INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 199

Inver Grove Heights Community Schools

2990 80th Street East
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota 55076

POLICY: 903
ADOPTED: 02/12/07
REVISED: 11/06/07
REVISED: 06/14/10
DRAFT: 6/10/15

VISITORS TO SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS AND SITES

AND PARKING PRIVILEGES
I.

Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to inform the school community and the general public of
the position of the school board on visitors to school buildings and other school property.

II.

General Statement of Policy

A.

The school board encourages interest on the part of parents and community
members in school programs and student activities. The school board welcomes
visits to school buildings and school property by parents and community members
provided the visits are consistent with the health, education and safety of students
and employees and are conducted within the procedures and requirements
established by the school district.

B.

The school board reaffirms its position on the importance of maintaining a school
environment that is safe for students and employees and free of activity that may
be disruptive to the student learning process or employee working environment.

C.

Policy applies equally to parents, legal guardians, and other family members of
students as well as outside guests.

III. Responsibility
A.

The school district administration shall present recommended visitor procedures

and requirements to the school board for annual review and approval. The
procedures should reflect input from school and community safety personnel, and
shall be communicated to the school community and the general public. Upon
approval by the school board, such procedures and requirements shall be an
addendum to this policy.

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B.

It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to provide coordination that

may be needed throughout the process and provide for periodic school board
review and approval of the procedures.

C.

Each employee is responsible for approaching a visitor not wearing a visitor

sticker and offering to escort or direct that person to the buildings main office.

D.

School administrators have the discretion to deny a request to visit the school.

E.

When a principal denies a visit request, the denial and the rationale for it will be
shared verbally with the person who requested the visit. Principals will notify
district administration whenever they deny a visit request.

F.

Visitor policy should be posted at the entrance of each school building and should
be distributed to employees, students, and parents.

G.

School districts may, at their discretion, request a criminal history background

check (BCA) on any individual who seeks to enter a school or its grounds for the
purpose of serving as a school volunteer or working as an independent contractor
or student employee (Minn.Stat. 123B.03).

H.

The District recognizes that, on occasion, emergencies arise that require the
parents immediate contact with their child(ren). If a parent needs to talk with his/
her child while the child is in school, the following procedures will be followed:

a. The parent must go directly to the school office and request that the child be
called to the office to talk with the parent.
b. The parent may call the office and ask to speak with the child or to leave a
message. Because of the confidential nature of many emergencies, the school will
direct the child to the office to take the call.
c. School staff shall take reasonable and immediate steps to bring the child to the
office to receive the emergency message.
d. Parents may not go to classrooms or other school locations unless they have
permission from building administration.
I.

All visitors check into the main office upon arrival and departure and sign in and
out of the building except when attending a school scheduled activity open to the
public.

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J.

Visitors must wear an Inver Grove Heights Visitor sticker that is dated to make it
obsolete at the end of the day.

K.

Visitors should secure appointments with teachers at least twenty four hours in
advance.

IV. Visitor Limitations

A.

An individual or group may be denied permission to visit a school or school

property or such permission may be revoked if the visitor(s) does not comply with
the school district procedures and regulations or if the visit is not in the best
interest of students, employees or the school district.

B.

Employees and visitors are authorized to park vehicles on school property at times
and in locations specified in the approved parking procedures and requirements or
as otherwise specifically authorized by school officials. The district may not be
held liable for damage to personal vehicles parked on school grounds. When
unauthorized vehicles are parked on school property, school officials may:
1.

move the vehicle or require the driver or other person in charge of the
vehicle to move it off school district property; or

2.

if unattended, provide for the removal of the vehicle, at the expense of the
owner or operator, to the nearest convenient garage or other place of safety
off school property.

C.

An individual or group may be denied permission to visit a school or school

property if the person or group does not comply with school district procedures/
regulations or if the visit is not in the best interest of students, employees, or the
school district as determined by the superintendent or designee.

D.

An individual or group who enters school property without complying with the
procedures and requirements may be guilty of criminal trespass and thus subject
to criminal penalty. Such persons may be detained by the school principal or a
person designated by the school principal in a reasonable manner for a reasonable
period of time pending the arrival of a police officer.

E.

Visitors may not solicit, or offer for sale or rent, any goods or services to students
or employees on school premises, unless they have prior written permission from
the superintendent or designee.

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F.

Access of officers, members or other representatives of employee organizations to

employees during work hours prohibited unless prior approval is given by the
superintendent or principal.

G.

Visitors are required to maintain proper decorum to minimize disruptions in the

regular school program. If a visitor violates decorum guidelines, the visitor will
be asked to leave by the teacher or administrator. Guidelines for proper decorum
include, but are not limited to:
e. Visitors will arrive before the start of the instruction period and remain
until the end of the instruction period unless prior arrangements are made
with the teacher.
f. Discussion or conversation with the teacher or students during the
instruction period is to be initiated by the teacher.
g. Actions or demonstrations that draw attention or disrupt the class in any
way are prohibited.
h. Visitors will not use any device to record audio, video, or photographs
while in a classroom.
i. The names of students shall not be mentioned by the visitor when publicly
discussing anything observed during the visit.
j. If a parent requests a visit to his or her students school and custody of the
child is an issue, the principal will abide by existing legal agreements.

Examples of disruptive behavior include but are not limited to: arguing with the teacher
or students, verbal or non-verbal participation in the class without teacher permission, or
actions or words that take student attention away from the teacher and the lesson.
G.

Visitors should provide the principal with advance notice of a classroom

observation request. This procedure does not apply to individuals invited to
attend a school event, i.e. Grandparents Day, music program, etc.
a.

Observations/visits will be limited to sixty minutes unless the building

administrator believes there are compelling reasons for a longer visit.

b.

School principals, after consultation with the teachers involved, are

authorized to limit the number of classroom visits by a specific individual
if, in the principals professional judgment, the individuals presence

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would be likely to disrupt the learning environment or unduly invade the

privacy rights of students.
c.

Observations/visits will be limited to one visitor at a time, unless the

request is for both parents/guardians.

d.

Observers/visitors will remain in the location directed by the teacher to

minimize disruption to instruction.

e.

Observers/visitors will not look at work samples nor gather information

about any student, other than their own child, who is present in the
classroom or instructional program.

f.

Visitors and volunteers should not bring younger children with them, nor
utilize any personal electronic equipment such as audio, or video
recording devices, including cell phones.

Legal References:

Minn. Stat. 123B.02 - General Powers of Independent School Districts

Minn. Stat. 128C.08 - Assaulting a Sports Official Prohibited
Minn. Stat. 609.605, Subd. 4 - Trespasses on School Property

Cross References:

Policy 902 Use of School District Facilities, Grounds and Equipment

Guidelines for Administrative and Classroom Operation
Addendum 903 Procedure for Visitors to School District Buildings and
Sites

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 199

Inver Grove Heights Community Schools
2990 80th Street East
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota 55076
PROCEDURE FOR VISITORS TO SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS AND SITES
SECURITY BADGES
I.

Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to authorize the mandatory use of security badges by all
school district employees, volunteers, and specified building visitors in order to promote
and enhance the security of students and staff.

II.

Procedure
It shall be a required procedure of the school district that all full- and part-time
employees, all substitute employees, and all volunteers and visitors to district buildings
and facilities will display on their person a district-provided identification badge during
working hours, while on duty, or when visiting district buildings and facilities.
All district facilities shall maintain a central point of entry and implement sign-in/signout procedures for all visitors during normal school hours. Building administrators shall
be responsible for procedures relating to building entrance during non-school hours and
shall communicate those procedures to Community Education for purposes of Facility
Use/Rental.

III. Implementation
The superintendent of schools will develop and cause to be implemented rules and
regulations governing administration of this procedure.

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