Syosset Central School District Policies

Smoking/Tobacco Use

New York State "Pro-Child Act of 1994" [Effective August 25, 1994]

Tobacco use shall not be permitted and no person shall use tobacco on school grounds. For purposes of this policy, "school grounds" means any bilding, structure and surrounding outdoor grounds contained within the District's pre-school, nursery school, elementary or secondary school's legally defined property boundaries as registered in the County Clerk's offie; as well as any vehicles used to transport children or school personnel.

Federal "Pro-Children Act of 1994" [Effective December 26, 1994]

The District shall not permit smoking at any time within any indoor facility owned orleased or contracted for and utilized by the District for provision of routine or regular kindergarten, elementary or secondary education or library services to children. The District also prohibits smoking in indoor facilities in which regular health care, day care or early childhood development programs—such as HeadStart—are provided to children.

The term "Indoor Facility," for the purposes of this policy, means a building that is enclosed.

Other Areas of Facilities

In those other areas or facilities not goverened by the smoking prohibition, as authorized by the Federal Pro-Children Act of 1994, the District shall adhere to the New York State Clean Indoor Air Act (Public Health Law Article 13E) as newly revised by the Pro-Child Act of 1994.

Posting/Notification of Policy

In compliance with the New York State Clean Indoor Air Act, the District will prominently post its Smoking/Tobacco Use policy in District Buildings and supply a copy upon requesst to any current or prospective employee. The District will also designated a school official to inform individuals who smoke in a non-smoking area that they are in voilation of Article 13E of the state Public Health Law and the federal Pro-Children Act of 1994.

Rules & Regulations Relative to Community Use of School Facilities

The Board of Education hereby provides for community use of school facilities when not in use for school purposes, or in cases involving school-related groups such as the PTA, if in the opinion of the Board of Education or its administration such use will not be disruptive of normal school operations, for the public purposes set forth in the Education Law and as described in the following policy:

The school houses, grounds, and other school property, when not in use for school purposes, may be used for other purposes only when authorized by the Superintendent, or his/her designee, by written permit.
The issuance of a permit for use of a school building or facility shall be in any event at the sole discretion of the Superintendent or his/her designee.
All applications for permits shall be in writing and submitted to the office of the Director of Facilities.
No permit shall in any event be issued:
1. For any purpose that will interfer with the school use of the school buildings, grounds or other school property;
2. To any person or persons for personal or private gain, financial or otherwise;
3. For holding a social, civic or recrational meeting or entertainment or other use pertaining to the welfare of the community, unless such meeting, entertainment or use shall be non-exclusive and open to the general public;
4. For a meeting, entertainment or occasion where admission fees are charged, unless the proceeds are to be expended for an educational or charitable purpose;
5. For a meeting, entertainment or occasion where admission fees are charged if such meeting, entertainment or occasion is under the exclusive control, and the proceeds are to be applied for the benefit of a society, association or organization of a religious sect or denomination, or of a fraternal, secret or exclusive society or organization other than organizations of veterans or of volunteer firemen;
6. The applicant must provide sufficient information on the application to demonstrate the proposed activitiy on school premises will be adequately supervised in the judgement of the reviewing district official. The activity shall be properly conducted and the applicant undertakes to be responsible for any injury to person or damage to school property. All youth groups must have an adult leader approved by the district official reviewing the permit application. Where the activity involves use of district fields, the permitee must submit a list of adult leaders and coaches for each team.
Each permit shall be issued upon the following terms and conditions:
1. If issued for a meeting, entertainment or occasion where admission fees are charged, a detailed written statement of receipts and expenditures may be requested by the Coordinator of Educational Services from the permittee within twenty days thereafter;
2. No contributions shall be solicited or collected on school premises, without authority given by the Board stated in the permit;
3. Any and all charges imposed by the Board, including charges for school district personnel, shall be invoiced by the district. The district reserves the right to request payment in advance;
4. The permit shall be valid only for use of the particular school premises on the date or dates and the hours specified in the permit, and for the purposes therein and in the application specified;
5. The permit shall be exhibited, upon request, to any representative of the Board or any representative from administration;
6. The permittee shall comply with the applicable rules and regulations of the Board, the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee and the building principal;
7. Subject to the right of the Superintendent or his/her designee to transfer any activity from one space to another in the same building or in another building.
The permit shall be signed by the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent of Schools.
No gambling or use of intoxicating beverages or illegal drugs, or smoking shall be allowed on school premises or any other behavior that is prohibited by the District's Code of Conduct. Please refer to the official District Calendar for the Code of Conduct.
No exhibits, posters or like material shall be displayed on school property, unless authorized in the permit.
Arrangements are through the school building for the use of building equipment, such as motion picture projectors, public address systems, stage lighyting systems, pianos, etc., and for a qualified stage manager or operator shall be made prior to the function.
Upon approval of permit by the Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent of Schools, refreshments may be brought into school facilities for consumption by participants in the activity. The permitee and/or the group organizers shall ensure the prevention of food borne illnesses by causing any food products to be safely stored, prepared and served. Arrangements for kitchen attendant and food, and corresponding compensation must be made directly with District Food Services.
No permit shall be issued for use of District Board Room or District Administrative Offices.
A permit may be cancelled without notice for failure to comply with the foregoing or other applicable rules and regulations of the Board, office of the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee or school principal.
School personnel (matrons, custodians, ,etc.) for non-school organizations will be assigned by the building pricipal to prperly meet the needs of the activity.
In order to be entitled to a permit, an organized group shall be composed of residents of the school district, at least one-half of its membership shall be residents of Syosset Central School District.
Fees may be reduced or waived by the Board when warranted. Your organization/grouup may request a fee waiver from the Board of Education. All such requests must be submitted in writing and approved by the Deputy Superintendent.
Misuse of school property or equipment, acts of rowdyism, encroachment on school property not specifically authorized in the permit and other unauthorized or unlawful acts may cause the Board to cancel a permit to use school property and facilities. The Board of Education or its designee shall be the sole judge as to whether or not an act by the user is in violation of the wwritten or implied rules of the Board of Education, Superintendent, or Building Principal.
All community organizations that make an application for use of school facilities are required to furnish comprehensive public liability insurance coverage naming Syosset Central School Distric as additional insured. These policies must have a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury liabililty and property damage liability, $1,000,000 Products-Completed Operations liabililty coverage and $1,000,000 Personal and Advertising injury liabililty coverage. Insurance certificates, meeting these requirements, must be presented to the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee along with the application for use of school facilities prior to the granting of a use permit.
In order to maintain the athletic fields of the school district in good, playable condition for use by the school's physical education program and community use, the following regulations for the proper use of school buildings, fields and grounds are established:
1. The use of school fields after dark is prohibited.
2. Loitering on school grounds after dark is prohibited.
3. The use of any unlicensed motorized vehicle is strictly prohibited on school grounds and fields.
4. Motorized equipment of all types are strictly prohibited on school grounds and fields. (Roadway and parking lots are provided for the convenience of those using the fields.)
5. Horseback riding is prohibited.
6. Golf playing is prohibited.
7. Alcoholic beverages of any kind, and illegal drugs, are strictly prohibted on school grounds and fields at any time.
8. Organizations using the fields shall be responsible for the orderly conduct and control of crowds.
9. Organizations using the fields shall be responsible for the cleaning and removal of all litter resulting from their use.
10. No physical change of the field or its surroundings may be made without written approval from the Superintendent's office.
11. Pets on school grounds are prohibited.
12. Organizations bringing food onto the premises will be responsible for cleanup. Failure to comply will result in additional fees.
  
  Violatoin of any of the above will be cause for immediate revocation of permit and denial of approval for future use of fields.
It should be carefully noted that, even after official approval of the use of the field(s), scool buildings, grounds or other school property, the approval may be cancelled for a school activity.
The School Board desires to have the maximum utilization of school facilities for the education betterment of the student population, including the use of the facilities by outside agencies or organizatins which qualify under the District policy and meet the guidelines as listed above. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if the voters do not approve a proposed budget in any year and the Board adopts a contingency budget, community use of school facilities will likely be limited or suspended unless use is at no cost to the district. In cases where fees are charged to meet the "no-cost to the district" requirement, no pre-payment of fees shall be permitted in order that permits may be equitably allocated.
Hold Harmless—The permittee and/or the group shall defend, indemnify and hold the Syosset Central School District, its officers, employees and agents harmless from any and all liability, loss, expense, including reasonable attorney's fees, or claims for injury or damages arising out of its use of any school facility but only proportion toand to the extent such liability, loss, expense, attorney's fees or claims for injury or damages are caused by or result from the negligent or intentional acts including but not limited to food borne illnesses, or omissions of the permittee and/or the group and the organization, its officers, employees, agents and contractors. These obligations may be satisfied, in whole or in part, by naming the Syosset Central School District as an additional insured on the permittee's/organization's comprehensive general liability policy solely with respect to the use of the school factility for the activity authorized by permt. Said policy shall have a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury liabililty and property damage and includes $1,000,000 Products-Completed Operations coverage and $1,000,000 Personal and Advertising injury coverage.

Revised 1/23/06