FILE:  KM

Cf:  EBC

 

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOLS

 

 

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board welcomes and encourages parents and other school patrons to visit the schools at appropriate times; in fact, special programs and visiting days may be planned throughout each school year to provide opportunity for such visits.

 

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board has established a uniform visitor screening and access control protocol with required procedures that all schools shall implement. This protocol has been established to provide the safest possible environment for the students and staff of St. John the Baptist Parish public schools and to facilitate visits by parents, community members, and all other members of the general public.

 

  1. Anyone who is not a staff member, member of the Executive Staff, member of the St. John Parish the Baptist School Board, or student of the school shall be termed a “visitor”.

  2. Regular volunteers, as determined by the principal, shall be issued a permanent I.D. to be used at the school.  Additionally, they shall sign in on the visitors’ log.

  3. All visitors shall enter through the main entrance and check-in at the reception desk.  Uniform and appropriate signage directing visitors to this location shall be prominently displayed.  Sign-in and sign-out procedures shall be as follows:

 

    1. All visitors, except for badge-carrying School District staff, shall check-in at the reception desk.  Badge-carrying School District staff shall sign-in on uniform School District sign-in log.

    2. Visitors shall produce a photo ID that shall be processed through the electronic visitor management system and shall also be used by the receptionist to verify information provided by the visitor.  If a photo ID is not available, then an authorized school staff member must approve the visit before the person is allowed to proceed to his/her destination.  Once an authorized staff member approves the visit, then the visitor shall provide the following information:  first name, last name, and date of birth to receive the appropriate visitor badge.

    3. The authorized visitor’s badge shall be displayed visibly on the upper left chest of the at all times.

    4. If a person is new to the school or unsure of the room location, a staff member may accompany the visitor to the destination/location or give them a map with the destination/location highlighted.

    5. Visitors shall be expected to be appropriately dressed, unimpaired by drugs or alcohol, and display respect for activities in progress at the school.  All minors shall be accompanied by a parent/guardian.  Unaccompanied minors shall not be permitted to enter the building or remain on school grounds.  If any issues arise, the receptionist should seek administrative assistance.

    6. Classroom visits shall be approved in advance by the principal or his/her designee and classroom teacher.  Visitors shall not be permitted to remove students from the classrooms or other school activities without the direct permission of the legal guardian of the student and/or an authorized school staff member.

    7. Visitors shall be prohibited from entering any destination other than the destination designated on the visitor’s badge.  If further assistance is needed, the visitor shall report back to the reception desk.

    8. Each visitor shall report to the reception desk in the main office after completing his/her visit to return their visitor’s badge and leave the school.

    9. All staff members shall be expected to know the procedures and be vigilant in helping enforce the uniform visitor screening and access control protocol.

 

      1. Staff members shall question any visitor without a badge and ask him/her to check in with the main office before proceeding to the intended destination.

      2. If there are any concerns or discrepancies with the information on the badge and/or the visitor’s location, the staff member shall escort the visitor to his/her intended destination or back to the reception desk at the main entrance.

      3. If a visitor is reluctant to comply, the staff member shall seek administrative assistance.

      4. Staff members shall remind all visitors to return their badges at the conclusion of their visit.

 

  1. Visitors in violation of these procedures or whose conduct jeopardizes the safety of students and/or staff, interferes with programs in the school, or endangers property shall be subject to immediate removal from the school by order of the principal or his/her designee and possible arrest.  Repeated violations may lead to a suspension or termination of a visitor’s privilege to visit the campus.

  2. The following protocol shall be used for large group events during regular school hours:

 

    1. Schools shall provide a central location for visitor sign-in.  Multiple stations with additional staffing may be needed to expedite the visitor sign-in protocol.

    2. Schools shall provide additional directional signage to indicate the location of the sign-in station(s).

    3. If a parent wishes to sign-out a student, he/she must follow established procedures set up by the school.

 

  1.  The following protocol shall be used for delivery personnel:

 

    1. Delivery personnel who conduct business in the reception area of the main office and remain in clear view of the receptionist shall not be required to sign-in/sign-out.

    2. Delivery personnel who go to destinations/locations beyond the confines of the main office shall follow the protocol established for visitors.

    3. Delivery personnel who enter through the cafeteria shall sign-in and sign-out on a school provided log sheet.

 

The School Board, in accordance with state law, shall authorize principals, school administrators, and/or school security guards, to search the person, and any item in the possession of a person who is not a student enrolled in school or any school employee, while in or on any school property.  The search may be conducted at random with a metal detector, or physically when there is reasonable suspicion that such person has any weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol, stolen goods, or other materials which violate federal or state law or School Board policy.

 

Revised:  December, 1991

Revised:  October, 1994

Revised:  November 3, 2016

 

 

Ref:     La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:416.6, 17:416.10

Board minutes, 11-3-16

 

St. John the Baptist Parish School Board