Visitation Guidelines
Thank you for your request to visit or observe our program or classroom. We appreciate your interest and look forward to your visit. Derry Township School District welcomes parent and guardian visits to our programs and classrooms consistent with School Board Policy 907 SCHOOL VISITORS. The District expects mutual respect, civility, and orderly conduct from all visitors to its school programs and its staff.
To preserve the integrity of the learning environment, student and staff safety and protect students’ rights to confidentiality, we ask that you adhere to the following guidelines:
- Notice and Scheduling: Any person seeking to visit or observe a Derry Township program or classroom for the purpose of observing a classroom, or to participate fully and effectively with school personnel in the development of appropriate educational and related services for an individual student, should contact the appropriate administrator/principal at least two (2) days before the requested visit. At that time, please provide in writing the name(s) of the visitor, the purpose of the visit, their role in the student’s education, and the approximate duration of the visit. Upon receipt, the administrator/principal will contact you to schedule the observation for a mutually agreeable time and review these visitor observation guidelines with you. The District believes that observations by an individual for a specific student should be limited to once per academic semester per student in order to avoid disruption of the learning environment. The District does not permit multiple visitors/observers in a classroom at the same time. A person seeking additional observations or visitation during an academic semester should contact the administrator/principal and explain the circumstances requiring additional visits/observations.
- Observations will not be allowed during:
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the first two and last two weeks of the school year,
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the day before a holiday, or
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the week preceding and during any standardized testing period.
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Visitors may not photograph, video, or audiotape and are asked to turn “smart phones” and cell phones off while in the building.
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- Observations will not be allowed during:
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Day of Observation:
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Report to the school office with the written confirmation of the visit and receive permission to be on school property following standard check-in procedures.
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Check out at the school office when leaving the premises.
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An administrator or other Derry Township personnel will also attend the observation/visitation.
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Duration of Observation: It is vital that visits or observations be done quietly and not interfere with the ongoing activities in the classroom, thus we ask that visitors recognize that:
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Observations are expected to be no more than one class period in length. If a visitor desires a longer observation time, the visitor should so request in advance from the administrator/principal and explain in writing the circumstances requiring a longer observation.
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During a visitation by anyone other than an independent educational evaluator or qualified professional, the visitor shall not interact with any student, the classroom teacher or other school personnel in the classroom or otherwise, in any way, disrupt the educational process.
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Disruptive or Non-Compliant Visitors: The Building administrator will ask disruptive visitors or visitors failing to comply with these guidelines to leave the school building. If the visitor refuses, the building administrator shall contact local law enforcement. Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in denial of future requests for observations or visitation by such person. The District may terminate the visit at any time for violation of these guidelines or due to other reasonable cause.
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Privacy: All visitors shall comply with the student privacy requirements of state and federal law. As noted above, all audio, videotaping, and/or photography are prohibited.