VISITORS
VISITOR: A parent/guardian, adult resident, educator, official, or other individual who is not a school employee or independent contractor, and who visits a school or attends or participates in an event or activity at a school, but whose role is less substantial than would be sufficient to meet the definition of volunteer.
A visitor does not require any clearances. A photo ID is necessary.
The Palisades School District (PSD) has established protocols for visitors. The protocol regulations include:
1. Visits during school hours should be first arranged with a teacher, principal, or designee. If a conference is desired, an appointment should be set with a teacher during non-instruction time.
2. All visitors must identify themselves to the school greeter, principal, or designee upon entering the school grounds.
3. All visitors must sign-in at the building office, during regular school hours. If a visitor has entered the building for legitimate reasons, the secretary/greeter should register the visitor using the current system with a current picture ID, issue a visitor badge, and escort the visitor to their destination.
4. Prior to leaving the building, a visitor must sign-out in the main office, and return the issued visitor badge.
5. Visitors may not have free reign of the building or grounds. An employee should escort them to and from their destination.
6. The visitor must comply with all school rules while in the building and on school grounds.
7. Under no circumstance should visitors approach or interact with children, other than their own, to discuss anything other than a greeting.
8. A visitor failing to comply with any of these procedures and/or causing a disruption of the educational process may be barred or removed from the school at the principal's discretion. The individual also may be charged with criminal trespassing.
Special exceptions: Visitation or events such as but not limited to, assembly programs, field days, spelling bees, concerts, and science fairs, may be handled differently. Visitor badges may not be required; however, visitors must restrict their visit to areas specifically designated for the event and can not be left alone with students.
Contracted Services Personnel
The district is required by law to ensure that independent contractors and contractor employees comply with the mandatory background check requirements for criminal history and child abuse certifications, the employee history review requirement, and the arrest and conviction reporting requirements. A full description of pre-employment requirements for contracted service personnel can be found in Board Policy 818.
Contracted Employee: Is employed or offered employment by an independent contractor or a subcontractor of an independent contractor, or is an individual independent contractor, and has or will have direct contact with children.
Independent Contractor: An individual or entity that contracts with the district to provide services.
Contracted Services Personnel require the following clearances:
-Act 24-Arrest/Conviction Form
-Act 34-Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance
-Act 114-Federal Criminal History Clearance (fingerprints)
-Act 151-Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance
Requirements for Contracted Services:
-All clearances must be current within a year of the date they are submitted to the district.
-All clearances submitted must be renewed every 60 months (5 years).
-An employee History Review must be submitted.
-If providing services to students ten (10) or more hours per week, a Tuberculosis test is required. Results must be submitted along with clearances.
All independent contractors shall adopt policies and procedures that require their employees, who are providing services to the district and who have direct contact with children, to notify the independent contractor, in writing, within seventy-two (72) hours of the occurrence, of an arrest or conviction required to be reported by law. Contractor employees shall also be required to report to the independent contractor, within seventy-two (72) hours of notification, that the employee has been named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report pursuant to the Child Protective Services Law. The policies and procedures shall also include the provision that the failure on the part of contractor employees to make such a timely notification shall subject them to disciplinary action, including termination. If the independent contractor receives notice of such arrest or conviction or that the contractor employee has been named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report, from either the contractor employee or a third party, the independent contractor shall immediately report, in writing, that information to the Superintendent or designee. The independent contractor shall immediately require a contractor employee to submit new certifications when there is a reasonable belief that the employee was arrested for or has been convicted of an offense required to be reported by law, was named as a perpetrator in a founded or indicated report, or has provided written notice of such occurrence
Dual Enrollment Professors
Due to Dual Enrollment Professors working in a classroom setting in the same capacity as a PSD teacher, the Dual Enrollment Professor requires the following clearances:
Act 24 - Arrest/Conviction Form
Act 34 - Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance
Act 114 - Federal Criminal History Clearance- Fingerprints
Act 151 - Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance
-All clearances must be current within a year of the date they are submitted to the district.
-All clearances submitted must be renewed every 60 months (5 years).
-A current Tuberculosis Test is required before working in the classroom.