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Board seeks simpler, fairer rules for renting school facilities; students to get priority
Summary
District staff recommended consolidating rental groups, charging fees that at least cover out-of-pocket costs, and formalizing a priority calendar that puts student programs first when scheduling shared spaces such as the Silver Lining Arts Center.
West Bend Joint School District No. 1 staff told the board they plan to simplify Policy 830 (use of facilities), narrow confusing category tiers and formalize priorities so school programs receive scheduling priority over outside groups.
Tim Harder, who presented background research to the board, said the district currently lists eight user groups across its policy but only three of those groups actually pay facility fees beyond custodial charges. Harder and other staff recommended reducing the number of tiers (to four or five) so it is clearer which users pay and why.
Harder described the three principal cost drivers the district considers when setting fees: wear-and-tear, staffing and utilities. He said administration can calculate per-hour utility and staffing costs for typical events and incorporate those running costs into a clearer fee schedule.
Board members generally agreed on two guiding principles: (1) the district should not seek profit from facility rentals but should recover reasonable out-of-pocket costs; and (2) student programs should receive priority scheduling. Board members gave examples of community partners who have accepted calendar shifts when schools needed the facility for student events.
The board discussed booking practices for the Silver Lining Arts Center and other unique facilities and asked staff to draft policy language that would lock in a priority order (student events first, then community partners, then nonresident/for-profit users) and to propose a simpler fee structure. Members also raised resident vs. nonresident pricing and whether nonresident commercial users should pay higher rates.
No final policy change was adopted; administration and the policy committee will prepare draft language and a proposed fee schedule for the board to consider at a future meeting.
Administrators noted that the district already reserves the right to displace rental users when student needs arise and that staff will continue trying to coordinate alternate spaces where feasible.
