Unit 1 will limit facilities to in-district residents

Youth athletic clubs, dance studios and community theatre organizations are among outside groups that use school facilities for games, practices and performances.
But those groups will be limited on school usage during the coronavirus pandemic, as the Unit 1 Board of Education has amended its facility usage agreements to limit outside visitors.
The addendum takes effect during a pandemic, limiting school usage to just in-district organizations.
To be considered an in-district organization, all participants must reside within the boundaries of the Coal City Unit School District 1.
Superintendent Dr. Kent Bugg noted that organizations or groups that have out of district members can use school facilities as long as those members not living within the district are not not allowed to attend.
The district has two facility usage agreements, one for the Coal City Performing Arts Center and one for all other district facilities. The addendum has been added to both documents.
The change was directed by the Board of Education and is a move to put health and safety controls in place.
“The controls we have in place for our students could be different than neighboring districts and we can’t control what others are doing,” said board vice president Shawn Hamilton.
As Bugg clarified, infection rates in a pandemic may differ from community to community, or county to county and the board wanted controls in place.
The addendum further requires groups utilizing the space to submit, and have an approved, a safety plan on how all CDC, IDPH, ISBE and county mandates and guidelines will be adhered to and states that failure to adhere to an approved plan would result in immediate termination of the facility usage.
Additionally, the addendum states the district has the right to cancel any agreement entered into prior to pandemic guidance and notes any deposits paid will be returned.
The terms of the addendum did not apply to outside groups utilizing the space prior to the start of the new school year, however as Hamilton noted those groups and organizations could be impacted in the future.
“We all hope we will be out of this pandemic sometime in the spring [2021], but this could impact some groups that for years have used our facilities, I’m thinking more in the performing arts center space, but in a pandemic that’s why we have that language because we know what we are doing here and can’t control what they are doing outside,” Hamilton said.