Instruction Field Trips

Transcription

1 6153 Field Trips The Board of Education recognizes that valuable experiences may be derived from field trips participated in by students, when trips are properly planned, executed, and evaluated. Field trips as a term, are described in the following Regulations. Field trips shall be directly related to or be an extension of the classroom learning experience for students. In this respect, field trips may be used as springboards for, continuations of, or culminating activities from instructional units presented in the classroom. All proposals for field trips shall be submitted to and approved by certified school staff and administration as provided in the following Regulations prior to any commitments being made to participate in any such field trips or advertising for same to students. The school staff, under the direction of the administration, will take all reasonable and prudent steps to safeguard the physical and educational welfare of participating students during field trips. The administration has discretion to place any restrictions upon a student's participation when, in the judgment of the certified staff, student welfare requires it. Students participating in field trips must be officially enrolled and attending one of the Wethersfield public schools in the district. All Board policies and administrative regulations concerning students will be in effect for all approved field trips. Permission slips signed by a parent or guardian on an approved form shall be required of all students participating in school trips. All students and employees participating in such activities may be required to have appropriate accident and health insurance coverage in force, protecting against bodily injury, disability, or death while participating in such activities. All students may be required to provide, in advance, an emergency treatment waiver signed by the student's parent/guardian including emergency contact phone numbers, hospital insurance policy numbers and/or any other data deemed necessary to implement this policy. Students may be asked to pay for all or part of their participation in any field trip sponsored by the school district, as may be deemed necessary by the school district. No student will be excluded from participating in a field trip that is part of the curriculum because of his/her inability to pay. The Board of Education does not sponsor or authorize field trips of a recreational nature. The Board of Education recognizes that parents/guardians may desire their children to participate in certain recreational field trips offered outside of the educational experience provided by the Board. The Board of Education does not assume any responsibility or liability for any recreational field trips. Policy adopted: September 19, 2001 WETHERSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS Wethersfield, Connecticut

2 6153(a) Field Trips Board of Education policy permits student trips of significant educational value as long as they are closely related to the instructional program, and in compliance with the following guidelines. The administrative guidelines established for student trips are as follows: I. Definitions -School-Sponsored Trip School sponsored trips are trips conceived, organized, carried out and supervised by school district personnel in accordance with the approval process outlined below. The Board of Education, acting through the Superintendent of Schools and administration, retains sole authority to approve or disapprove of any school-sponsored trip, at its discretion. School-sponsored trips are limited to the following defined activities: A. Field Trip A field trip is a planned activity, during the school day, in which a class or group of students leaves the school grounds on foot or by appropriate vehicle transportation for the purpose of introducing, continuing or extending the program of instruction. They are considered instructional and planned as such with definite objectives determined in advance requiring appropriate instruction preceding and following each field trip. A field trip shall not be a class outing or any form of reward for some aspect of school life. B. Athletic Trip -An athletic trip is any trip off school grounds for the purpose of participating in any athletic contest or practice session. C. Music Trip Trips for music activities are for the purpose of music competition and to encourage participation. They are not considered a part of the regular planned program of instruction and do not affect grades given for music. Participation is not required to meet the curricular requirements of a course of study leading to the earning of credits toward graduation. D. International Trip -International trips are designed to provide academic, cultural, and linguistic experiences that cannot be provided through classroom attendance in the District during the normal school day. International trips may include activities such as foreign exchange of students. Student-teacher trips outside the boundaries of the continental United States should occur at a time when classes are not in session, except for foreign exchange trips where participation in a foreign classroom activity is intended.

3 6153(b) Field Trips (continued) E. Extracurricular Trip -An extracurricular trip is any trip conducted off school grounds and scheduled at a time so as not to interfere with the normal school day. An extracurricular trip must be under the sponsorship of a school organization. F. Recreational Trip -Recreational trips are generally outings by a grade level, class, or organization to locations such as Pine Acres or Riverside Park, usually held at the end of a school year or, in the case of certain organizations, at the end of a season. II. Definitions -Non-School Sponsored Trips Non-school sponsored trips are any other trips or activities of any type not included under Section I above. Such trips may be conceived, organized, carried out and supervised by the students' parents/guardians or any other group or organization such as a PTAJPTO, PAC, PTSA, Scout Group, or Recreation and Parks Department. The Board of Education does not assume any responsibility or liability for any non-school sponsored trips. III. Guidelines for School Sponsored Trips A. Field Trip 1. All field trip requests must be submitted to and approved by the appropriate Building Principal, Instructional Supervisor(s) and the Director of Elementary and Secondary Education. No commitments for participation or advertising for field trips shall be done until the trip is approved. Any field trip involving an overnight stay must also be pre-approved by the Superintendent of Schools. 2. In general, all field trips should be limited to an interval not to exceed the length of a school day and confined to a reasonable distance from Wethersfield. 3. Student program fees for certain curriculum-related trips will be paid by Board of Education funds. When full funding is not available, the Board of Education may require the student to contribute to the cost of the trip. No student will be denied the opportunity to participate due to lack of resources.

4 6153(c) Field Trips (continued) B. Athletic Trip 1. All athletic trips must be pre-approved by the Director of Physical Education, Health Education, and Athletics and the Building Principal. 2. In general, all athletic trips should be limited to a distance of not more than one hour of traveling time from Wethersfield and should not involve school time. 3. The cost of transportation to and from athletic events will be assumed by the Board of Education. C. Music Trip 1. All music trips must be pre-approved by the Instructional Supervisor for Social Studies & The Arts, the Building Principal, and the appropriate Division Head. 2. In general, the travel time for music trips should be limited as follows: a. No trips for students in grades K-3 shall be planned or approved outside of the greater Hartford area. b. Trips for students in grades 4-8 should not extend beyond the State of Connecticut or fifty (50) miles. c. Trips for students in grades 9-12 should not extend beyond the New England area and be limited to no more than a two (2) night stay. Exceptions may be made to enable musical groups to participate in regional or national adjudication programs, competitions, or performance opportunities.

5 6153(d) Field Trips (continued) D. International Trip 1. All international trips must be pre-approved by the appropriate Building Principal, Instructional Supervisor, Division Head, and the Superintendent of Schools. International trips should have a strong connection to the curriculum. 2. All requests for trips outside the United States must be submitted at least three months prior to the planned departure and prior to any parent and student notification. 3. International trips should be planned for a scheduled school vacation. The school administration retains the right to authorize use of school time for trips abroad. 4. All students must be in good standing in respect to both academics and behavior. Students must not be failing any subjects, must not have repeated offenses, and must exhibit appropriate conduct both in and out of school, as provided in Board of Education Policies for Student Conduct. 5. School district employees shall not accept any commission or other remuneration except for reimbursement of their expenses. Any reimbursement of expenses to the teacher/chaperones may be paid from fees collected from the participants, and must be disclosed to the participants at the time the trip is being planned or discussed with students and parents. 6. The primary or lead chaperone must be a certified teacher or administrator employed by the Wethersfield Board of Education. All chaperones must be preapproved by the school administration. 7. There should be at least one adult chaperone for every students. Every trip must have at least two teacher chaperones. 8. All fund-raising activities conducted to help finance such travel must be in accordance with the Board of Education policy for fund-raising. All money collected through a fund-raising event must be handled in accordance with the Accounting Guidelines for the Student Activity Fund (Escrow) published by the Director of Business Services.

6 6153(e) Field Trips (continued) D. International Trip (continued) 9. Once a travel proposal is approved, the following steps are to be carried out by the appropriate school personnel: a. Parents are provided with complete and specific written information to include objectives of the program, costs, daily itinerary, chaperones, accommodations, student and chaperone responsibilities, school behavior policies, trip cancellation procedures, and refund policies. b. Written parental consent and a completed health history form are required for student participation. Health forms shall be reviewed by the school nurse and all accommodations for administration of medications shall be identified and assigned to a chaperone(s), including maintaining health forms during the trip itself. c. Conferences and/or orientation sessions are scheduled with students and their parents to assure that all plans and school policies are clearly understood and will include objectives of the program, costs, daily itinerary, chaperones, accommodations, student and chaperone responsibilities, school behavior policies, trip cancellation procedures, and refund policies. d. If appropriate, a signed copy of contracts with carriers or a travel agency are to the Director of Elementary and Secondary Education. 10. Prior to an international trip, chaperones must receive orientation and training, provided by the Wethersfield Public Schools, which explains the procedures for travel abroad. The orientation must also include a review of all applicable Board of Education Policies. A copy of the orientation agenda and written materials to be distributed should be submitted to the Director of Elementary and Secondary Education.

7 6153(f) Field Trips (continued) D. International Trip (continued) 11. All chaperones must conform to the Board of Education policy regarding Drug Free Workplace (Policy No / ). Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action. 12. In the event of adverse political, safety, weather, or health conditions or any other unforeseen circumstances, the Board of Education, acting through the Superintendent of Schools, retains sole discretion to rescind system support and approval of an international trip. 13. The Board of Education will secure liability insurance, pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Secs and , for protection of teachers and other employees who act as chaperones on Board of Education approved field trips. E. Extracurricular Trip 1 All extracurricular trips which occur during or which affect the school day must be pre-approved by the appropriate Building Principal, Instructional Supervisor, and Division Head. 2 Written parental permission is required for any student to depart from the normal school attendance to participate in an extracurricular trip, regardless of the location or intent of the trip. 3 All fund raising activities conducted to help finance such extracurricular trips must be in accordance with the Board of Education policy (Policy No. 1324) for fundraising. All money collected through fund-raising must be handled in accordance with the Accounting Guidelines for the Student Activity Fund (Escrow) published by the Director of Business Services.

8 6153(g) Field Trips (continued) F. Recreational Trip 1. All recreational trips which occur during or which affect the school day must have the prior approval of the appropriate Building Principal and Division Head. 2. Written parental permission is required for any student to depart from the normal school attendance to participate in a recreational trip, regardless of the location or intent of the trip. 3. In general, recreational trips should not extend beyond the length of a normal school day. 4. Costs of recreational trips will be the responsibility of the sponsoring organization and the participating students. V. General Guidelines for All Trips A. The Board of Education Field Trip policy (Policy No. 6153), Administrative Regulation, transportation requirements and costs involved should be carefully reviewed. B. Written approval for all trips must be obtained from the appropriate Instructional Supervisor, Building Principal, and Division Head by completion of the "Student Trip Authorization Request & Bus Request Form" (Form No. 32), Part 1. For overnight trips, Part II must also be completed. C. No notification or commitment to students or parents is to be made until all necessary approvals have been obtained. D. The certified teacher or administrator in charge of the trip should contact the place to be visited well in advance of the date planned. Secure permission from the persons in charge, in writing if possible. Arrange with them convenient times, the number they can accommodate, and the grade level they prefer to handle. Inquire about facilities for the handicapped and rest room facilities. Confirm what fees, if any, are to be charged. E. Ask for any special program or the agenda they may wish to have followed. Ask about needed ratio of adult supervision for the number and age of students attending.

9 6153(h) Field Trips V. General Guidelines for All Trips (continued) F. Parental permission is to be secured prior to any trip through the use of the "Student Trip: Parent Permission Form" (Form No. 34), which requires parental signature and which includes the information listed below. The permission form is to be used for all trips. 1. Purpose of the trip 2. Relationship to Curriculum/Instructional Program 3. Date of the trip 4. Trip destination 5. Class/Activity 6. Teacher/Advisor 7. Times of departure and return 8. Place of departure and return 9. Amount, if any, to be paid by student 10. Any special needs associated with the trip, such as special clothing, lunch provisions, etc. G. For all overnight trips, the "Student Trip: Overnight Travel/Emergency Information Permission Form" (Form No. 35) and the "Rules of Conduct for Students on Trips Overnight" (Form No. 36) must also be completed by each parent/guardian and be on file with the Principal ten days prior to the departure date. The School Nurse will review the Emergency Information Form prior to the trip. H. The Principal of the school involved is responsible for considering the impact of proposed trips on the students' school program and any cumulative effect of a number of such trips. During the school year, no more than six (6) cumulative full days are to be used for such purposes. This limit does not apply to students in the Alternate Day Program.

10 6153(i) Field Trips V. General Guidelines for All Trips (continued) 1. Teachers and any other persons or organizations who plan trips that are not school sponsored must alert parents and students that the planned trip is not associated with the Wethersfield Public Schools. Persons or organizations planning such trips must clearly indicate in writing that they are serving as private agents or private individuals. The preparation for non-school sponsored trips shall not take place during school hours. VI. Financial Considerations 1. Field trips during the school day may be financed by program funds specifically budgeted for such purposes. 2. When there are insufficient program funds budgeted but the value of the trip to the curriculum warrants it, assistance may be sought to cover the cost as follows: a. PTA, PTO or other established parent groups may be sources of financial support for educational trips. b. In accordance with Policy No. 6153, the Superintendent may approve students paying for all or a portion of the field trip. A general guideline is that students pay for admission and the school pays for transportation. c. Staff expenses for school sponsored trips are to be paid with program budget funds. d. In all cases the administration, the students, and the parents should recognize a strong educational relationship between the trip and the program of studies. 3. For trips involving fund-raising, approval must be granted by the appropriate Division Head at least two months before the planned trip. All fund-raising must be completed one month prior to the trip. If all necessary money has not been raised by the deadline stated above, the trip will be cancelled. In no case should any student be denied the opportunity to participate in a field trip because of that student's inability to contribute to the fund-raising effort.

11 6153(j) Field Trips VI. Financial Considerations (continued) 4. All funds collected and disbursed must be maintained in the school Escrow Account in accordance with the Accounting Guidelines for the Student Activity Fund (Escrow) published by the Director of Business Services. The teacher/advisor for the trip shall provide an itemized breakdown of receipts and expenditures to the appropriate Instructional Supervisor, Principal, and the Director of Elementary and Secondary Education within thirty (30) working days of the end of the trip. Regulation approved: September 19, 2001 WETHERSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS Wethersfield, Connecticut

12 Wethersfield Public Schools Wethersfield, Connecticut 6153 Form FIELD TRIP PROCEDURES CHECKLIST In planning and preparing for any school-sponsored field trip, there are a number of details that must be addressed to ensure that the maximum intended benefit to all those participating is derived. In general, the more involved the trip (an entire grade level vs. one class), the longer the trip (overnight vs. day trip), and the farther from Wethersfield the destination (Paris, France vs. Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum), the more critical careful planning becomes. Listed below is a checklist of steps to be taken in planning and conducting any school-sponsored field trip as defined in Board of Education Policy No Use this checklist and Administrative Regulation 6153 as a guide to ensure all steps are covered. I. Local/Day Trips Carefully review Board of Education Policy 6153 (Field Trips) and the accompanying Administrative Regulation. Consult with the School Principal or Instructional Supervisor to obtain prior tentative approval for the trip. Contact officials at proposed trip destination to determine availability of site,' review trip objectives, and review any restrictions/limitations, or requirements imposed by the site on the maximum number of students who may participate, age or grade level of students, number of required chaperones, program options, or itinerary. Inquire also about availability of rest room facilities, handicapped access, etc. Complete "Student Trip Authorization Request & Bus Request" (Form No. 32) and submit to appropriate Instructional Supervisor and/or Building Principal. Approval must be obtained from the Instructional Supervisor and/or Principal and the completed Form must be received in the Office of the Director of Elementary & Secondary Education at least ten (10) school days prior to the date of the trip. Upon receipt of necessary approval(s) for the trip, send "Student Trip: Parent Permission Form" (Form No. 34) home with each student for parental signature and return to supervising teacher or administrator. Ensure receipt of a completed and signed Parent Permission Form from each student participating on the trip. Secure approval of the Building Principal for all adult chaperones expected to participate on the trip. Provide pre-trip instruction to all participating students.

13 6153 Form I. Local/Day Trips (continued) (continued) Provide pre-trip instruction to all participating chaperones. Provide alternate educational plans for any students who are not going on the trip. Prepare a list of students going on the trip and distribute to all involved teachers and the Building Principal. Make arrangements for substitutes, if needed, through the SubFinder system. Notify the cafeteria manager as appropriate, of any field trips when classes will not be eating lunch in the cafeteria. This should be done a week before the scheduled trip. Provide follow-up activities upon return from trip. Conduct evaluation of effectiveness of trip in meeting stated educational objectives. Write letters of appreciation to hosting destination and/or others who made the trip possible. Develop contingency plans to address potential situations such as illness or injury of a student or Chaperone, traffic problems, or motor vehicle breakdown. II. Overnight/Weekend Trips In addition to the steps outlined in I above, the following additional steps are needed when the trip involves an overnight stay: Prior to submitting "Student Trip Authorization Request & Bus Request" (Form No. 32) for approval, complete side two of the Form with all information as requested, including the total estimated cost of the trip. Confer with the Business Office to determine what, if any, additional insurance arrangements will be needed to cover the staff and students for this particular trip. After approval has been received from all necessary sources, provide parents with complete and specific information to include objectives of the program, costs, daily itinerary, chaperones, accommodations, student and chaperone responsibilities, school behavior policies, trip cancellation procedures, possible incidental expenses, and refund policies. Obtain written parent consent and a completed health history on "Overnight Travel/Emergency Information Permission Form" (Form No. 35).

14 6153 II. Overnight/Weekend Trips (continued) Form Collect completed "Rules of Conduct for Student on Trips Overnight" (Form No. 36) and file with the Building Principal ten days prior to the trip departure date. Review all Emergency Information forms with the school nurse prior to the trip. Schedule and conduct an orientation session with students and their parents/guardians to assure all plans and school policies are clearly understood. III. International Trips In addition to the steps outlined in I and II above, the following additional steps are needed: Provide orientation and training to all assigned chaperones which explains the procedures for travel abroad. Submit a copy of the agenda for the orientation program to the Director of Elementary and Secondary Education prior to the scheduled date of the session. Ensure all students and chaperones participating on the trip meet all requirements for immunizations, possession of necessary travel papers (passports, birth certificates, etc.), and any special requirements of the host country for entrance or departure. IV. Financial Considerations Field trips during the school day may be financed by program funds specifically budgeted for such purposes. When there are insufficient program funds budgeted or in the case of most overnight and international trips, financial assistance may be sought to cover the cost. Financial assistance may be in the form of fund-raising activities. For trips involving fund-raising, the following additional steps must be taken: Carefully review Board of Education policy No (Fund-Raising) and the accompanying Administrative Regulation Secure approval to conduct a fund-raising activity from the appropriate Division Head at least two months before the date(s) of the planned trip. Establish a school Escrow Account in accordance with guidelines set forth in "Accounting Guidelines for the Student Activity Fund (Escrow) published by the Director of Business Services if such account does not already exist. Provide an itemized breakdown of receipts and expenditures to the appropriate Instructional Supervisor, Principal, and the Director of Elementary and Secondary Education within thirty (30) days of the end of the trip.