Building Visitors

School District 197 Visitor Expectations and Responsibilities Procedure

Purpose and Scope
The purpose of the Visitors Expectations and Responsibilities procedure is to provide a mutual understanding to all visitors (including but not limited to parents/guardians, volunteers, and other visitors) to our school about expectations and responsibilities while on school property, at school district events and when interacting with District employees and/or students.

General Expectations and Responsibilities

We expect parents/guardians and visitors to have a fundamental understanding and commitment to the following:

  • School district staff, parents/guardians, volunteers, and other visitors want all children to learn in a safe environment.  During the school day, visitors must check in at the main office, wear a visitor badge for the duration of their visit, and identify themselves when asked by school staff.
  • The primary purpose of school is the education of children. Visitors to classrooms or other learning spaces should be mindful of the learning environment and minimize disruptions. 
  • School staff are responsible for the orderly conduct of the school.  Visitors are responsible for following their instructions.
  • School district staff and parents/guardians must work together for the benefit of all students.  Positive communication and collaboration strengthen relationships.
  • All school staff and visitors deserve to be treated with respect.
  • Our school district community’s diversity is a strength, and everyone should respect the rights, beliefs, and practices of individuals and families.  School staff and visitors should respect points of view that are different from their own.
  • Concerns regarding school staff should be directed to the school staff member first.  That staff member should be afforded the opportunity to resolve the issue before bringing the concern to their supervisor.

  • Concerns regarding the school should be addressed with school administration.  The administration should be afforded the opportunity to respond to concerns before sharing concerns publicly (e.g. social media). 

  • School staff may not be immediately available to speak/meet with parents/guardians or visitors.  In such cases, parents/guardians or visitors should schedule an appointment or leave a message.  School staff are expected to respond to messages within 48 hours but frequently do so within 24 hours.

  • Visits to classrooms need to be scheduled ahead of time. The site’s administrators determine whether, when, and how classroom visits are permitted. They will balance students' and families’ individual needs with school needs (such as limiting disruptions and student data privacy).

Prohibited Behaviors
In order to provide a peaceful and safe school environment, the District prohibits the following behaviors by visitors:

  • Abusive, threatening, or harassing communication, either verbally, by e-mail or text/voicemail/phone or other written communication.

  • Swearing or using vulgar language.

  • Demonstrating hostility toward another person.

  • Engaging conduct that is objectively rude.

  • Making or participating in making any objectively disrespectful, demeaning, disparaging, or insulting comments or statements about or to another person.

  • Engaging in any behavior that is designed to intimidate another person or that could reasonably be perceived as being designed to intimidate another person.

  • Making any threat or engaging in threatening behavior.

  • Creating or participating in creating a disruption to the learning or working environment.  Examples include, but are not limited to, using a raised voice, shouting, or yelling; talking with a teacher or a student while observing in a classroom (unless asked to do so by staff); and engaging in other conduct that interrupts a lesson while observing.

  • Confronting or making physical contact with any person other than your own child, unless the physical contact is part of the normal greeting process, such as a handshake, or is reasonably necessary to prevent imminent harm to another person or serious harm to property.

  • Threatening to damage or damaging the property of the District, a District employee, a visitor, a fellow parent/guardian or a student.

  • Refusal to comply with any reasonable direction of a school official.

  • Smoking of any kind, using tobacco products, using THC products, possessing/using alcohol, or possessing/using illegal drugs.

  • Entering onto school property while impaired from the use of alcohol or another chemical.

  • Possessing a firearm on school grounds, except as allowed by law.

  • Bringing an animal into the building without permission from the site administrator.

  • Photographing, filming, or otherwise recording any students, employees, or volunteers of the District outside of an event that is open to the general public.

  • Violating any law or policy of the District.

Consequences/Interventions
When a visitor does not adhere to the expectations and responsibilities or engages in a prohibited behavior in these procedures, a variety of interventions or consequences could be implemented by school administration or their designee, which include but are not limited to: 

  • A reminder of the expectations and responsibilities and a request to follow them.

  • Notification that if the behavior does not stop immediately, the visitor will be required to leave school district property.

  • A meeting with the site administrator to discuss the incident.

  • A restorative meeting with those impacted by the incident.

  • Being directed to immediately leave school district property.  Refusal to do so may result in a no-trespass order being issued and/or contacting law enforcement for assistance.

  • Contacting law enforcement.

  • Time, place, and manner expectations for communication with school staff are established, which if violated may result in a no-trespass order being issued.

  • A verbal and/or written warning is issued that future violations of the expectations and responsibilities may result in a no-trespass order being issued.

  • A no-trespass order is issued.

  • Any other action the site administration or designee reasonably deems to be prudent or necessary in order to protect the safety of students, staff, or school property or to maintain an environment that is conducive to learning and working.

No restriction, however, will prevent the parent/guardian from working collaboratively with the District to meet the child’s educational needs, nor will a parent/guardian be excluded from a child’s IEP meeting.

*NOTE: These procedures may not be construed to limit the ability or right of any person to file a complaint in accordance with any law or District policy governing the filing of complaints.