The Board encourages parents and community members to visit district schools to become better informed about day-to-day operations and observe the educational process. Because schools are places of work and learning, visitors shall observe the following requirements when visiting district schools, which are created to ensure the educational environment is not disrupted:

1. Visitors shall comply with applicable state law, city ordinances, and district policy/regulations while on school property. No person shall enter school property for unlawful purposes or for purposes unauthorized by the Board. The District shall enforce state law on willful disruption of schools. The Superintendent shall make a reasonable effort to keep the public informed about district policies pertaining to visitors such as, but not limited to: drug, alcohol, and tobacco use; sexual offenders; patron grievances; and other policies designed to maintain order.
2. The solicitation of students and staff is not permitted on school property except under the terms of applicable state law and district policy (Advertising & Fundraising, Public Material Distribution).
3. Visitors shall be prohibited from videotaping and/or otherwise electronically recording district students and staff. This policy does not apply to visitors electronically recording school-sponsored events not governed by copyright laws and non-school-sponsored activities and events held on school property. The Board may also create an exception to this policy for members of the press.
4. Public visits to classrooms shall not be for the purpose of evaluating teachers, teaching methods, or curriculum. Visitors who wish to observe a classroom shall schedule their visits at least 24 hours in advance, according to administrative regulations. Visitors shall agree to follow this policy and any administrative regulations governing classroom observation prior to receiving classroom observation privileges.
5. Visitors proceeding past the main office during the instructional day are required to sign in via the district’s electronic visitor management system and receive a visitor’s badge before proceeding to their intended location in a school building. The badge must be visible at all times; visitors may be stopped by staff members if their badge is not visible. Reasonable notification of sign in requirements shall be conspicuously posted at the entrance to every elementary, middle, or secondary school building within West Fargo School District.
6. Former students wanting appointments with teachers must have administrative permission.
7. Students wishing to bring a guest to school must obtain approval from an administrator one day in advance of the visit, which is limited to no more than one-half day. Students from schools in the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area are excluded from visiting WPS schools as student-invited guests.
8. Building administrators are authorized to refuse admittance to any individuals or groups into schools when they believe the visit may pose a disruption, safety risk, or otherwise interfere with the operations of the West Fargo Public School District.

POLICY VIOLATIONS

Individuals who violate any portion of this policy or applicable administrative regulations may receive a warning that they are in violation of a district policy/regulation and may be asked by the Superintendent, building principal, or designee to leave school property.

Visitors who are trespassing in district schools, as defined by city ordinance 12-0705 (West Fargo), 10-0320 (Fargo), 12-0505 (Harwood), and 12-0505 (Horace), may be detained by administration or a designee and referred to law enforcement.

The Superintendent, building principal, or designee shall ask admitted visitors who repeatedly violate district policy/regulations or willfully disrupt school operations to leave school property. If an individual refuses to leave when asked, school administration shall seek the assistance of law enforcement to remove the individual from school property.

Adopted: 10/13/15

Reviewed:

Revised:02/18/20

11/01/22