Canton Local discusses tighter facility-use oversight, background-check attestation for youth groups
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Summary
Board members and staff discussed facility-use approvals for youth organizations, Sunday access, and adding background-check attestations to the facility-request form to reduce unauthorized use and shift administrative responsibility to requestors.
Board members on Oct. 20 discussed clarifying and enforcing the district's facility-use processes for youth organizations after instances of unsanctioned use over the summer.
Staff said youth organizations are not technically school programs and therefore must complete a facility-use agreement and will be categorized under the district's class 1/2/3 facility-use rules. The board directed athletic requests to go through the athletic director, arts requests through building principals and district-level events through the superintendent, and asked that consequences for unauthorized access be specified.
Board members raised concerns about whether the district can verify background checks for community coaches and volunteers. Jason (facilities staff) suggested adding a checklist and attestation to the facility-request form that would require organizations to confirm they have met insurance and background-check requirements; the board asked legal counsel to confirm whether the current approach provides sufficient protection and recommended the form be updated and communicated to user groups.
Board members said they aim to balance risk management with keeping volunteers willing to help; staff noted that adding a sign-off shifts responsibility to the requestor and helps document compliance if issues later arise.