IJOA
STUDENT
TRIPS POLICY
Student field trips are
planned and coordinated by teachers, coaches/advisors, and/or building
administrators that address the following:
a) the educational value of the
trip in terms of the social, emotional, academic, and physical (i.e. sports)
needs of the students,
b) the relationship of the trip
to school’s curriculum, grade level class trips, and/or extra-curricular goals
(i.e., sports tournaments),
c) the appropriateness and the
distance traveled in terms of the students’ age,
d) the mode of transportation,
e) the equity of opportunity
for all students, and
f)
the cost and how it will be funded.
Attendance and Supervision
Students are expected to attend student trips. In case a parent requests their child not participate,
the students will have an educationally appropriate plan in a supervised
setting. Grade level teachers will be
responsible for submitting this plan to the principal prior to the trip. The plan will be made available to inspection
by parents upon request.
On student trips, adequate supervision will be coordinated by
grade level teachers. Teachers will
determine the group size. The following
minimum standards are:
K-Grade 4: 1:6
Grades 5-8:
Overnight: 1:6
Chaperones will supervise students
throughout the trip (although depending on space needs may or may not be asked
to ride the bus) must maintain visible contact with their charges, and no one
should be allowed to wander alone.
Teachers, and/or appropriate designees, will be chaperones for any
students with special needs (i.e. behavioral, special education). Principals have the right to request high
supervision levels when deemed necessary.
While teachers accompany students on student trips, parents and
community members are encouraged to participate in student field trips as
educational partners.
In the event of too many chaperones, the trip coordinator will
make every attempt to select chaperones equitably, based on gender, balance of
chaperones, first-come-first serve of parent volunteers, student medical needs,
and special students needs.
Approved field trips are considered a school activity. All school rules, regulations, and policies
are in effect for the students and supervising adults. An appropriate number of chaperones will ride
to and from the trip destination, supervise the students throughout the trip,
and reside with or in the same location as the students on overnight trips.
APPROVED:
REVISED:
REVISED: March, 2002
Overnight Student Trips
First time overnight student trips require the approval of the Superintendent
of Schools. Prior to approval, the
Superintendent will inform the Board and get feedback about the trip. The field trip coordinator must submit the
request to the Principal who will then forward it to the Superintendent no
later than 30 days prior to the proposed trip.
The principal may approve subsequent trips, which are coordinated by the
same grade level.
After written field trip approval has been given, overnight
field-trip coordinators will address the following:
a) inform students and parents
about the field trip in writing,
b) hold a meeting with parents
to discuss the itinerary,
c) create a fundraising plan,
if needed, that is approved by the principal,
d) request to parents for emergency
information, contact names and numbers and pertinent medical information,
e) plan for night supervision
where same gender chaperones supervise same gender students,
f)
coordinate and accommodate the needs of special education students
based on input from the special education case manager,
g) follow up written itinerary
to parents, emergency contact persons’ names and numbers, a list of what
students need to bring, a list of what they may not bring, and helpful
suggestions to students and parents who may be experiencing their first
overnight. Indicate that costly items
(i.e. CD players, electronic games) should not be brought ,
h) provide a list of do’s and
don’ts to chaperones (i.e. tobacco use).
On overnight trips, the trip coordinator will make every effort
to inform students and parents of all details.
Transportation
Student safety is critical, and the use of school bus
transportation is encouraged. When using
school buses, transportation arrangements must be made no later than 15 school
days prior to the day trip and 20 days for overnight trips.
The use of alternative forms of transportation, such as cars or
non-school busses, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Superintendent of Schools or his/her
designee will approve the use of private cars.
Request for approval will include the following:
a) names of driver(s)
using their cars and/or bus(es) for school purposes,
b) photocopy of each driver’s insurance coverage
which must be at least $100,000/$300,000 in liability coverage when using cars,
c) photocopy of bus companies’ insurance
liability coverage (when using a bus company other than current contracted bus
company),
d) Every attempt will be made not to transport a
student in a private vehicle. However,
if a student is transported the driver will insure that the student uses a seat
belt.
In terms of all other alternative forms of transportation,
copies of insurance information must be submitted for review by the Principal
and Superintendent. The district assumes
no responsibility unless the employee and the volunteers have the authorization
noted above.
Blanket Field Trip Permission Form
I give
______________________________________ permission to attend all
son/daughter’s full name
Field Trips in the 2002/03
school year. I understand that a
reminder will be sent home prior to any trip and I have the right to rescind
permission for any trip.
__________________________________________________ _______________________________
Parent/Guardian
Signature
Date
o
By signing, I do
request that this form be in effect for the 2002/03 school year.
o
I do not wish to
sign this form at this time. I will sign
permission for each field trip throughout the academic year of 2002/03.