Definitions

1. Field trip - A planned visit outside the classroom taken by students under the supervision of a teacher or other school official for the purpose of extending the instructional activities of the classroom through first-hand experience and participation in functional situations that relate directly to what is being studied.
2. Routine, local field trip - A field trip that usually falls within a twenty-five (25) mile radius of the school, takes place within the regular school day and uses contracted means of transportation.
3. Unusual field trip - A field trip that fulfills any one of the following conditions: covers more than a twenty-five (25) mile radius, requires more than one day, uses noncontracted means of transportation, includes additional transportation fees, or involves other unusual circumstances.

Financing Field Trips

The use of bus transportation services for field trips may be authorized from Board of Education appropriated funds budgeted for field trips if approved by the Superintendent/designee.

Field trip transportation may be funded from sources other than Board of Education funds. This would include PTO contributions, foundation funds, authorized fees, government funds, and income generated by school activities, as long as the purpose of such income is not violated.

Requests and Permission Forms

All requests for use of school buses for field trips shall be made on the appropriate District form.

Requests for routine, local walking field trips to points in the immediate community shall be submitted to the principal for approval.

Requests for all unusual field trips shall be submitted through the principal for approval by the Superintendent. When District bus transportation is used, a copy of the Application for Bus Trip form should be attached.

Field trip requests should be submitted early enough to permit adequate review at all levels; otherwise requests shall be denied.

A permission slip for private car transportation, signed by the parents, shall be obtained from each student for each field trip. In cases where there is a series of trips such as physical education classes in ice skating, swimming, etc., only one permission slip is necessary.

Private car transportation refers to families using their own cars to transport children and for private car transportation provided by teachers, coaches or parents to transport other students.

In an athletic program which requires transportation, written permission for transportation will be included in the permission form for student participation in the program.

Transportation Provided by Families

When small groups of high school students are participating in school events away from home base, parents may be asked to make arrangements for their children to arrive there safely and on time.

OTHER TYPES OF FIELD TRIPS

Family Field Trips

As an alternative to trips scheduled on school time, the School District encourages families to visit historical sites and attend concerts, plays and films which may relate to the school program. Principals and teachers may be able to assist families by providing information for family trips. It is assumed that family trips will take place at times other than during the regular school day.

Study/Travel/Tour Programs

There are numerous study-travel-tour programs promoted and operated by commercial organizations, not only during summer vacations and holidays, but also at times during the school year.

Official Programs

On occasion, it may be appropriate for the schools to make use of the facilities of commercial organizations to offer study, travel or tour programs. In this event, all aspects of such programs shall have been approved by the school system and notification of the programs, together with implementing procedures, shall be sent to schools. These should be designed for the summer vacation, holidays or for other times that do not entail the long absences of either teachers or students from the regular school session.

In the event that any teachers would like to propose such a program, they should submit a written request for approval through the school principal and Superintendent. The request should cover the points in the Guidelines for Appraisal of Study-Travel-Tour Programs. The Request and Information for Unusual Field Trip form shall be completed and attached to the written request for approval. Requests should be submitted early enough to permit adequate review at all levels; otherwise requests shall be denied.

The program should be undertaken to achieve sufficiently valid educational objectives to warrant full or partial support by the school or school system by specific groups, classes or school organizations which have been formed primarily for purposes other than making the trip. Care should be exercised to avoid excluding students from participating in the program by reason of economic consideration.

Non-Official Programs

Study-travel-tour programs that do not carry the specific approval of the District are not officially either with the school system as a whole or with a local school.

Sometimes private groups involving school personnel, students and parents are formed for the purpose of studying, traveling or touring. Such activity should:

1. Be scheduled outside of the regular school day in the same manner as any community-type activity.
2. Not be sanctioned, recommended or advertised by school and/or school personnel in an official capacity.
3. Not involve solicitation of participation by students in school during school time.
4. Not receive school support in money, supplies or duty time of employees.

School personnel participating in nonofficial programs should:

1. Be familiar with Guidelines for Appraisal of Study-Travel-Tour Programs.
2. Be aware that administrative leave will not be granted for participation in such programs.
3. Be careful not to imply in any way that a nonofficial program is receiving official sanction or recognition by the local school or school system.
4. Be familiar with current policies and regulations regarding conflict of interest and
5. be particularly careful not to accept or receive any gift, loan, gratuity, favor or service of economic value that might reasonably be expected to influence one in his/her position in the discharge of his/her duties, from any person.