Facilities Use Guidelines
Conditions for All Groups Using School Facilities:
- Liability Insurance: All groups will be required to provide a certificate of insurance naming the
Town of Westborough and the Westborough Public Schools as additional insureds at least five (5) school days prior to any scheduled event. Groups will be required to meet certain minimum insurance coverage limits
- Indemnification Agreement: All groups will be required to sign an Indemnification Agreement under which they will agree to defend (including attorney’s fees) and indemnify the Town and the WPS and to hold them harmless from and against all claims and suits arising out of or related to the group’s use of the facilities. A signed Indemnification Agreement must be submitted to the administration at least five (5) school days prior to any scheduled event.
School Groups / Parent Groups / Official Town Groups and Meetings
- Full use of facilities with supervision by appropriate school staff
- Per policy, no rental fee charged
- Other fees charged per school committee policy
Recognized Westborough-based organizations (including but not limited to Rotary, Community Chorus, Players Club, Symphony Pro Musica)
- Full use of facilities with supervision by appropriate school staff, group’s staff may operate lights/sound if previously trained by our staff, fees may be charged
- Fees charges per school committee policy
- Police detail required for public events (not rehearsals) group responsibility to attain
- Props and decorations subject to school approval for safety and compliance with appropriate codes
Other groups if allowed under current policy. Due to demands on use of facilities, groups without a demonstrated relationship with the school committee are discouraged from applying for a permit. Approval is at the discretion of the school administration.
- No use of school sound systems
- Only standard house light settings may be used. May require group to hire Westborough Staff
to operate lights
- Props and decorations subject to school approval for safety and compliance with appropriate codes
- Fees charges per school committee policy. Payment in full of anticipated fees is due 4 weeks prior to the permit date. Actual charges/adjustments will be reflected on the final invoice.
- Police detail required for public events (not rehearsals) group responsibility to attain
- Use of multiple parts of school facility (auditorium and cafeteria) not allowed
Certificate of Insurance
In an effort to expedite your application request for use of the SCHOOL for the EVENT on DATE, NAME will need to submit a Certificate of Insurance. Attached is a copy of the approved permit application with the understanding that a COI will be issued.
Insurance Requirements:
A certificate of insurance is required that includes the following minimum limits:
General Aggregate Limit $2,000,000.00
Damage to Rented Premises (each occurrence) $100,000.00
Personal and Adv. Injury (each occurrence) $1,000,000.00
Fire Damage (any one fire) $100,000.00
Medical Expense (any one person) $5,000.00
The certificate must include a statement naming the Town of Westborough and the Westborough Public Schools (“WPS”) as additional insureds. The certificate of insurance naming the Town and WPS as additional insureds and confirming the policy limits described above must be submitted to me at least five (5) school days prior to the scheduled event. If the certificate of insurance is not received at least five (5) school days prior to the scheduled event, the event will be cancelled and any deposit will be forfeited.
Indemnification Agreement:
Attached to this letter is an Indemnification Agreement under which your group will agree to defend and indemnify the Town of Westborough and WPS and to hold them harmless from against any and all claims or actions relating in any way to you or your group’s use of WPS facilities. The Indemnification Agreement must be signed and dated by a person with authority to legally bind your group. The original signed Indemnification Agreement must be submitted to me at least five (5) school days prior to the scheduled event. If the Indemnification Agreement is not received at least five (5) school days prior to the scheduled event, the event will be cancelled and any deposit will be forfeited.
Upon receipt of the above aforementioned required documents we will notify you on the status of your application request. If you have questions or require additional information please call 508-836-7700.
AN ACT PROHIBITING THE PRACTICE OF HAZING
Chapter 269 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following three sections:
Section 17:
Whoever is a principle organizer or participant in the crime of hazing as defined herein shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one hundred days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
The term “hazing,” as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.
Section 18:
Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.
Section 19:
Each secondary school and each public and private school or college shall issue to every group or organization under its authority or operating on or in conjunction with its campus or school, and to every member, plebe, pledges or applicant for membership in such group or organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen. An officer of each such group or organization, and each individual receiving a copy of said sections seventeen and eighteen, shall sign an acknowledgement stating that such group, organization or individual has received a copy of said sections seventeen and eighteen.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
On behalf of ___________________________________________________________
(name of student, group, team, or organization)
______________________________________________________________________
(designated officer)
I certify I have received a copy of M.G.L. Chapter 269; Sections 17 – 19. An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Hazing, and have distributed a copy of the law to its members, plebes, pledges, and applicants for membership; and that the
_____________________________________________________________________ (name of student, group, team, or organization)
understand and agrees to comply with the law.
Date: ___________________________ Signed: ____________________________________
(designated officer)