurred during use, the amount of damage shall be determined by the Superintendent/designee, and approved by the Board. The group using the facility during the time the loss or damage was sustained will be financially responsible for such loss or damage.

Procedure of Facility Rental Agreement:
1. No reservation for rental use of facilities may be assumed until written application ‘Application for Use of School Facilities’ is made and has been approved.
2. The district requires a current certificate of insurance naming the Hooksett School District as the additional insured. A minimum coverage of one million ($1,000,000) dollars is required.
3. The priority of school use is as follows:
a. School sponsored activities
b. Municipal use – Meetings which involve Hooksett town departments, voting, or State of NH Department of Education
c. School Related – Any educational activity sponsored by a nonprofit organization which has a direct benefit to Hooksett schools.
d. Community Groups – Nonprofit groups that sponsor activities of culture or recreational use for its citizens
e. Non-community and for-profit groups – any organization or individual desiring to rent a school facility for any nature or use the facility for its own nonpublic entertainment.

General Guidelines for Facility Usage
1. School facilities will be made available to eligible groups when requests are not in conflict with school sponsored activities.
2. Should a conflict with a school sponsored activity arise after an agreement for use is made, the school sponsored activity shall take priority. Exceptions will be considered by the Superintendent or his/her designee when undue hardship might result to the contracting organization.
3. Use of any kitchen equipment must receive written approval from the school district’s Food Service Director. The renter will be responsible to employ a food service worker as deemed necessary by the Food Service Director.
4. Rental of school district facilities does not include the use of athletic equipment, music equipment, sound systems, and audio//visual or any school owned equipment unless otherwise agreed upon by the school district in writing.
5. The school department may request a police or fire department detail to protect school property and to provide crowd control. The renter may contact the Hooksett Police or Fire Department directly and is responsible for any of their fees.
6. Rental fees are to be paid to the Hooksett School District.
7. The school district, at its sole discretion, may cancel an event due to inclement weather or for unforeseen circumstances beyond its control. The school district shall not be held financially responsible for any cancellations.
8. The renter may request permission for off hour snow removal, however all costs will be the responsibility of the renter.
9. The school district reserves the right to waive or adjust rental fees at its discretion.
10. The use of heat producing equipment, chemical agents or the use of pyrotechnics is forbidden at any indoor facility.

FEES:
1. All rental fees are due immediately upon the completion of the Application for Use of School Facilities form.
2. All checks should be made payable to the Hooksett School District.

Liability Coverage:
1. A certificate of insurance is required naming the Hooksett School District as the additional insured. Policy coverage in the amount of $1,000,000 minimum.
2. Indemnification: In consideration for allowing the rental of school facilities and in full recognition of the school Board’s fiduciary responsibility to protect owned property and assets, the renter hereby covenants and agrees at all times to indemnify and hold harmless the school district, its Board officers and employees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from any damage, losses and expenses, including but not limited to, reasonable attorney’s fees and legal costs arising out of the use of these rental premises and school district facilities, by the renter, its officers, employees, representatives, contractors, customer, guests, and invitees.
3. Insurance: As evidence of its financial ability to indemnify the Hooksett School District during the term of the rental agreement, the renter shall obtain and pay premiums for commercial general liability insurance protecting the parties hereto, their agents officers, elected officials, representatives, or employees because of bodily injury, property damage, personal injury or products liability incurred by the parties in the performance of the terms of this rental agreement such policy to provide limits not less than $1 million per occurrence. A certificate of insurance naming the Hooksett School District as the Additional Insured shall be provided. Such insurance contracts shall be with companies acceptable to the school district and they shall require ten (10) days prior written notice to both parties hereto of any cancellation.

Maintenance/Custodial Services:
1. Custodial Services: Any organization (including in-district non-profit youth organization) using school facilities must agree to the assignment of custodial personnel for continuous duty during the time stated on the rental agreement. This requirement includes the time needed to set up prior to the event as well as the time needed to clean up after the event. The district will charge a service fee to the renter for this service. Facility or equipment shall be appropriately charged for its repair or replacement.
2. Event Manager: The district reserves the right to assign or designate a school official to be present at any event. The renter would be notified of this requirement in advance and will be charged accordingly.
3. Rubbish/Recycle: The Hooksett School District strongly encourages all groups which rent school district owned facilities to recycle. The district reserves the right to charge renters custodial fees if rubbish is left other than within the trash containers provided.
4. Field Conditions: A rental agreement includes the use of district owned athletic fields but does not guarantee to the renter that a field will be in perfect condition. At no time shall a renter use a field that is too wet for safe play or cause damage to a field. The building principal, in conjunction with the Maintenance Director, will determine the condition of the field.
5. Misuse of Facilities or Equipment: Any renter who damages or misuses any district facility, equipment or field shall be charged appropriately for its repair or replacement. The district reserves the right to cancel or suspend any further rental agreements with a renter as a result of the damage or misuse.
6. Score Clock/Lighting: If a renter wishes to use district equipment, the renter will be charged in accordance with the attached fee schedule.
7. All Facility Rentals Are Per Event: An event represents eight (8) hours’ time. The cost to rent school owned facilities per event is outlined in the Fee Schedule for Facilities.
8. Cancellations: A written request for cancellation must be received at least 3 days prior to the event. Any cancellation made with less than a 3 day notice may result in a charge to the renter.
9. Alcohol, Drugs, Profane Language, or Smoking: The use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco or any electronic smoking devices, weapons, profane language or gambling in any form is strictly forbidden on all school owned property.
10. Parking: All vehicles must park in a designated parking space. Vehicles may not be parked in, or obstruct, fire lanes around any school building. Illegal parking may result in vehicles receiving tickets, or towing at the owner’s expense.
11. All school sponsored activities shall be required to have a school assigned supervisor or
administrator present.
12. A $15.00 application fee/or any changes to the application shall be charged for all non-school sponsored activities.

Adopted: April 16, 1985
Revised: January 19, 1988
Revised: June 6, 1989
Revised: December 3, 1990
Adopted: November 5, 2002
Revised: January 6, 2009
Revised: July 29, 2020