Use of Facilities
The use of school buildings after hours by non-school groups has risen to dramatic use. The result has been significant wear and tear on some school facilities as well as energy-related costs that the district has absorbed over many years.
Trend
This increase reflects a growing trend to rely on school facilities more frequently than ever before. The use of facilities by outside parties is still a priority as well as a service the district hopes to continue and even improve upon. We can still be committed to using facilities for extra-curricular events with a shared common goal to fully maximize the use of facilities to better serve our community.
Costs – Cost Recovery
However, this increasing trend - growing use of school facilities by the community both in North Smithfield and throughout the country - is increasing the financial burden on school department operating staffs and budgets. In this time of continually tightening budgets, school business officials and facility leaders are challenged to identify alternate sources of income and more effective ways to cut operating costs. The use of schools by the community and outside groups adds costs to and strains an already tight operating budget and limited staff due to increased strain on the district’s support services teams.
Educational professionals and School Committee’s recognize that the use of school facilities by the community should be supported. However, we also must acknowledge that some of these related and additional costs generated by use in the form of utilities, custodial services, and wear and tear on equipment and facilities needs to be recovered.
While the district will continue to welcome public use, it cannot be at the expense of taking away educational dollars.
With the rising use of schools by the community creating very real demands on resources and school budgets, recovering the costs used to support facility use is crucial. Costs – in the form of custodial services, rising utility bills, athletic equipment, and facility wear and tear – are ever-present and cannot be overlooked.
Failure to recover costs puts a burden on a school district’s top priority: educating students. Siphoning money away from the classroom to make up for the costs associated with facility usage is a set back to the core mission of schools. That’s a price no one wants to pay.
How
After studying some 25+ other districts to look for policy, procedures, and implementation ideas, it was clear that there was a need to establish a centralized policy, user groups criteria, and cost recovery fees/rates.
Each school district we reviewed used its own unique strategy to manage the community use of schools. Each has its own fee schedules, policies, “do not charge” lists, tiered structures, add-on charges, and leadership philosophy.
Most philosophies consisted of a goal-driven approach that focused not on making money from community use but simply recovering costs - funds that can go toward utilities, operations, wear and tear, due to facility usage.
Liability
The FIRST focus of all employees of the school district must be on protecting the “assets” of the district and community from exposure to liability claims. Without this protection, the district opens itself to significant exposure to liability that can result in an increase in rates and potential “judgments” that could raise the taxes in the community to cover such a loss.
The district’s insurer – the TRUST - has made it very clear the liability that the district exposes itself to when it opens up the facilities to use by non-school groups. They have emphasized that a proper policy and regulations must be in place and must be consistently implemented.
Therefore, you will see requirements regarding insurance and liability conditions that user groups must adhere to.
Timeframe
Please make special note of the time frame for submitting an application when you review the new policy and regulations. It is 30 days in advance so please plan ahead.
Trend
This increase reflects a growing trend to rely on school facilities more frequently than ever before. The use of facilities by outside parties is still a priority as well as a service the district hopes to continue and even improve upon. We can still be committed to using facilities for extra-curricular events with a shared common goal to fully maximize the use of facilities to better serve our community.
Costs – Cost Recovery
However, this increasing trend - growing use of school facilities by the community both in North Smithfield and throughout the country - is increasing the financial burden on school department operating staffs and budgets. In this time of continually tightening budgets, school business officials and facility leaders are challenged to identify alternate sources of income and more effective ways to cut operating costs. The use of schools by the community and outside groups adds costs to and strains an already tight operating budget and limited staff due to increased strain on the district’s support services teams.
Educational professionals and School Committee’s recognize that the use of school facilities by the community should be supported. However, we also must acknowledge that some of these related and additional costs generated by use in the form of utilities, custodial services, and wear and tear on equipment and facilities needs to be recovered.
While the district will continue to welcome public use, it cannot be at the expense of taking away educational dollars.
With the rising use of schools by the community creating very real demands on resources and school budgets, recovering the costs used to support facility use is crucial. Costs – in the form of custodial services, rising utility bills, athletic equipment, and facility wear and tear – are ever-present and cannot be overlooked.
Failure to recover costs puts a burden on a school district’s top priority: educating students. Siphoning money away from the classroom to make up for the costs associated with facility usage is a set back to the core mission of schools. That’s a price no one wants to pay.
How
After studying some 25+ other districts to look for policy, procedures, and implementation ideas, it was clear that there was a need to establish a centralized policy, user groups criteria, and cost recovery fees/rates.
Each school district we reviewed used its own unique strategy to manage the community use of schools. Each has its own fee schedules, policies, “do not charge” lists, tiered structures, add-on charges, and leadership philosophy.
Most philosophies consisted of a goal-driven approach that focused not on making money from community use but simply recovering costs - funds that can go toward utilities, operations, wear and tear, due to facility usage.
Liability
The FIRST focus of all employees of the school district must be on protecting the “assets” of the district and community from exposure to liability claims. Without this protection, the district opens itself to significant exposure to liability that can result in an increase in rates and potential “judgments” that could raise the taxes in the community to cover such a loss.
The district’s insurer – the TRUST - has made it very clear the liability that the district exposes itself to when it opens up the facilities to use by non-school groups. They have emphasized that a proper policy and regulations must be in place and must be consistently implemented.
Therefore, you will see requirements regarding insurance and liability conditions that user groups must adhere to.
Timeframe
Please make special note of the time frame for submitting an application when you review the new policy and regulations. It is 30 days in advance so please plan ahead.