Playing Smart changelabsolutions.org | kaboom.org 73 Scheduling Access to the Facility Joint use advocates face special concerns when developing and implementing agreements with school districts, which see school buildings and property as being first and foremost for student use. State laws frequently support this view. School principals or coaches may want to limit public access to property like gyms or fields to protect the district’s investment in these spaces. They may also want to be able to schedule activities at times that suit their needs. School coaches, for instance, may block out more time than necessary to ensure the facilities will be available, and school officials may cancel public use of their facilities to accommodate last-minute school activities. So how can partners work together to ensure that the scheduling of both school and community activities runs smoothly? Every successful joint use partnership must be sensitive to the needs of those most directly affected by the agreement. Even though joint use agreements are usually written at the district level, school personnel typically control access to facilities on school grounds. The superintendent may sign the agreement, but the principal, coach, or custodian has the keys. School personnel put a lot of hard (and sometimes unpaid) work into their schools, including buying equipment for their facilities. It is critical to respect their position and give them the confidence that their facilities will be carefully maintained by users. Being sensitive to school personnel will likely make them more amenable to compromise in developing policies for scheduling. Joint use partners also can use regular meetings to plan for their scheduling needs. In Charlotte-Mecklenburg, every joint use agreement requires an annual scheduling meeting between signatories, during which the schedule is determined for the upcoming year (with provisions for amendments, should an emergency occur). In most cases, school principals know a year in advance when the school needs to schedule the joint use venue. A 12-month calendar clearly designating school dates and availability is copied and shared among the relevant parties. Many communities include detailed information about scheduling in exhibits attached to the joint use agreement. The table on the next page, for example, is Exhibit B of a joint use agreement between the City of Fresno, California, and the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD). It clearly delineates a minimum period during which the city has priority rights to schedule the facilities at the seven schools covered by the agreement; it states when the general public will have access to outdoor facilities for non-programmed activities; and it lists the acceptable exceptions to these rules.
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