Last modified: December 1, 2023

7060 P1 Visitors on School and District Property

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The Provo City School District Board of Education is authorized by Utah law to own and operate district property, to make and enforce rules for the control and management of district property, and to do all other things necessary for the maintenance, prosperity, and success of schools. Although district property is publicly owned, district properties are not simply open to the public. The board is able to regulate public access to all district properties.

Definition(s)

Visitor

Includes any and all persons entering Provo City School District properties, who are not employees assigned or students enrolled at a specific location. This includes, but not limited to: parents/legal guardians, family members, vendors, contractors, and service providers.

District property

Means a property which is owned by the Provo City School District.

District/school administrator

Means a certified administrator who is responsible for the supervision and management of a district property.

Types of District Property Visits

1. Scheduled visits
   • Any type of meeting on district property with district employees should be scheduled in advance. Meetings with staff to discuss a student’s academic experience should be scheduled in advance so that all necessary participants are available to attend and sufficient time is allotted.
2. Unscheduled visits
   • Meetings to discuss pressing issues will be accommodated, provided that the necessary participants are able to attend with minimal disruption to the educational environment or an employee’s assigned duties.
3. District/school events
   • Open events such as concerts, fairs, performances, athletic events, and assemblies may be opened to the public in addition to the local school community. 
4. Non-school related meetings
   • Meetings between an employee and another individual who has been invited to a district property should occur outside the employee’s scheduled work time (before/after school or work, during lunch or scheduled breaks). These meetings should not interfere with the employee’s ability to prepare for or conduct their work. 
5. Unauthorized visits
   • Visits made by individuals who have not received authorization from the district/school administrator to enter a district property. This includes individuals that have been banned, trespassed, and/or been given prior notice that they are not allowed on district property. These individuals will be directed to the front office to speak with administration and/or escorted off district property. 
6. Presentations to students
   • Presentations and events conducted by guest speakers and/or district employees. These individuals must comply with the requirements outlined in the General Requirements for Visitors on School and District Property, prior to making their presentation.
7. Volunteer visits
   • Volunteers who are properly recognized by the school or district and who are performing an approved service as assigned by the school or district (e.g., assisting with classroom/event preparations, tutoring, mentoring, and/or chaperoning of students).

General Requirements for Visitors on District Property

1. All visitors must report to the front office when entering and leaving the district property.
2. Visitor procedures do not apply to district employees who are regularly assigned to a specific district property. 
3. Notices shall be displayed on district property, indicating that all visitors are required to register with the front office and obtain authorization to remain on the district property.
4. Visitors lacking a district-issued ID badge shall be required to present photo identification.
5. All visitors must check-in, indicating their name, the purpose of their visit, and the name of the person they intend to meet with.
6. All visitors must pick up a visitor badge and wear it at all times while on district property.
7. All visitors should proceed directly to the location of their scheduled meeting. 
8. At the conclusion of their visit, visitors shall return to the front office, check-out, and return their visitor badge.
9. The district may elect to use an electronic visitor management system in connection with the implementation of these procedures
10. District/school administration may impose reasonable restrictions upon the time, duration, frequency, and location of visits.
11. All visitors must be respectful and comply with all state laws, local board policies, and district administrative procedures.

Visitors to Classrooms or Other Instructional Areas

1. The district/school administrator has the discretion to restrict visitor access to particular classrooms or other areas on the district property.
2. Visitor access on district property may also be restricted at certain times such as, but not limited to, while standardized testing or other student assessments and emergency procedures are being conducted.
3. As classrooms and other instructional areas are most vulnerable to disruption, specific conditions may be required of visitors, including but not limited to:
   • remaining in a designated area or seat; 
   • refraining from speaking to students while the class or activity is in progress;
   • refraining from entering or leaving the area while the activity is underway;
   • requiring that the visitor be chaperoned; and/or 
   • limiting visits to particular times or lengths of time.

District School Entrances and Timeframes for Visitors

All exterior perimeter doors shall be locked during the school day and at other times as designated by the superintendent or district/school administrator. District schools with an electronic visitor management system are required to use them. These schools are permitted to unlock the main entrance doors after the first bell of the day. Thereafter, all exterior doors will remain locked and visitors will use the electronic visitor management system to gain access into the building through the main entrance.

There may be times, such as during high school lunch periods, when it is necessary for exterior doors to be unlocked. When this is the case, the door must be visually monitored by a district employee at all times. Propping open exterior doors is prohibited at all times during the school day.

District employees, students, and visitors should be reminded throughout the school year not to open exterior doors for visitors trying to gain access to the building. Everyone must go through the proper procedure and electronic visitor management system to gain access into the building at the main entrance.

Electronic Visitor Management System for Visitors

In an effort to provide an additional layer of safety for our students and employees, and to better manage visitors in our schools, the Provo City School District will utilize an electronic visitor management system to be implemented in all district schools. The electronic visitor management system has been developed with the purpose of aiding district schools in managing their visitors. Visitors include any and all persons entering district schools who are not employees assigned or students enrolled at a specific location. The system not only provides an effective, efficient method for tracking, but also goes beyond conventional applications by utilizing available public databases to help control and improve district school safety and security. The system replaces manual paper-based logs, allows district schools to produce customized visitor identification badges, monitor volunteer hours, assist with reunification efforts, and any locally entered custom alerts.

General Requirements for Visitors using the Electronic Visitor Management System

1. All district schools will post signage directing all visitors to check-in through the electronic visitor management system and main entrance front office. Visitor entry is restricted to the main entrance only, unless arrangements have been made with district/school administration requiring alternate access.
2. All visitors must report to the front office upon arrival to be checked into the district school electronic visitor management system.
3. All visitors will be greeted by a district employee, have their identification verified, have the purpose for their visit confirmed, and be given a visitor badge. If the visitor is a parent or legal guardian of a student enrolled in a district school, identification will be verified through the student information system and electronic visitor management system prior to admittance to the school.
4. Whenever possible the visit should be scheduled in advance with each district/school administrator. District/school administrators reserve the right to reschedule a planned or unplanned visit as they deem appropriate in order to serve the educational needs of students and to avoid disruption of instruction or other district-sponsored activities. 
5. All valid approved government-issued forms of photo identification are acceptable. Examples include, but not limited to:
   • Driver License from any state or country;
   • Identification Card from any state or country; 
   • Passport or Passport Card from any country; 
   • Permanent Resident Cards (Green Card);
   • Consulate Card from any country; and/or
   • Military Identification Card
6. Identification badges shall be worn so that they are visible on the outermost garment, above the waist for the duration of the visit.
7. District employees visiting schools shall check in at the front office and follow check in/check out procedures. 
8. Upon exiting the building, non-employee visitors shall check out and return their visitor badge to the front office employees. District employees shall reconcile the visitor check out sheet and/or electronic visitor management system at the end of the day to ensure all visitors have left the building.
9. Any employee who encounters a visitor without a visitor badge shall escort that visitor to the front office to check in.

District Guest Network Access for Visitors

The district may provide guest network access to visitors who have an educational function while visiting. Such activities may include educational or business presentations, vendors, community councils, PTA members, and others whose purpose is to meet the educational and business needs of the district. Guest network passwords will be provided on a case-by-case basis and will be managed by the district Technology Department. If a visitor is a member of a partner institution in the EDUROAM network, they may also use that network access while visiting a district school.

The guest network is not intended to be used by employees, students, or visitors to district schools that do not have an approved, legitimate purpose for use of the district network. All guest network usage is monitored for content and logged by the district. Any abuse of the guest network access will be deemed unlawful and such activity may result in the offending visitor being subject to lawful sanctions and prosecution, as well as a loss of guest network access in the future. Those using the guest network are subject to the same rules and restrictions as students and district employees.

Registered Sex Offenders on District Property

Pursuant to Utah law, schools are protected areas, and individuals identified as registered sex offenders—those required to register with the state due to a conviction for a sexual offense against a child—are not allowed to be in a protected area on foot or in a vehicle except in circumstances where a registered sex offender must be present in order to carry out necessary parental responsibilities.

1. The district/school administrator of where the sex offender’s child attends is authorized to allow the parent or legal guardian limited and restricted access to the district property. 
2. Adult sex offenders shall not be allowed on district property for any reason during the school day or during school-sponsored or school-related activities other than circumstances where a parent or legal guardian’s presence is welcomed, required and/or necessary.
3. Any sex offender that desires access to school property to carry out necessary parental responsibilities during a school-sponsored or school-related activity must first contact the principal of the school and request permission to enter onto school property. 
4. Individuals on the sex offender registry must be accompanied and supervised by a district/school administrator at all times while on district property.
5. Under appropriate circumstances, the principal may assign a school employee to escort, accompany, and supervise the parent or legal guardian while on the school campus.

Disorderly Conduct of Visitors

While encouraging visitation, the district has a legitimate interest in avoiding disruption to the educational process, protecting the safety and welfare of students and employees, and protecting district property and equipment from misuse and vandalism.

Unless a court order states otherwise, custodial and non-custodial parents and guardians have the right to attend and participate fully in all significant school, social, sports, and community functions. Parent(s)/guardian(s) are not allowed to exercise their parent/guardian time with the child during regular school hours. This includes physical parent/guardian time and other methods of parent/guardian time, such as telephone, email, instant messaging, video conferencing, and other wired or wireless technologies over the internet or by satellite. See Provo City School District Board of Education Policy 3216 Child Custody and Parent/Guardian Rights for additional information.

In accordance with state law, it is unlawful for any person to annoy, disturb, disrupt, or otherwise prevent the orderly conduct of activities, administration, or classes of any district property. The district/school administrators are vested with authority to limit, control, exclude or restrict the access of a visitor from a district property who creates or is likely to create an unreasonable and substantial disruption, or appear likely to cause such a disruption to the educational environment; prevent employees from fulfilling their work assignments; or create a safety concern for anyone on the district property. District/school administrators should make every effort to de-escalate the situation, while unsuccessful attempts will result in a directive to the disruptive individual. The disruptive individual will be asked to: 1) stop the unlawful behavior, and may be required 2) to leave the premises.

A visitor who has been excluded will receive a formal written notice of the exclusion, including the district properties excluded from and the duration of the exclusion, and may not enter the specified district property for a period of time designated within the notice.

In the event that the disruptive behavior is severe, law enforcement may be called. Individuals who fail to adhere to the terms of this policy, related procedures, and the lawful directions of district/school administrator or any law enforcement officer acting on behalf of the district, or failure to identify oneself to such district/school administrators or officers when lawfully requested to do so, may be subject to prosecution of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and/or disrupting the operation of a school.

Visitors Trespassing

Each district property shall, through the use of signs and fences or other enclosures, exclude trespassers from the district property.

In the absence of express permission, all visitors to district property may be deemed to be trespassers on district property and subject to immediate removal by the school district.

The district/school administrator, or an individual with vested authority to act for a district/school administrator may refuse to allow persons having no legitimate business to enter district property under the board’s control. Identification may be required of any person on district property.

An individual is guilty of criminal trespass upon district property if the individual does either of the following:

1. Enters or remains without authorization on district property if notice against such entry or remaining has been given by 
   • personal communication by a district/school administrator or an individual with vested authority to act for a district/school administrator, or (
   • the posting of signs reasonably likely to come to the attention of a trespasser, or 
   • fencing or other enclosure obviously designed to exclude trespassers, or 
   • a current order of suspension or expulsion. 
2. Enters or remains unlawfully upon district property and 
   • intends to cause injury or annoyance to a person or damage to district property, or 
   • intends to commit a crime, or 
   • is reckless as to whether the person’s presence will cause fear for the safety of another.

Visitors in violation of this policy are subject to immediate removal from the district property and/or referred to law enforcement for criminal trespassing. Criminal trespass on district property is a violation of the law.

Visitors Disrupting Classrooms/District-Sponsored Events

No person shall be permitted, on district property, to willfully disrupt, alone or in concert with others, the conduct of classes or other district-sponsored events. Conduct which disrupts the educational activities of a district property includes:

1. Emissions by any means of noise of an intensity which prevents or hinders classroom instruction or other district-sponsored events.
2. Enticement or attempted enticement of students away from classes or other district-sponsored events which students are required to attend. 
3. Prevention or attempted prevention of students from attending classes or other district-sponsored events which students are required to attend.
4. Entrance into a classroom or other district-sponsored event without consent of either a district/school administrator or teacher, and either, through acts of misconduct and/or use of loud or profane language causing disruption.

See Provo City School District Board of Education Policy 7060 Visitors on School and District Property, Procedure 2 for additional information.

Visitors Disrupting District/School Operations

No person may disrupt the operation of the district/school. A person is guilty of disrupting the operation of the district/school if the person, after being asked to leave by a district/school administrator, remains on district property for the purpose of encouraging or creating an unreasonable and substantial disruption or risk of disruption of a class, activity, program, or other function of the district/school.

Examples of disrupting the operation of the district/school include:

1. Obstructing or restraining the passage of persons in an exit, entrance, or hallway of any building, or while on district property, without authorization from district/school administration.
2. Seizing control of any building or portion of a district property for the purpose of interfering with any administrative, educational, research, or other authorized activity.
3. Disrupting a lawful meeting or gathering on district property by intending to prevent, obstruct or interfere with the meeting or gathering by physical action, verbal utterance, or any other means.

Visitors Possessing Intoxicants and Illegal Substances

No person may possess any intoxicating beverage or illegal substance for consumption, sale, or distribution, or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances while on any district property, or at any other district-sponsored event.

Visitors Possessing Weapons or Dangerous Materials

No person shall possess a dangerous weapon, including firearms, on district property, that in the manner of its use or intended use, is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury except:

1. Persons exempt from weapons laws by state statute (law enforcement officers and others).
2. Persons authorized to possess a concealed firearm by state statute (concealed weapons permit holders).
3. Persons whose possession has been previously approved by a district/school administrator, or where the person responsible for the possession or use of the weapon is in possession or control of the weapon and it is present or to be used in connection with a lawful, district/school approved activity.
4. Possession on district property is permissible if the possession is on the person’s real property or in a vehicle lawfully under the person’s control, other than a vehicle owned by the district or used for the transport of students. 
5. A person under the age of 21 with a permit of any kind to carry a concealed firearm may not carry a concealed firearm on or about school premises.

No person shall possess an explosive, chemical, or incendiary device or parts, as defined in statute, which are dangerous to persons or district property or in those parts of a building, park, stadium or other structure which are being used for an activity sponsored by or through the district. Unlawful possession of the items or materials in the circumstances prohibited by this section is a criminal offense, punishable under state law.

Policy and Procedure

Policy No. 7060 Visitors on District and School Property

7060 P2 Classroom Visits