Out-of-Classroom Experiences and Activities
FIELD TRIPS ARE ACADEMIC, ATHLETIC, AND ACTIVITY DISTRICT/SCHOOL SPONSORED DAY TRIPS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS.
Activities conducted outside of the traditional classroom setting provide opportunities for students to enhance their learning experiences, skills, demonstrate proficiencies in various performance areas, enhance their esteem, and represent their schools and community in sanctioned competitions. For these reasons, approved activities that interrupt a student's schedule should be respected for their worth, not their inconvenience in terms of scheduling make-up work or alternative learning experiences.
In order to minimize the disruption to classes that occurs when a student is out of school for an approved activity, the sponsoring staff member has a responsibility to communicate information to affected teachers in a timely fashion that allows the student and teacher the opportunity to discuss the impact of the absence on that student's work in that course. The responsibility to manage time and studies rests with the student. Ample time must be allowed for the student(s) to contact each of their teachers and discuss the impact of their absences on their studies. For this reason, situations where students are taken out of class at the last minute should be avoided.
Philosophy
The school staff is responsible, individually and collectively, for establishing and protecting the integrity of the instructional program and learning process. Consistent student attendance ensures continuity of instruction and enables learning.
A field trip is a school-sponsored learning activity that provides students with an essential learning opportunity that is otherwise unavailable. When learning experiences are made available in the community, they should be considered as integral components of the course/program/activity. Field trips are considered suitable if students acquire knowledge and skills related to the course, program, and/or state learning standards. Accordingly, students must know the purpose of the trip and be held accountable for achieving the outcomes of the field trip experience.
A field trip that removes a student from regularly scheduled classes must be sufficiently worthwhile to justify a student missing his/her other classes. The educational purpose of the trip should be documented in terms of learner outcomes that are directly related to the program or course objectives and state learning standards.
Wherever possible, field trips should be conducted after school hours or during evenings or weekends.
While the educational value of every field trip can be determined by the sponsoring teachers in the context of a specific course or program, broader consideration must be given to the value of a trip in the contexts of the educational program of the school and the other courses on the student’s schedule. All teachers are responsible for comparing the benefit of a field trip to the cost of absence from classes. In the end, the overall benefit of a field trip experience to a student must outweigh the overall cost to the student, to the other teachers, and to the educational program of the school. The principalship is ultimately responsible for judging the value of a trip in the larger context of the educational program.
Competitions, Contests, Performances, and Recognitions
Competitions, contests performances, and recognitions sanctioned by recognized national or state organizations, the Mid-Suburban League, or District 214, in which individual students, teams, or performance groups compete or are adjudicated are not field trips. Such events are calendared in advance even though the identity of actual participants may not be known until shortly before the event. Recognitions are events in which students or student groups receive rewards or recognition directly associated with the school or which have an overwhelming public relations benefit to the school community. The school’s operations team will determine permission for students to participate in competitions, contests, performances, and recognitions.
Procedures
1. In order to minimize disruption to the educational program, field trips are to be avoided during the first two weeks of the school year, the two weeks preceding the first final examination day of the first semester, and from May 1 to the end of the second semester.
2. The sponsoring teacher (trip supervisor) must discuss the field trip and its purpose and submit the “Administrative Approval Form” to his/her immediate supervisor one month prior to the date of the field trip. Teachers planning multiple field trips for an individual class must submit to the principalship, the entire field trip “package” for approval. Semester length courses must submit their field trip package at the beginning of the semester. Yearlong courses must submit their field trip package at the beginning of the first semester.
3. All field trip proposals are submitted to the principalship for approval. The principalship will meet on the first day of each school week to review field trip applications.
4. The purpose of every field trip must be documented on the “Field Trip Approval Form” in terms of learning objectives that are directly related to program and course objectives and state learning standards.
5. The field trip plan must include a provision for an appropriate number of chaperones in accord with Board Policy 7.1.11 Adult Supervision of Students During Off-Campus, School-Sponsored Trips. Consideration should be given to the use of parents as chaperones.
6. After receiving approval for the field trip and with no less than two weeks before the date of the field trip, the sponsoring teacher distributes a “Field Trip Permission Form” to each student. Information about the purpose, cost, trip itinerary, and chaperones are included on the form. A parent/guardian and all of the student’s teachers must sign the form.
7. No student can be deprived of field trip participation because of financial need. The district’s “fee waiver” program applies to the costs associated with field trips.
8. The sponsoring teacher prepares a list of the names and I.D. numbers of all participating students and submits the list to the attendance office no less than one week before the field trip date.
9. The sponsoring teacher submits the signed permission forms to the division head before leaving on the field trip.
10. The sponsoring teacher or at least one chaperone must have a cellular telephone and the emergency phone numbers of school administrators. If multiple vehicles are used to transport students, the chaperone in each vehicle should have a cellular telephone. The school may have loaner cellular telephones.
11. The sponsoring teacher must have accurate attendance records of students on each vehicle. Attendance must be taken each and every time students board vehicles.
12. The supervisor and chaperones are responsible for the well being of the students in their care. In the event a student or students do not report to the vehicle at the appointed time, the vehicle is not to depart until (1) a reasonable wait time has elapsed, (2) a school administrator has been contacted, and (3) attempts have been made to contact the parent/guardian of the missing student(s).
13. Upon return to the school, the trip sponsor will insure that participating students are supervised until the end of the school day or returned to classes in the least disruptive manner.
14. The trip sponsor must arrange for supervision, attendance, and alternative/equivalent learning tasks for students who do not participate in a field trip. The trip sponsor must inform the division head of such arrangements. The alternative assignment should not be punitive or be used to coerce the student into participating in the field trip.
15. It is the responsibility of the trip sponsor to consult with the school nurse to insure that students requiring medication during the school day can be accommodated.
Student Participation
1. Only students enrolled in the class/program/activity will be allowed to participate in a field trip.
2. Students are responsible for securing the approving signature of each of their teachers.
3. If any teacher believes that the absence from class is not in the student’s best interest, he/she should contact the sponsoring teacher and reach agreement on a plan that is in the student’s best interest. If agreement cannot be reached, the situation will be referred to the principal for a decision.
4. Students must have their school I.D. card with them at all times.
5. Students not participating in the field trip must attend all of the classes on their schedule. The trip sponsor must provide an alternative/equivalent assignment and direct the student to a designated site and supervising teacher.
6. The principal maintains the right to grant exceptions to these procedures in the case of unusual or extraordinary circumstances.
7. The Dean(s) of Students will intervene on all situations involving discipline and attendance.
Transportation
1. When planning to use district/school vehicles for field trips, it is essential to reserve the vehicles as early as possible. All drivers of district/school vehicles must have a valid driver’s license and submit to a screening of their license by the local police department. Chaperones may drive district/school vehicles provided they have a valid driver’s license.
2. Funds collected to cover the cost of transportation must be deposited in an appropriate convenience account.
3. Private vehicles are not to be used to transport students.
Field Trip Communication
During the first two weeks of the semester, Division Heads gather field trip information and provide this information Rob Hartwig.
As field trips are approved, Cindy will put the field trip information on the faculty portion of the web page (Staff Resources – Field Trips – Field Trip Database)
Division Assistants are responsible for posting an updated list of field trips in the Division work area. Each Division will determine where the list is to be posted and how often it is to be changed.
Staff is responsible for checking the field trip updates in order to plan accordingly.
Early Return from a Field Trip
Should you return early from a field trip during 4th, 5th or 6th hours, which are the lunch periods, you and all other staff members who supervised the trip are to stay in the theater foyer with your students until the end of the hour. When the bell rings and the passing period begins, the students may go to their locker and then proceed to their next class. Staff members may return to their areas. DO NOT leave your students in the foyer area unsupervised assuming that the teacher or staff member on sixth assignment becomes responsible for their supervision.
Should you return during a non-lunch hour, take your group into the cafeteria, have them sit in the bay/section near the entrance to the theater foyer. All staff that supervised the trip must remain with the students. Students may move on to their next class at the start of the passing period or leave at the end of eighth hour.
Do not send students home before the end of eighth hour. Parents assume that the students are with you for the entire day. Allowing students to leave early, increases your liability.
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