1010 - Visiting Schools

1010 - Visiting Schools

Last Updated Date: 11/04/2024

Adoption Date: 05/02/2016

Revision History: Reviewed 12/02/2019

For purposes of this Policy, the following definitions shall apply:

Parent shall mean the lawful father or mother of a child, including adoptive parents.

Guardian shall mean a legal Guardian who has been appointed by a court or who has accepted a testamentary appointment, as provided in Nebraska Revised Statute Section 30-2605.

Educational Decisionmaker shall mean a person who has been appointed by a court to make educational decisions for the child. 

Parents, Guardians, and/or Educational Decisionmakers as well as other interested individuals are encouraged to visit schools and are to be made welcome by the respective building staff and student bodies in accordance with this Policy. The District will promote home and school collaboration by implementing clear, two-way communication with Parents, /Guardians and/or Educational Decisionmaker about the instructional program, and the child's participation and progress. Communication is also shared with Parents, Guardians and/or Educational Decisionmaker regarding open house, parent-teacher conferences, award and recognition ceremonies, assemblies and other special events. 

Parents, Guardians and/or Educational Decisionmaker are also encouraged to visit or monitor their children's classrooms and daily learning environments. Parent, Guardian and/or Educational Decisionmaker visits to the school and/or classroom during instruction must be arranged in advance with the building administration and coordinated with the classroom teacher.  Coordinated classroom visits will be limited to thirty minutes.  Under ordinary circumstances, the teacher being visited by a Parent, Guardian and/or Educational Decisionmaker should continue with the regular classroom work.  Any individual conference with a teacher should be held before or after school in order that the normal instructional activities not be disrupted. Parents, Guardians, and/or Educational Decisionmakers are not permitted to take photographs, video and/or audio recording of students and teachers.  Visits during District and state testing are prohibited.

During the school day, all visitors are expected to report to the school’s main entrance to notify staff they are in the building or on school grounds and must provide identification.  Contacts with school personnel during school hours with non-school individuals and agencies for materials, service, or programs may be made only with the approval of the principal. At all times, visitors to the school buildings and on school grounds must respect the learning environment and maintain proper behavior and decorum. Disruption of the orderly process of the school is prohibited. Visitors are not permitted to take photographs, video and/or audio recording of students and teachers during visits.  The principal or the principal’s designee is authorized to deny entry, ban or bar future access, remove or request the removal of any visitor in the building or on school grounds whose behavior is disruptive to the educational/working environment of the school.

Employees in school buildings shall report to the principal immediately any person loitering on or near the school grounds. If necessary, the principal will notify the appropriate law enforcement agency to investigate the situation.

Any visitor to the school buildings and grounds who has been denied access or who has been asked to leave, may contact the Office of Family and Community Relations in Student and Community Services to report concerns.

Legal References:

Neb. Rev. Stat. 79-8,100 Teachers, Solicitation by Agents Prohibited, Exceptions
Neb. Rev. Stat. 28-901 Obstructing Government Operations