To promote effective communication between the citizens of the community and the school system, the Board of Education encourages parents and other citizens to visit their schools periodically during the course of the school year.
The Board recognizes that many visitations that will occur are regularly scheduled events, e.g. parent-teacher organization meetings, public gatherings, registering of pupils, etc. There are also occasions when parents or guardians desire to visit their child’s classroom at other than regularly scheduled times. When such visitations occur, they shall be made on the basis of a defined need and shall be made only with the approval of their child’s teacher and/or Principal. The Board views these visits as constructive; however, no such visit shall be permitted to interfere with the educational process.
It shall be the policy of the Watervliet City Schools that all visitors and staff be identified before gaining access to school buildings and must wear identification badges while on school property. The purpose of the access control system is to enhance building security and ensure that each visitor has legitimate business with the school district. The goal of the identification procedure is twofold:
- So that school staff may be identified by responding agencies during times of crisis as a potential resource.
- So that staff and visitors can be identified as belonging on campus by all those who occupy the facility.
Persons who are not student or staff shall report immediately to the sign in area upon entering a school building. Persons other than parents, guardians, students or staff, who desire to visit a school building, shall do so only with the permission of an appropriate administrative staff member.
Student visitors from other schools, unless they have a specific reason and prior approval of the Superintendent of Schools, shall not be given permission to enter school buildings. New students accompanied by their parents are always welcome.
A violation of the visitation policy shall be prosecuted pursuant to New York State Law.
The superintendent of schools shall promulgate and disseminate Superintendent’s Procedures to accomplish the goals stated in this policy.
Cross- ref: 1520, Public Conduct on School Property
5450.1, Notification of Sex Offenders
Ref: Education Law 1708;2801
Adopted date: October 20, 1998
Revised: August 16, 2007
Adopted date: September 19, 2007
WATERVLIET CITY SCHOOLS
Superintendent’s Procedures for Visitor and Staff Identification
Procedures
1. The following procedure is to be followed in the Watervliet City Schools for the purpose of identifying those persons wishing to enter school buildings. In order to comply with the directives of the Board of Education Policy # 1240, each school building will maintain a single point of access to the buildings where possible during the school day. Those wishing to access the school building during the school day will approach the designated access doors and sign-in at the greeter’s desk. Where available, visitors will initiate the Aiphone buzzer which allows school staff to note their presence, and where appropriate, to allow them into the building by releasing the electronic door lock so the person may enter the building and sign-in as necessary.
The following procedure is to be followed by each affected building:
Middle School/High School
In order to facilitate a single point of access security feature in the building, between 7:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. doors, other than the parking lot north entrance, shall be closed and locked. During normal school day operations visitors, guests, and others wishing to enter the building, must do so by following the security access procedure listed below (security access procedure).
Elementary School
In order to facilitate a single point of access security feature in the building, from 8:05 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on on school days all the building’s doors will be secured except for the main entrance on the parking lot side, and visitors, guests, and others wishing to gain access to the building must follow the security access procedure listed below.
Security Access Procedure
- Designated access doors shall be monitored by the greeter or main office staff during school hours.
- The Building Principal assigns monitoring duties to appropriate staff.
When an individual who wishes to enter the building enters and proceeds to the greeter’s desk and/or activates the Aiphone to request entry, the person monitoring should determine the following:
- If the individual requesting access is a staff member, access will be granted.
- If the individual requesting access is not a staff member but is recognized as having legitimate business with the school,
access may be granted, and the visitor directed to sign in and be given a visitors pass. - If the individual requesting access is not recognized, or is demonstrating unusual behavior, access should not be permitted. The individual should be asked to wait at the entrance and told that a school employee will show them to the main office. The person monitoring should contact the building administrator to determine if the visitor has legitimate business and/or escort the individual to the main office.
A sign shall be posted at the entrance of each building requiring that visitors sign in at the greeter’s desk.
All visitors and school employees shall wear identifying badges prominently displayed on their person at all times on school
property during the course of their duties.
Employee Badges
Employee badges shall bear the owners name and photograph.
At the end of each school year the main office will collect each employee’s badge and keep it until the beginning of the
next school year. Summer school employees will be reissued their badges.
Badges will be color-coded to assist in differentiating the normal work assignment location or status of people in the building as follows:
- Watervliet Elementary School— Garnet
- Watervliet Jr/Sr High School –Grey
- District Office Staff—White
- Visitors— Yellow
All school employees and administrators shall assist the district in the enforcement of this administrative regulation. Staff members who observe individuals on school property during school hours who are not wearing a badge or a sticker, shall approach the individual, request their identity and purpose of their visit and escort them to the greeter’s desk so that they may sign in and receive the appropriate identification. If a staff member feels that the person that they observe poses a threat, the staff member should not approach the individual but rather should contact the building administrator immediately.
Visitors
All visitors entering the school building shall report to the greeter’s desk, sign in on the visitors log and show positive identification, e.g. drivers’ license. At that time, the greeter shall issue the visitor “a visitor’s badge”. The visitor shall provide their drivers license, keys or an item of equivalent value in exchange for the badge. The visitor is required to display the identification in a prominent fashion on their person at all times while on campus. At the conclusion of the visitors business they shall return to the greeter’s desk to sign out on the visitors log, return their badge and receive their collateral property. It is the duty of the greeter to inventory visitor badges at the end of each school day and note any discrepancies to the building administrator. Visitors who do not comply with the district’s requirement for identification shall be asked to leave school grounds.
Deliveries
Persons making routine, anticipated deliveries to school facilities will not be required to wear badges or sign in at the main office, provided that the department receiving the delivery controls the persons access to the building, and supervises them at all times while on campus.
Persons who have unanticipated deliveries will be required to sign in at the main office. Any person leaving a delivery for a staff member or student will be required to provide proper identification and show the greeter the content of the delivery.
Employees and Substitutes
Each current employee and each person who enters employment with the school district in the future, shall be issued a photo ID badge at no cost, which they must display at all times on school property while in the course of their duties. The building administrator is responsible for compliance with this requirement.
Contractors
Construction contractors performing work in occupied areas of the school building are required by the Commissioner of Education to wear photo identification at all times. Contractors who are performing short duration work within the district may use the district’s visitor identification procedure. Contractors, who are in long-term relationships with the school district and spend 8 hours or more per week at district facilities, shall be issued photo ID badges identifying them as contractors and naming their employer.
Lost Badges
Visitors and contractors who lose their identification badges shall make every effort to find such badge. If the badge cannot be recovered, contractors shall be charged $10 replacement fee for their badge.
School employees who lose their identification badge will be provided replacement identification at no charge in the first instance and $10 for a badge for each following instance where identification is lost.