ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Policy Implementation Procedures
40-1.19 Financial Management – Use of School Facilities
PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES
Responsibilities
The Department of Finance and Management Services, under the direction of the Assistant Superintendent, Finance and Management Services, is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Use of School Facilities program. The Department of Finance and Management Services develops procedures, forms, and fee schedules and makes them available to all interested parties. The Assistant Superintendent, Finance and Management Services shall determine any questions as to proper interpretation or procedural implications of this policy orprocedures.
Arlington Public Schools facilities that share significant use with ArlingtonCounty facilities shall be regulated additionally by Memoranda of Agreement, negotiated by the Superintendent, that can be found in the Policy Implementation Manual.
Fees/Charges
Two types of fees are assessed: rental fees and charges for custodial support. The Custodial Support charge includes wages and benefits during regular custodial hours. Custodial overtime is additional and, regardless of group, all users pay custodial overtime.
The “full day fee” for renting space in an Arlington Public Schools facility is the maximum amount that any group or organization will pay in order to use a specific space for a period not to exceed eight hours on a single day.
The “half day fee” for renting space in an Arlington Public Schools facility is the maximum amount that any group or organization will pay in order to use a specific space for a period not to exceed four hours on a single day.
CUSTODIAL SUPPORT
Regular Overtime
Group One or TwoNo Charge$61.00/hr
Group Three or Four$46.00/hr.$61.00/hr.
Overtime is paid by all and full cost for custodians includes hourly wages and benefits.
RENTAL FEES(Full Day Fee up to 8 hours)
Small Large Jefferson Multipurpose Rm.
Classroom Gym Gym Gym or Cafeteria Aud.
Group 1 ...... No fees charged for rental ......
Group 2$30.00/room $183$549$1,846$183$609
Group 3$61.00/room $365$1,099$3,651$365$1,218
Group 4$121/room $730$2,198$7,301$730$2,435
RENTAL FEES(Half Day Fee up to 4 hours)
Small Large Jefferson Multipurpose Rm.
Classroom Gym Gym Gym* or Cafeteria Aud.
Group 1 ...... No fees charged for rental ......
Group 2$15.00/room $ 92$275NA$ 92$305
Group 3$30.50/room $183$550NA$183$609
Group 4$60.50/room $365$1,099NA$365$1,218
* The Jefferson Gym will only be rented for the full day period and is not available for half-day rental.
Rental rates for local universities, colleges and other nonprofit educational groups will be determined separately. (See Guideline 9 below.)
Specific Procedures
40-1.19-Use of School Facilities states the Arlington School Board's policies on precluded activities and third-party contracts. Additional regulations governing the use of school facilities are included on the back of the Application for Use of School Facilities. Administrative guidelines governing the implementation of the program are noted below.
Custodial Procedures
1.No Group 1 through 4 users will be permitted in an ArlingtonPublic School building without the presence of a custodian to operate the school security system, open and close the building and protect school property and equipment.
2.Regular custodial charges are hourly rates charged for activities between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except holidays.
- Overtime custodial charges are hourly rates charged for activities scheduled other than during those hours noted in number 2.
- When custodial charges are levied, they will be charged starting one half hour before the requested start time and ending one half hour after the requested ending time to allow for the opening and closing of the building. The ending time of the event is the time by which all attendees will have left the building.
- Periodically the custodial schedule will be modified to meet school needs. Summer cleaning is an example. In these cases, if a custodian has to be scheduled specially to serve a user, the user will be charged either the regular or overtime rate, whichever rate the custodian assigned is being paid.
Fees
1.Any rental period exceeding eight hours may be subject to additional fees.
2.Charges and fees are not pro-rated for multiple occupancy. Each group or organization will pay the full amount of all fees and charges accruing to the sponsored activity.
3.Twenty percent of any rental fees collected at a school will be kept by the school in a local school activity account entitled "Building Rental Fees." These monies will be used to help defray the indirect cost of building use or other expenses relating to the building. Checks for custodial charges and rental fees should be made payable to the local school and deposited immediately in the school checking account. All custodial charges and eighty percent of the rental fees shall be remitted in one check to the Department of Finance before the tenth of the month for the prior month's activities. Non-school buildings should continue to forward applications and payments to the Department of Finance as received.
- Colleges, universities and other nonprofit educational groups may negotiate contracts with the Department of Finance at Board approved rates. This provision applies to requests for classroom space for teaching courses. The hourly rate per classroom is $10.70 effective July 1, 2008. Twenty percent of these rental fees will be returned to the schools.
Other
1.In 40-Use of School Facilities, the Group 2 criteria are mutually exclusive. A group may qualify as a Group 2 by meeting either criteria. Either the activity is sponsored by a nonprofit group whose membership includes at least 50 percent Arlington residents, or the activity is sponsored by an IRS 501 (c)(3) organization whose clientele includes more than 50 percent Arlington residents or whose primary purpose is to serve Arlington residents.
2.Churches are nonprofit organizations but are not required by IRS to apply for an IRS determination. Therefore, churches are assumed to be nonprofit and IF their membership is composed of at least 50 percent Arlington residents, they are classified as Group 2. If the membership is less than 50 percent Arlington residents, they are classified as Group 3.
3.Neighborhood Watch meetings, where "neighborhood watch" is the applicant on the Use of Facilities form, are classified as Group 1 activities.
4.Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, where "alcoholics anonymous" is the applicant on the Use of Facilities form, are classified as Group 1 activities.
5.Use of kitchens is not permitted.
6.School grounds and stadiums may not be rented except under the terms of contracts negotiated with the Assistant Superintendent, Finance.
7.Certificates of Insurance must be obtained from users paying rental fees.
8.Internal Revenue Service designation of nonprofit status must be obtained for organizations claiming this classification.
9.An organization or group claiming Group 2 status, if requested, must provide proof that its membership or clientele is composed of at least 50 percent Arlington residents. (See Section II, Fees & Charges.)
10.Applications and payment must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the event. If an application and payment has not been received, the event may not occur.
Student Groups
Facilities may be used by student groups whose primary purpose is to foster student interest in political, community service, social, recreational, or educational activities. All student groups shall have a designated adult sponsor.
Sponsors of student religious groups shall not unduly advocate any religion or religious beliefs.
Groups must obtain permission for the use of the facility in advance from the building principal or designee. If so designated, a responsible adult monitor approved by the building administrator must be present. Non-school personnel may not participate in group activities unless approved in advance by the building principal.
Persons whose presence creates an unreasonable risk of danger to the school or to the students shall not be permitted to participate in school group activities.
ArlingtonCounty Government
County Departments should submit program scheduling requests to the appropriate school building principal as follows
- by April 15, for programs starting between September 1 and June 15
- by February 15, for programs starting between June 16 and August 31.
Requests received after these deadlines will be processed in the order received.
Other Groups and Organizations
The building administrator, or designee, shall have the right and duty to investigate applicants for the purpose of determining their responsibility to conduct a meeting or activitywithout unreasonable danger to persons or property, creating an unsavory or inappropriate use of an APS facility, or disturbance to others using school buildings, or to the neighborhood.
Applicants may be denied use of school facilities based on past abuse. “Abuse” includes, but is not limited to, failure to pay the Arlington Public Schools; not using the facilities in the manner or for the purposes stated on the application for use; failure to comply with appropriate instructions issued by school employees; failure to comply with procedures established for the use of the facilities; and physical damage to the facilities, furniture, or equipment.
The requesting group must follow all approved procedures and pay all fees in advance.
References
Code of Virginia §22.1-131 & 132
Code of Virginia §24.2-506
Code of Virginia §24.2-521
Gunston Memorandum of Agreement1996
Jefferson Memorandum of Agreement1988
40-1.19 Use of School Facilities
Approved – October 4, 2007, 2007 Effective – October 4, 2007 Page 1 of 5