Mount Vernon Avenue Elementary School’s Visitors’ Policy

Visitors’ Procedures SY 2022-2023 Due to COVID-19 precautions, all visits to the school require an appointment and pre-approval from a building administrator. 

  1. Visitors are not allowed entrance at any exit except for the Main Entrance located on Mt. Vernon Avenue from the hours of 8:45 am – 2:45 pm. This includes all District employees (Maintenance, Supervisors, Directors, Technology Coaches, Consultants, etc.)
  2. Visitors will gain admittance in the school after they have been pre-screened, to include a temperature check by the front desk security officer.
  3. Security officers will greet visitors/guests as follows:

    a. Good afternoon/morning,
    b. Welcome to Mt. Vernon Avenue School
    c. May I see a picture ID?
    d. How may I assist you?
  4. Visitors will record their name, time and destination in the sign-in book located at the security desk in the front lobby. A security officer will issue a visitor pass with visitor’s name, destination, and date. All deliveries, such as lunch, must be picked up at the security desk. 
  5. The security officer will communicate the following:
    a. Please keep your pass/lanyard displayed throughout your visit.
    b. Please do not visit any other location other than what your pass states. If you need to make multiple visits, please let me know now so that I can inform the main office.
    c. Please wear your mask at all times and follow social distancing guidelines.
    d. When you leave, please return to the security desk and return your pass/lanyard to me and sign out.
    e. Enjoy your visit. 
  6. Security will inform office staff via radio that a visitor is on her /his way to the main office or nurse’s station and the purpose of their visit. The office staff will respond.
  7. Security will observe as the visitor enters the office.
  8. Office staff will greet the visitor within 30 seconds of arrival.
    a. Good morning/afternoon. How may I help you?
  9. If the visitor requests to interact with staff or students, the office staff will confirm the visitor’s identity in Power School. If the visitor is not documented in Power School, the visit or removal of student will not be allowed.

    Types of Visits – ALL VISITS MUST BE SCHEDULED AND/OR APPROVED BY A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR

    a. Meeting with teacher – The teacher will confirm the appointment and teacher will meet the visitor in the main office.

    b. Visit the class –     If the visit has not been arranged in advance, the visit must first be approved by the principal. Upon approval, the main office will contact the teacher to advise and approve the visit. There shall be no classroom visits during instructional time without advanced notice or special permission from the administrator.

    c. Meet with a student – Office staff will ask about the nature of the visit and call the teacher to send the student to the office with a pass.

    d. Outside agency request to visit or sign out student – ID must be produced and copied and placed in the student’s folder. Contact the administrator for permission to proceed.

    e. Sign a student out – The office staff will inform the teacher and request that the student be released to the office for dismissal. The visitor must sign the student out in the Student Sign Out book.

     

  10. If visitors are ever unaccompanied in the halls, a security officer or staff member must ask the following:
    a. Good morning/afternoon. How may I help you?
    b. Please wait while I confirm with the office.
    c. Security will inquire via radio and make sure that the visitor remains with her/him.
    d. If the visit is confirmed, the security officer will escort the visitor to her/his destination.
    e. If the visit is not confirmed, the security officer will escort the visitor from the building. 
  11. When the visitor leaves, he/she must report to the security desk to sign out and return visitor’s pass.
  12. Should there be a fire or any other emergency or drill, the point of contact will accompany the visitor in executing the requirements of the school’s protocol.
  13. There will be no visitor-teacher conference during instructional time. A copy of a teacher’s schedule is available upon request from the Main Office.
  14. At dismissal time, all students who are not picked up by 3:05 pm will be escorted to the gymnasium until they are picked up by a parent or guardian. Students not retrieved by 3:25 pm will be escorted by security to the main office to call home. Parents must enter through the main entrance after 3:15 pm.
  15. Parents or designee must sign Kindergarten scholars out at dismissal daily. If the person is unfamiliar to the teacher or paraprofessional, he/she will have to present photo identification and be confirmed in PowerSchool to confirm that he or she is the parent/guardian or authorized person to pick up the student.
  16. Visitors must adhere to all emergency drills as followed by the school. The point of contact or security officer will accompany the visitor in executing the requirements of the school’s emergency protocols.
  17. Visitors who do not comply with the school and/or district visitor policy may be subject to removal from school grounds.
  18. Parents/Guardians who wish to observe a class must make prior arrangements with the teacher who will seek approval from the Principal or Vice Principal. A 24-hour notice is requested prior to the requested visit.
  19. Visitor-teacher conferences are not permitted during instructional time. The visitor may request a copy of the teacher’s schedule to schedule their visit