File:  KF    - COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

It is the School Committee's desire that maximum use of school property be enjoyed by the townspeople.  It is the Committee's intent that such use will maintain safe conditions and preserve the property for school program use.

Use of school buildings and other facilities by organizations will be permitted only when a worthy educational, civic, or charitable purpose will be served; or a substantial group of citizens from the community will be benefited.

School facilities will be used according to the regulations and rental fee schedules recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the School Committee.

Permission for the use of facilities must be obtained through the office of the Superintendent of Schools, where applications are available for this purpose.

Eligibility

School facilities will be available for the following:

1.  Public school activities
2.  Parent-teacher activities
3.  Official town public hearings and political activities
4.  Meetings and activities sponsored by the School Committee and school personnel
5.  Parks and playgrounds activities
6.  Local nonprofit and noncommercial organization activities
7.  Metropolitan civic, educational, social, and religious organization activities if a substantial portion of the members are residents of the town
8.  The activities of other organizations when approved by the School Committee

School and Town Preference

The priority given requests for use of school facilities will be as follows:

1.  School activities
2.  Town meetings and elections over other community activities
3.  Parks and playgrounds

SOURCE:  MASC - Reviewed 2022

LEGAL REFS.:  M.G.L. 71:71; 71:71B; 272:40A

NOTE:  A brief policy on Community Use of School Facilities suffices when it is implemented by fairly extensive regulations approved by the School Committee. Many policies, however, also contain the basic principles that govern the use of facilities by outside groups.