Groton - The Board of Education is considering a policy that would allow for-profit groups to use school facilities for a fee, then use the money to support student activities.

The board policy committee discussed the draft policy on Monday night, but did not vote on it.

Groton Public Schools allows nonprofit groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to use school facilities now, and charges those groups only the cost of custodial services and utilities. That policy would remain the same.

The proposed change would extend the use of school facilities - including some athletic facilities - to for-profit groups for a fee, in addition to the cost of custodial services and utilties. Fees collected would then be placed in a districtwide fund for student activities.

Possible fees discussed Monday included a daily charge of $800 each for the use of the Robert E. Fitch High School auditorium or football field and track, and $400 each for the high school cafeteria or lobby. The committee also discussed a charge of $600 for the large gym, $300 for the small gym and $200 for use of the tennis courts.

Potential availability of the baseball field at Fitch would depend on the contract governing its use, but the committee considered a daily fee of $1,000. Middle and elementary school gyms would carry daily fees of $200 and $100 respectively, under the draft policy.

Committee members decided not to allow use of elementary and middle school classrooms, but make high school classrooms part of the draft policy.

"I would rather no classrooms were used at all, but we already have a precedent set," with nonprofits, said board member Katrina Fitzgerald.

Superintendent Michael Graner said any use of facilities under the draft policy would require approval of the principal and school administration first. The policy specifies that the for-profit use have an educational or community value. Organizations would be responsible for any damage to property and would be required to have liability and other insurance. No uses would be scheduled if they interfered with normal use of the school facility, the policy said.

School business manager Don Meltabarger said other districts rent their facilities. East Lyme makes extensive use of its high school, renting classrooms to the Southeastern Connecticut Chinese School, a university and another for-profit group, he said.

d.straszheim@theday.com

Twitter: @DStraszheim