Jerome Joint School District No. 261

COMMUNITY RELATIONS 4420

Visits to District Property, by Sex Offenders

The Jerome Joint School District recognizes the danger sex offenders pose to student safety. Therefore, the

District implements this policy in an effort to protect students while under the control and supervision of the

District.

For purposes of this policy, “school property” means school buildings, District buildings not being used as a

school, vehicles used for school purposes, any location being utilized during a school athletic event or other

school-sponsored event, properties posted with a notice that they are used by a school and school grounds.

Sample Posted Notice

School districts shall post a notice, as required by Idaho Code, and shall be at least 100 square inches, be placed at commonly used entrances to the property, and contain the following statement:

“This property is used by or as a school. Pursuant to IC § 18-8329, registered sex offenders only have limited

rights to enter upon or be near school property. Please contact the school district at 208-324-2392 (telephone

number) or your probation/parole officer for more information.”

Prohibitions

State law prohibits a person who is currently registered or is required to register under the sex offender

registration act to:

1. Be on or remain on the premises of a school building or school grounds, or upon other properties posted with a

notice that they are used by a school, when the person believes children under the age of eighteen (18) years are present and are involved in a school activity or when children are present within thirty (30) minutes before or after a school activity.

2. Loiter on a public way within five hundred (500) feet of the property line of school grounds or a school building

when children under the age of eighteen (18) years are present.

3. Be in any vehicle owned, leased or contracted by a school to transport students to or from school or school-

related activities when children under the age of eighteen (18) years are present in the vehicle.

4. Reside within five hundred (500) feet of a school, measured from the nearest point of the exterior wall of the

offenders’ dwelling unit to the school’s property line, unless the person’s residence was established prior to July

1, 2006.

Items 1 and 2 from the list above shall not apply when the person:

1. Is a student in attendance at the school; or

2. Resides at a state licensed or certified facility for incarceration, health care or convalescent care; or

3. Is exercising his or her right to vote in public elections;

4. Is taking delivery of his mail through an official post office located on school grounds;

5. Has contacted the District Office annually to obtain written permission from the District, to be on the school

grounds or upon other property posted with a notice that the property is used by a school; or

6. Stays at a homeless shelter or resides at a recovery facility if such shelter or facility has been approved for sex offenders by the county sheriff or municipal police.

These provisions are required for an individual who is dropping off or picking up a student and is the student’s

parent or legal guardian, is attending an academic conference or other scheduled extracurricular event, or is

temporarily on school grounds, during school hours, for the purpose of delivering mail, food, or other items.

An individual seeking written permission as outlined above must contact the District at least ten (10) work days

prior to the first visit. In determining whether to grant written permission as provided above, the District may, in

its discretion, consider the nature of the offense committed, the time since an offense has been committed, the

safety of the students, the likely disruption caused by the individuals access to the property, or any other factor.

The District will provide a response to the requesting individual within seven (7) days of receipt of the request.

Sex Offender Registry Notification

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall request notification of registered sex offenders in the same or

contiguous zip codes as any school within the District. The request can be made to either the Idaho State Police,

the local Sheriff’s Department, or the Idaho State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Such request and

notification shall be made in accordance with Idaho Codes. The information in the sex offender registries is for

purposes of protecting the public. It is not to be used for the purpose of harassing or intimidating anyone.

Staff Notification

At a quarterly meeting, the building principal shall disseminate sex offender registry information received. The

principal shall inform staff of the roles and responsibilities of staff in dealing with instances of convicted sex

offenders on school property, including, but not limited to, sex offenders on school property without approval,

and/or whether if a staff member is the school official assigned to escort the sex offender.

When sex offender registry information is disseminated by the principal, it shall include a notice that such

information should not be shared with others and may only be used for the purposes discussed in this policy and

in accordance with Idaho Code. Employees who share registry information with others may be disciplined.

Enforcement

Any staff member may request identification from any person on school property. Any staff member shall

seek the immediate removal of any person who refuses to provide requested identification.

As circumstances warrant, the District’s administrators shall take appropriate action to enforce this policy.

If a sex offender violates this policy, school officials shall immediately contact law enforcement.

Legal Reference: I.C. § 18-916 Abuse of School Teachers

I.C. § 18-8323 Public Access to Sexual Offender Registry Information

I.C. § 18-8324 Dissemination of Registry Information

I.C. § 18-8326 Penalties for Vigilantism or Other Misuse of Information

I.C. § 18-8329 Adult Criminal Sex Offenders – Prohibited Access to School Children

I.C. § 33-512(11) Governance of Schools

Policy History:

Adopted on: 11/21/2006

Revised on: 09/24/2013

Revised on: 01/25/2022

Revised on: 11/28/2023