Generally
Visitors are welcome in the Montgomery County Public Schools. Visitors shall immediately report to the relevant administrative office of the school that they are visiting and obtain a visitor’s pass. Unauthorized persons, including suspended students, will be requested to leave school grounds by the building administrator.
Parents
Parents are encouraged to visit the schools on scheduled days for conferences with teachers, assemblies, PTA meetings, and other school programs. Except as otherwise required by law, non-custodial parents shall not be denied, solely on the basis of their non-custodial status, the opportunity to participate in any of the student's school activities in which such participation is supported or encouraged by the policies of the School Board.
Unauthorized Persons
In order to protect Montgomery County Public Schools students, personnel and facilities, no unauthorized persons shall be permitted to enter upon the school premises during the school day unless they first report to the principal's office and have a legitimate reason for being there. The division superintendent shall make such regulations as are necessary to protect students, personnel and property from unauthorized visitors, and he/she shall inform such law enforcement officers as may be needed to enforce this policy in the case of uncooperative violators.
No one shall be in a school building after school hours unless he/she is on official school business, is participating in a supervised school activity, is authorized by the administration, or is a spectator at an activity open to the public. It is unlawful for any person to enter a school at nighttime without the consent of an authorized person except to attend an approved meeting or service. It is prohibited for any person, whether or not a student, to enter or remain on any school property, including school buses, in violation of (i) any direction to vacate the property by an authorized individual, or (ii) any posted notice which contains such information, posted at a place where it reasonably may be seen. Persons violating these provisions of state law may be prosecuted. For purposes of this policy, school principals are “authorized individuals,” and may direct persons to leave school premises and, in appropriate circumstances, issue no trespassing directives.
Sex Offenders on School Property
No adult who has been convicted of a sexually violent offense, as defined in Virginia Code Section 9.1-902, may enter or be present, during school hours or any other school sponsored activities, upon any public school property, unless: (i) he is a lawfully registered and qualified voter, and is coming upon such property solely for the purposes of casting his vote; (ii) he is a student enrolled at the school; or (iii) he has obtained a court order allowing him to enter and be present upon such property, and is in compliance with terms and conditions of the order.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 9.1-902, 18.2-128, 18.2-370, 18.2-415, 22.1-4.3.
Revised:
August 2007