To ensure the safety and security of all students, employees and visitors to our buildings, the district has implemented strict safety procedures. These are district-wide procedures; all visitors to any building are required to adhere to the outlined procedures listed:
- Plan ahead: If you are planning to visit a classroom or other area of the school building during the school day, you should call the building office and pre-register for an appointment prior to the date of the visit. Absent an emergency, requests to meet with a classroom teacher or staff member should be made at least 48 hours in advance to allow the school sufficient time to make arrangements as necessary. Parents/guardians who are dropping off items for a student in the front office, and who will not be proceeding into the building, may do so without advance registration.
- Parking: Prior to building entry, please ensure that vehicles are parked in designated visitor spaces. Do not leave vehicles parked or standing in fire lanes (designated by red curbing), bus lanes, or spaces not designated for parking.
- Entrance: Upon arrival at the school building, enter through the designated visitor/main entrance and report to the greeter desk/window. For the safety of all students, employees, and visitors, all exterior doors will be locked (all doors can still be used as exits).
- Identify yourself: You will be asked who you are here to visit and the nature of your visit prior to gaining entrance to the building. If you are requesting to see or remove a student from a school building, you must be an authorized parent or guardian or have authorization from a parent or guardian. The district reserves the right to deny an individual entry to any school building when there is reason to believe that such individual’s presence would be detrimental to the operation of the school and the learning environment.
- Photo ID: Present your valid photo identification to a staff member. All visitors will be asked to verify their identity by showing district staff a form of photo identification, such as a driver’s license or government issued ID card. We will not check you in as a visitor or release a student to your care without your photo ID. Individuals who are undocumented or refuse to provide an ID will be accompanied/escorted by a district employee to/from the place in the building the person needs to go and then back to the point where they sign out. They will be accompanied at all times. If this individual is a contractor/inspector – entry will be refused and the company will be notified as well as appropriate district staff.
- Visitor management software/badge: You will be asked to sign into the building and you will be issued a visitor badge. Please be advised as we move forward with our Safety and Security Initiatives we will be implementing Visitor Management Software in each of our buildings. As the system becomes available, your ID will be scanned into our secure visitor management database for visitor management purposes only. This system will create a photo visitor badge.
- Wear your visitor badge at all times: The visitor badge must be displayed and visible at all times during your visit. For the safety of students, employees, and other visitors, please be aware that our staff have been trained to approach and question visitors who are in the building and not wearing an ID badge.
- Leaving the building: At the completion of your visit, you will be required to check back in at the greeter station to return your visitor badge and sign out as a visitor.
- Video surveillance: Please note that school entrances and numerous locations in our buildings are under video surveillance.
- Packages and bags: MCSD reserves the right to examine any packages or bags that are brought onto district property.
- Board of Education policy: Please be advised of MCSD Board of Education Policies 5300 Section XIII. Visitors to the Schools and 5300.70 XIV. Public Conduct on School Property.
Note: If any school employee becomes aware that an individual is in a school without having received permission, the employee must either direct the individual to the administrative office or notify the principal, depending on the circumstances.
Volunteering
Persons wishing to volunteer must contact the Superintendent or Building Principal or other individual designated by the Superintendent or Building Principal and must complete a volunteer application form. The application form shall require the volunteer applicant to disclose any criminal convictions. The application form shall also require the applicant to identify two non family member personal references. The district shall retain a complete record of all information obtained through the application process for the same period of time it retains information regarding district employees.
If you are planning to volunteer in our schools, please complete an application and return it to your building principal. Your principal will be happy to answer questions or provide a copy of the application. The district will keep applications on file, so it should not be necessary for you to complete it more than once while your children are attending school in the district.