JCBE/POLICY FILE: 348.7
Approved: 7/29/76, 3/18/70, 12/16/76
Revised: 3/25/99
Revised: 1/23/03
FIELD TRIPS AND
OFF-CAMPUS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
A field trip is defined as any school sponsored or related educational activity which results in one or more students leaving the school campus for any period of time during regular school hours, or participating in a school sponsored educational or curriculum related event after school hours. All field trips must serve an educational objective by enriching the instructional program and should be part of a defined lesson plan.
Off-Campus extracurricular activities are school sponsored or related extracurricular activities which are not a part of the school educational curriculum and which ordinarily occur outside of regular school hours. All off-campus extracurricular activities must be school related and must be approved by the local school principal.
CRITERIA FOR FIELD TRIPS AND
OFF-CAMPUS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Each school should develop a yearly field trip plan to maximize instructional time while providing enrichment opportunities. Similarly, each school should develop a schedule or plan for known off-campus extracurricular activities. All funding for field trips and off-campus extracurricular activities must be generated at the local school level.
Students shall not be permitted to take part in field trips or off-campus extracurricular activities without first presenting written authorization on a Board approved form, which must be completed and signed by the student’s parents or legal guardian. Field trips and off-campus extracurricular activities must also be approved as follows:
2. Overnight Field Trips. Overnight field trip and overnight off-campus extracurricular activity requests must be pre-approved by the Director of Student Services. A field trip/off-campus activity application must be submitted with a Safety Plan, including a detailed itinerary of the trip. Overnight trip applications must reach the Director of Student Services at least ten (10) days prior to the trip. Failure to meet the ten day requirement may result in disapproval. Exceptions may be made for participants in rescheduled or postponed events.
3. Out-of-state Activities and Activities for Three or More School Days. Requests for all out-of-state field trips and out-of-state off-campus extracurricular activities must be pre-approved by the Board of Education. Additionally, in-state field trip and extracurricular activity requests that require students to be away from classes more than three days must be pre-approved by the Board of Education. Requests which require Board approval must reach the Director of Student Services at least six (6) weeks prior to the Board meeting which precedes the trip. Failure to meet the submission deadline may result in disapproval. A field trip/off-campus activity application must be submitted with a Safety Plan, including a detailed itinerary of the trip. A follow-up report for all out-of-state field trips shall be submitted by the trip sponsor to the Board through the Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Services’ office within one week after returning.
A Safety Plan for each overnight, out-of-state, or multi-day field trip or off-campus extracurricular activity must be developed and a copy kept on file in the principal/supervisor’s office. The Plan should include a list of students on the trip, signed permission to travel forms, medical information pertaining to trip members, chaperones, trip itinerary, current emergency telephone numbers, carrier information, and for overnight or out-of-state trips, a calling tree and student accommodation information. Teachers/sponsors are strongly encouraged to have access to a cellular phone during the entirety of the trip.
All field trips must be supervised by school personnel. Parents’ assistance as chaperones may be encouraged. The age of the students, regulations involving special needs students and the need to ensure their safety on the field trip shall dictate how many chaperones will be required for a particular trip however, a minimum ratio of one chaperone to twenty or fewer students is required. No children will be permitted on a field trip other than the students of the teacher/class requesting the field trip.
Transportation for field trips and off-campus extracurricular activities may be provided by one of the following:
1. School bus. School buses owned and operated by the board will be available for use on field trips and extracurricular activities with appropriate notice. It is the responsibility of the school principal to ensure that written notification of the intent to use school buses for field trips is sent in advance to the Director of Transportation. A copy of the approved field trip form will be considered written notification. THE USE OF SCHOOL BUSES WITHOUT SUCH NOTIFICATION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Transportation by local school bus shall not interfere with regular bus services, and all costs incurred shall be paid by the local school, at a rate to be determined by the board. Payment is due at the time the trip is taken and will be billed on a monthly basis by the Finance Department.
2. Commercial carrier. Transportation for field trips and extracurricular activities may also be provided by commercial carrier. Such transportation must be by a properly insured franchised public transportation company. The principal shall check the PCI/ICC number and the insurance coverage on such carriers at the time of the contract execution and prior to allowing departure from campus. A copy of such documents shall be included with the field trip request form. Vans with a capacity of more than ten passengers should not be used for field trips.
3. Parent-arranged or provided transportation. Field trips and other off-campus extracurricular activities may also be without Board-provided transportation. In that case, transportation must be parent-arranged or provided for by parents. If such transportation method is used, it must be with the knowledge and specific written permission of each student’s parents. If transportation for a field trip or off-campus extracurricular activity is not provided, it shall be the sole responsibility of each individual parent to provide for or otherwise arrange for transportation to and from the trip or activity. The Board cannot and will not be responsible for insurance or safety for parent-provided or arranged transportation, and parents should make arrangements to ensure the safety of his or her own child in the event transportation is not by school bus or commercial carrier.
4. Walk. Field trips and other off-campus extracurricular activities may be approved for students to
walk to the event where walking would be safe and appropriate.
No commitments for any field trip or event shall be made or money collected for an over-night or out-of-state field trip or event until approval has been provided at the Board level.
All students in the class may be allowed to go on field trips unless parents deny permission, or if transportation is not being provided, if parents fail to arrange for or provide transportation. Instructional provisions shall be made for those students who do not participate. Classes or groups should
receive preparation prior to the trip and follow-up instruction upon returning.
Trips scheduled as part of a student’s IEP shall be requested on Board approved forms. These activities must be approved by the principal and by an Exceptional Education supervisor.
Revised: 1/23/03 JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
FIELD TRIP REQUEST FORM
PLEASE TYPE OR CLEARLY PRINT AND COMPLETE EACH SECTION THAT RELATES TO YOUR REQUEST. INFORMATION FOR COMPLETING THIS FORM IS LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THIS DOCUMENT. PLEASE REVIEW THE TIME FRAME FOR SUBMITTING REQUESTS FOR FIELD TRIPS TO THE CENTRAL OFFICE. FAXED COPIES WILL BE CONSIDERED ONLY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
SECTION A
SCHOOL: ___________________________________________________________ DATE: ________________________
TO: ________________________________________________________________ PRINCIPAL / SUPERVISOR
SUBMITTED BY: _____________________________________________________
(NAMES OF TEACHERS / SPONSORS)
CHECK:
( ) WITHIN COUNTY ( ) OUT-OF-COUNTY ( ) OUT-OF-STATE ( ) OVERNIGHT ( ) ACADEMIC ( ) OFF —CAMPUS EXTRACURRICULAR
SECTION B
_________________________ ___________ _________________________ _______________________ _________________________
DATE(S) OF TRIP GRADE CLASS / SUBJECT AREA NUMBER OF STUDENTS NUMBER OF CHAPERONES
__________________________________ __________________________________ _____________________________________
DEPARTURE TIME (FROM SCHOOL) RETURN TIME (TO SCHOOL) DISTANCE ONE WAY (ESTIMATED)
DESTINATION (Please be specific - event-areas to visit- _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: ( ) SCHOOL BUS ( ) COMMERCIAL CARRIER ( ) WALK ( ) PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
NUMBER OF SCHOOL BUSES REQUIRED: _______________ (Bus capacity 65 passengers - elementary / 44 passengers - high school)
ARE SCHOOL BUSES WITH LIFTS NEEDED? ( ) YES ( ) NO IF YES, HOW MANY: __________
IF COMMERCIAL CARRIER: NAME OF APPROVED CARRIER _____________________________________________________________
(COPY OF CURRENT INSURANCE MUST BE ATTACHED)
SECTION C: COMPLETE THIS SECTION FOR SAME DAY, IN-STATE FIELD TRIP AND OFF-CAMPUS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVIES.
APPROVED [ ] DISAPPROVED [ ]
( ) Copy to Student Services, at least ( ) If bus transportation is required, copy five days prior to trip. to Director five days prior to trip.___________________________/____________ _______________________________ ___________________________
Principal/Supervisor Date Director of Student Services Director of Transportation
SECTION D (SIGNATURES IN THIS SECTION ARE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL OF ALL OUT-OF-STATE AND/OR OVERNIGHT REQUESTS. THIS REQUEST MUST REACH THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES WITHIN THE TIME FRAME DESCRIBED ON THE BACK OF THIS FORM.)
NUMBER OF DAYS OUT OF SCHOOL: ___________ A COMPLETE SAFETY PLAN MUST BE ATTACHED TO THIS DOCUMENT AND A COPY
MUST BE ON FILE IN THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE: ( ) YES
APPROVED [ ] DISAPPROVED [ ] APPROVED [ ] DISAPPROVED [ ] APPROVED [ ] DISAPPROVED [ ]
___________________________/_______ __________________________/________ _________________________/_______
PRINCIPAL / SUPERVISOR DATE DIR. OF STUDENT SERVICES DATE DIR. OF TRANSPORTATION DATE
AFTER APPROVAL, A COPY WILL BE SENT TO THE PRINCIPAL
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OBTAINING THE NECESSARY BUSES SHALL REST WITH THE ORIGINATOR, SUPERVISOR, PRINCIPAL OR HIS
DESIGNEE.
FIELD TRIPS AND OFF-CAMPUS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES GUIDELINES
A field trip is defined as any school sponsored or related educational activity which results in one or more students leaving the school campus for any period of time during regular school hours, or participating in a school sponsored educational or curriculum related event after school hours. All field trips must serve an educational objective by enriching the instructional program and should be part of a defined lesson plan.
Off-Campus extracurricular activities are school sponsored or related extracurricular activities which are not a part of the school educational curriculum and which ordinarily occur outside of regular school hours. All off-campus extracurricular activities must be school related and must be approved by the local school principal. All funding for field trips and off-campus extracurricular activities must be generated at the local school level.
Students shall not be permitted to take part in field trips or off-campus extracurricular activities without first presenting written authorization on a Board approved form, which must be completed and signed by the student’s parents or legal guardian. Field trips and off-campus extracurricular activities must also be approved as follows:
A Safety Plan for each overnight, out-of-state, or multi-day field trip or off-campus extracurricular activity must be developed and a copy kept on file in the principal/supervisor’s office. The Plan should include a list of students on the trip, signed permission to travel forms, medical information pertaining to trip members, chaperones, trip itinerary, current emergency telephone numbers, carrier information, and for overnight or out-of-state trips, a calling tree and student accommodation information. Teachers/sponsors are strongly encouraged to have access to a cellular phone during the entirety of the trip.
All field trips must be supervised by school personnel. Parents’ assistance as chaperones may be encouraged. The age of the students, regulations involving special needs students and the need to ensure their safety on the field trip shall dictate how many chaperones will be required for a particular trip however, a minimum ratio of one chaperone to twenty or fewer students is required. No children will be permitted on a field trip other than the students of the teacher/class requesting the field trip.
Transportation for field trips and off-campus extracurricular activities may be provided by one of the following:
No commitments for any field trip or event shall be made or money collected for an over-night or out-of-state field trip or event until approval has been provided at the Board level. All students in the class may be allowed to go on field trips unless parents deny permission, or if transportation is not being provided, if parents fail to arrange for or provide transportation. Instructional provisions shall be made for those students who do not participate. Classes or groups should receive preparation prior to the trip and follow-up instruction upon returning.
Trips scheduled as part of a student’s IEP shall be requested on Board approved forms. These activities must be approved by the principal and by an Exceptional Education supervisor.
(Revised: 1/23/03)
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION
PERMISSION FOR STUDENT TRAVEL
(TO BE COMPLETED BY TEACHER/SPONSOR/COACH)
SCHOOL: ________________________________________________________
TEACHER/SPONSOR/COACH: ______________________________________
PROPOSED TRIP: __________________________________________________
(Destination/event)
DATE OF TRIP: _______________
TIME LEAVING SCHOOL _____________ TIME RETURNING TO SCHOOL ______________
MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: (TEACHER/SPONSOR/COACH TO SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING)
_________BOARD PROVIDED/ARRANGED: ( ) School bus ( ) Commercial Carrier ( ) Walk
_________PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY (It is the sole responsibility of each individual parent to provide for or otherwise arrange for transportation to and from this activity. The Board cannot and will not be responsible for insurance or safety for parent-provided or arranged transportation. Parents should make arrangements to ensure the safety of his or her own child.)
__________________________________________ , has my permission to participate in the above school sponsored trip or off-campus extracurricular activity. I understand that it is my responsibility as a parent/guardian to provide the school with emergency information, including but not limited to: home and work phone numbers, emergency phone numbers, and necessary medical information.
__________________________ Parent/Guardian
__________________________ Date
.