Lets Go! SC Open Community Use Webinar Wednesday, December 9, 2015 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Let’s Go! SC Open Community Use Webinar

Wednesday, December 9, 2015 2-3 p.m.

Open Community Use of School Recreational Areas

Open Community Use

A school or school district that allows free access to outdoor school recreational facilities such as tracks, fields, courts, and playgrounds for the community to use for play and physical activity.

Other Types of Agreements

 Shared Use/Joint Use: Between two or more entities that pool resources to

expand community access and use public.

 Community Use of Facilities/Recreational and Non-Recreational

Agreement: When a school district allows third parties to host group programs and activities on school property, sometimes in exchange for a fee.

Importance of Access

 Research confirms that people with

access to safe, high-quality space for play, exercise and recreation are more physically active.

 Public schools playgrounds, fields,

courts, and tracks can provide

• pportunities for physical activity.

Benefits of Open Community Use

 Parent and community relations  Community ownership and engagement  Cost effective way to increased access to safe places for

physical activity

 Healthy, active students are better learners  Increased safety and decreased vandalism  Community members likely will be more physically active  Children are more active in areas with open schoolyards.

Recreational Use of School Property Promoted by State and National Experts

 South Carolina School Boards

Association

 South Carolina Obesity Action Plan  SC DHEC  Eat Smart Move More SC  SC Alliance of YMCAs  SC Safe Routes to School  SC Recreation and Parks Association  Healthy People 2020  American Academy of Pediatrics  Institute of Medicine  National Physical Activity Plan  American Heart Association

Protection for SC Schools

Schools are at no more risk after school than during the school day. SC Tort Claims Act: Protects government entities SC Recreational User Act: Protects property owners that allow recreational use of land to the public free of charge.

Adopting an Open Community Use Policy

 Research Current Open Community Use Policies

and Practices

 Build Support for an Open Community Use Policy  Tailor the Open Community Use Policy  Adopt an Open Community Use Policy  Promote the Open Community Use Policy

Current Open Community Use Practices

 Identify community areas with the

most need for additional recreational opportunities

 Research online policies

http://scsba.org/policy- services/policies-online/

 Contact individual school

administrators to learn more about their practices.

Building Partner Support

 Local Boards of Education  Principals and school

administrators

 Coordinated School Advisory

Council/School Improvement Councils



PTA/PTO

 Parents and Community Members  Local Health Departments, ESMM

Chapters, local coalitions, HYPE teams

 Parks and Recreation Departments

Tailor the Open Community Use Policy

 Tailor the model policy for

your school district

 Work with appropriated

administrative and risk management staff

Adopt an Open Community Use Policy

 Become familiar with school board procedures  Get on the agenda  Have champions speak  Follow up with boards members  Follow protocol for policy adoption

Promote the Open Community Use Policy

 Community kick off  Distribute press releases.  Communicate through school newsletters, websites, etc.  List on LetsGoSC.org  Include on Parks and Recreation  Post signage promoting the policy

Additional Resources

 ChangeLabSolutions changelabesolutions.org  Active Living Research activelivngresearch.org  Safe Routes to School  South Carolina School Boards Association scsba.org  Public Health Law Center publichealthlawcenter.org  Salud America salud-america.org

Coleman Tanner, MPH, CHES Coleman@eatsmartmovemoresc.org

Open Use Policy Macedonia Elementary School

Pam Rush, Chair Eat Smart Move More Barnwell County

Spartanburg, South Carolina

Partnerships are the Name of the Game

The Fun & The Challenges

Questions?

Please type your questions into the question box on your screen.