Community Center Policies and Guidelines

The community centers are not intended to be a substitute for child care services. The children attending our program must be able to self-manage.

  • Guests, rather than Parks and Recreation, will be responsible for knowing any personal contact information that might be needed in an emergency. Parents/guardians are encouraged to provide emergency contact information for their child; this information will be securely stored onsite.
  • The weekday open gym and game room program is strictly a voluntary recreational program, and community center employees do not monitor the coming and going of guests nor are they responsible for ensuring guests have a parent or guardian to pick them up. Guests may leave the center on their own free will.
  • After the guest leaves the center, they cannot loiter on school grounds or in front of the main school/community center entryway. Guests waiting for rides will either need to wait inside the community center. or off the school grounds. Loitering on school grounds is an issue with which we need your help, so please be sure to discuss these policies with your child.
  • Parks and Recreation does not provide supervision outside of the community center but will be enforcing the loitering rule.
  • The weekday open gym and game room program is available at no charge for participants who are 7 years old and older. A 5:1 ratio of children to adults will be enforced for children 6 years and younger. Children 6 years old and younger may participate in the program only as long as they are directly supervised by someone 16 years of age or older.

Code of Behavior

Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation will enforce this code of behavior during all hours of operation. We encourage a safe environment for all participants as well as fun and fair play.

Behavior/offenses that will lead to disciplinary procedures:

  • Verbal abuse of another patron or staff
  • Roughhousing, violence, intimidation, harassment
  • Running in hallways or game room area
  • Obscene language or actions
  • Destruction or theft of property
  • Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or weapon possession.
  • Pornographic materials possession

Offending party may also be subject to school district rules of student conduct and discipline due to the community center being on school/park grounds.

Disciplinary Procedures

This discipline procedure policy is used as a guideline. Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation reserves the right to use discretion in situations not clearly stated within the policy.

  • Behavior problems will be handled promptly by the supervisor.
  • If a participant is ejected for any reason, they will be asked to immediately leave the building.
  • The length of ejection is dependent on the level of misbehavior/offense.
  • Three warnings may be given each day to each participant before an ejection will occur. However, an immediate ejection will occur for certain levels of misbehavior, including but not limited to:
    • Physical/verbal harm to patrons or staff.
    • Destruction or theft of property.
    • Weapon possession.
    • Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or weapon possession.
    • Bomb threat.

Left-Child Policy

The open gym and game room program is staffed until 6 p.m. weekdays and 5 p.m. weekends, making it necessary to have participants leave or be picked up from the community center before or promptly at closing time.

Child Abuse Policy

All cases or suspected cases of child abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual) will be reported to the Department of Social Services.

Harassment Prohibited

The City will not tolerate sexual, racial, or any type of harassment of or by any employee or non-employee such as customers, visitors, or others. This may result in exclusion from the community centers.

Weapons Prohibited

For the safety of City employees and the public, no person will be permitted to bring or possess firearms, explosives, or other weapons on City property, except those individuals authorized to do so in the course of their duties with the City.

Phone Policy

Participants will be allowed reasonable opportunities to telephone parents or guardians if the privilege is not abused.

Medication

The community center staff will not administer any medication to participants. This includes all over-the-counter and/or prescription drugs.

Drug Policy

The community centers are smoke-, drug-, and alcohol-free facilities.

Lost and Found

Any item valued at $50 or more will be turned in to the Sioux Falls Police Department as soon as possible by a full-time Recreation Staff person. All other items under the $50 value not claimed after 30 days will be given to a nonprofit agency. All non-clothing items, if not claimed at the end of 30 days, will be disbursed through a City-authorized surplus property auction. Any inquiries about found items that were turned over to a police officer will be referred to the Police property section, 367-7234.

Personal Belongings

Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Participants are discouraged from bringing electronics and other items of value to the community center. Participants will be responsible for taking all belongings with them when leaving the community center.

Organized Practice Policy

The purpose of community center gymnasiums are to promote open play for all ages during all operation hours. Therefore, no organized team practice is allowed in the community centers with the exception of approved court rentals of $25 per hour.

Special Accommodations

If an ADA accommodation is needed, please contact the Human Relations Office at 605-367-8745 or humanrelations@siouxfalls.org at least five business days in advance of event.