- Procedure
Policy: 4260
Section: 4000 - Community Relations
Title: Use of School Facilities
Status: Active
Adopted: August 26, 2025
Use of School Facilities
District, district-sponsored or district-affiliated activities (Category 1 Users) retain first priority in the use of all school district facilities. Priority is based upon the User Categories 1 – 4. The District, in its sole discretion, may cancel or relocate any authorized use without notice to the user or liability to the district. In the event of an emergency school closure, all events are cancelled.
Authorization for use of school facilities shall not be considered endorsement or approval of the activity, group or organization, or for the ideals or beliefs represented. The district may require any user to include a disclaimer of endorsement/approval/sponsorship in any materials distributed in conjunction with the use of the facility. The rental or use of schools by the public for political meetings shall be on the basis of equal opportunity to all political parties and opinions.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The parties shall agree to the terms, conditions and charges set forth in this document.
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Ferndale School District shall:
a. Reserve the right to retain unlimited access to all school facilities and may, in the exercise of its discretion, rescind and cancel this agreement at any time when, in their opinion, the purpose or purposes for which the premises herein described are being used, or intended to be used, shall be in conflict with or harmful to the best interests of the Ferndale School District.
b. Reserve the right to require additional staff, custodians, security officers or equipment operators depending on the type of event at the expense of the User.
c. Will not assume responsibility for any equipment or materials left in the facility by the User.
d. The district will annually increase the custodial and other hourly fees based upon actual salary and benefit cost increases for those employees.
e. The district reserves the right to determine the most appropriate facility for the event.
f. Invoice applicant for all rental, utility, and staff fees and/or damages within sixty days of rental.
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The User shall:
a. Indemnify and hold Ferndale School District; including its directors, officers, employees, agents and contractors; harmless from all liability for any injury or damage which occurs on any property or in any facility made available to the User by the Ferndale School District pursuant to this agreement and which occurs during the course of any program or activity sponsored by the User. The User is under no obligation to indemnify and hold the Ferndale School District harmless for liability for any negligence on the part of the Ferndale School District. The User’s promise to indemnify and hold harmless also includes an obligation to assume full responsibility and expense of investigation, litigation, judgment, and /or settlement of any complaint, claim or legal action.
b. Furnish a Certificate of Insurance for limits not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit. The certificate shall name the Ferndale School District and its directors, officers, employees, agents and contractors as additional insured. This insurance shall be primary and the user shall provide not less than ten (10) days’ notice of cancellation or material change in the policy. The user agrees not to use school facilities in the absence of said insurance as it is a condition of use.
c. Obtain at the User’s own cost and expense, any and all licenses or permits required by law or ordinance.
d. Take the premises as they are at the time of the event. No removal of or change to Ferndale School District property shall be made without the prior consent of the School Principal. Property shall be removed and returned to its original condition.
e. Remove from the premises within twenty-four (24) hours following the final use, all equipment and material owned by the User. Anything not removed within this time frame will be subject to storage and/or disposal fees.
f. Have all deliveries of equipment and materials made with the prior consent of the School Principal or designee.
g. Prohibit the use of intoxicating beverages, smoking, harmful drugs, or gambling devices of any kind.
h. The user agrees to immediately report to the district any injuries, incidents or damage to the school facilities or equipment and shall be responsible for its repair or replacement as the district, in its sole judgment, shall see fit.
i. Forbid the use or storage on any part of the school district property any flammable or explosive substance or any items prohibited by law or ordinances of fire insurance.
j. The safety of all persons and property is the primary concern of the District. The user agrees to use reasonable and appropriate care during the use of school facilities and shall maintain the use of all safety and security systems provided, keep all accesses and exits clear and operational, notify proper authorities in the event of an emergency, and immediately follow the direction of police, fire, emergency, or district personnel. Not all locations subject to facility use have telephones readily accessible. The user should provide a cellular phone for their use, should an emergency arise. In case of fire, activate the fire alarms if located and CALL 911 immediately.
k. Remit payment within 30 days of invoice. Pay all expenses related to this event including additional charges incurred due the extension of the event.
l. Remit insurance documentation, Youth Sports Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Concussion Awareness Compliance Statement (if applicable), and any other requested information 14 days prior to the scheduled event or as soon as possible. Events will not be confirmed/approved until all required documentation has been provided.
m. If district facilities are used during times when a custodian is not regularly scheduled, or if an event requires additional custodial support due to its size, users may be required to cover the cost of a custodian (minimum two-hour callout). This callout charge is over and above any usage fees charged for the facility. The renter must agree to pay for custodians by paying the district’s actual cost. If the rental occurs on a weekend or holiday, this could result in paying up to double-time for the employee’s time worked.
n. All groups or organizations using district facilities must provide adequate adult supervision (age 21 or over).
o. The group or organization using the district facilities is responsible for the conduct of all persons.
p. Provide proof of Non-Profit status (if applicable) by uploading IRS Determination Letter or providing UBI number.
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The Following Regulations Shall Be Followed:
a. Smoking and alcoholic beverages shall not be allowed in/on any district premises.
b. No dances shall be held in school facilities other than school-sponsored dances except with the approval of the superintendent or designee.
c. School district equipment and supplies shall not be removed from any district property.
d. The application of materials to walls, ceiling, or floors is prohibited unless approved in advance.
e. If the user’s facility rental request includes the use of one of the district’s kitchen facilities, it must be requested through the district’s event manager portal and approved by the building Principal and/or Child Nutrition Manager. Requests for use of district kitchens require a minimum of 10-days advance notice. A kitchen facility fee will be assessed at the time the rental is approved. The renter must agree to pay for the employment of a food service worker by paying the district’s actual cost to pay them for their time if a kitchen is to be used for the preparation of food or serving food other than coffee and cookies or other such light refreshments. If the rental occurs on a weekend or holiday this could result in paying up to double time for the employee’s time worked. Costs for staff will be fully recovered in the final billing for services. Only district employees can be used for custodial and food service needs.
f. Requests to use gymnasiums and athletic facilities will be made on a seasonal basis (i.e., fall, winter, spring, etc.), not to exceed 3 consecutive months (12 weeks), after WIAA and other school activities are scheduled. Any space remaining after the seasonal scheduling meeting will be awarded based on rental category in the following order: Category1, 2, 3, and 4.
g. The district also reserves the right to cancel or revoke any facility use permit at any time. In the event of such cancellation or revocation, there shall be no claim or rights to damage or compensation on account of any loss, damage, or expense whatsoever endured by the applicant as a result of such cancellation. Priority shall be given to Category I followed by Category II users.
h. Animals, except seeing-eye dogs, are not allowed in our facilities, or on artificial surfaces such as turf, tennis courts, and playgrounds.
i. Use that subjects the grounds to undue damage or wear or which creates a hazard or unreasonable restriction of use by others will not be allowed. Should damage to fields and lawns occur, the superintendent or designee shall make reasonable effort to obtain restitution for the damage. Charges on the rental agreement may also occur for wear and tear of fields, wrestling mats, other equipment etc., at the discretion of the superintendent or designee.
Continued use of a field by an organization will be dependent of said organization leaving a field clean and in good order when they have completed the activity. Animal waste must be properly disposed of.
j. All markings and pre-game preparations will be the responsibility of the organization scheduled for use. Field lining and marking must be pre-approved by the school’s athletic office.
k. The use of baseball diamonds, track, or other athletic turf fields for golf practice, flying motorized airplanes, operating vehicles, skateboards, motorized scooters or exercising animals is prohibited.
l. The district is NOT required to make district-owned computers, audiovisual, technical, or other special equipment available. In the event that the use of such equipment is authorized, the User must comply with all district requirements relative to providing a knowledgeable district approved operator. Any damage to the equipment will be repaired at the User’s cost. A district approved operator/technician may be assigned at the discretion of the district and the cost will be charged to the User.
FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT USER CLASSIFICATIONS
Facility rental rates and additional fee information are available on the Facility Use Rates Schedule on the district’s website. Rates are determined based on the user’s designated category as defined below.
Category 1:
All internal district events, district sponsored events, and school-related activities and events, including ASB, PTO, and Booster Clubs. Facility fees may be waived, however under certain circumstances involving significant use of utilities (such as weekends), excessive clean-up, or extensive use of the stadium lighting as determined by the district, the district reserves the right to assess fees according to the established fee schedule.
Category 2:
Non-profit youth and community service groups, civic organizations/government agencies, including groups raising funds that benefit Ferndale School District. Non-profit groups serving youth must have open enrollment and open participation of all ability levels with at least 80% of the youth living within the boundaries of Ferndale School District, i.e. scouting organizations, 4 H groups, recreational soccer leagues, recreational little leagues, etc. Special events (beyond regular league play) charging donations, entry fees, admission fees, etc. may be charged Category 3 user fees at the discretion of the district. This does not apply to the sale of concessions.
Category 3:
Fee based non-profit organizations, informal groups, religious groups, youth and adult athletic tournaments. Non-profit groups serving youth who do not have open participation of all ability levels with at least 80% of the youth living within the boundaries of the Ferndale School District, i.e. AAU, select soccer clubs, and all other non-profit groups, and individual users; including churches, craft shows, meeting space, adult sports, etc.
Category 4:
Includes all commercial and/or for-profit organizations. (When 100% of profits go back to the school district, Category 1 rates will apply)
FACILITY USE FEES
Facility use fees are published and can be found on the District’s website under Facility Rentals. Facility use fees are due within 30 days from the date of invoice. All checks for payment of facility use fees, are to be made payable to Ferndale School District. Any refunds will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Cancellations caused by district action or weather will normally result in refund of the facility use fee. However, untimely user cancellations will result in assessment of related staff time costs.
PROCESS FOR REQUESTING FACILITY USE VIA EVENT MANAGER
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Access Event Manager from the District’s website under Facility Rentals
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First time users will need to create an account; complete the GET STARTED section fields, click submit, and follow instructions to create an account. The location’s Facility Use Coordinator will review the request for approval. You will receive an email notification with log in credentials. You will then be able to go to step 3.
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If you already have an account, enter your credentials in the SIGN IN Section.
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Once logged in, locate the Side Bar Navigation on the left. You will see options to Create an Event, View Public Calendar, Events (see a list of events currently scheduled), and Help.
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In Create an Event, follow the instructions to add your Event Title, Event Summary, Date, Time and Location selection; add Tasks (special setup instructions) if necessary, add and upload Insurance Information, Contact Information, Billing Information, answer all questions under Additional Information and complete and upload any applicable required documentation.
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In order to submit your request, you must agree to the Terms and Conditions in the link that is provided.
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The location’s Facility Use Coordinator will review your request and reach out if they have additional questions. Once approved, you will receive an email notification.
Questions about this process should be directed to the specific school location’s Facility Use Coordinator.
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Ferndale School District Policy 4260 Use of School Facilities requires that all applicants approved for use of school district facilities, maintain accident and liability insurance for persons using district facilities under the applicant’s sponsorship. A policy in an amount not less than the amounts shown below must be provided.
$1,000,000 Per Occurrence
$2,000,000 General Aggregate
$2,000,000 Products and Completed Operations Aggregate
$1,000,000 Personal Advertising Injury
$100,000 Damage to Rented Premises
$5,000 Medical Expense
Proof of such insurance in the form of a Certificate of Insurance with an Additional Insured endorsement is required before the Facilities Use Agreement/request can be approved.
A Certificate of Insurance naming Ferndale School District No. 502 as an “Additional Insured” can be obtained through your insurance provider. If you are an individual applying for use of district facilities, you can obtain the necessary certificate through your homeowner’s insurance provider or other web-based provider.
Please upload the Certificate of Insurance along with the Additional Insured Endorsement when you complete your online facility use request using our Event Manager portal.
Ferndale School District
Adopted: 08.26.2025
- 4000